For decades, we’ve heard stories of immigrants arriving in the United States in search of the American Dream. Sadly, for many of them, the dream never comes to fruition. However, for Ted Ngoy, not only did the dream come true, but it also led to one of the lowest points in his life, as documented in the upcoming film, “The Donut King.”
As seen in the trailer, “The Donut King” tells the story of the rise and fall of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian immigrant that came over the US without any money and somehow was able to create a massive donut restaurant chain that earned him tens of millions of dollars and a special commendation from President George HW Bush. But unfortunately, things didn’t last, as Ted’s own demons come back to haunt him and threaten to throw it all away.
“The Donut King” marks the feature directorial debut for Alice Gu, who previously worked as a cinematographer for years. The film also has the official Ridley Scott Seal of Approval, as the legendary filmmaker lends his name as an executive producer on the feature.
“The Donut King” will arrive in select theaters and virtual cinemas on October 30. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
Everything you thought you knew about the donut begins with Ted Ngoy. THE DONUT KING tells the unlikely story of Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who arrived in America in 1975 with nothing and set out to build a multi-million-dollar empire by baking America’s favorite pastry, the donut. Ngoy soon found himself living a classic rags to riches narrative after sponsoring hundreds of visas for fellow Cambodian immigrants, helping them get on their feet in a new land by teaching them the ways of the donut business and amassing a small personal fortune. By the mid 1990’s, Cambodian-Americans owned nearly 80% of the donut industry as a result of his influence. But, in life, great rises can come with even greater falls. THE DONUT KING is a story of tenacity, survival, redemption, and above all else, the power of the American Dream.