We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liliana Yang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Liliana , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

In the past, I used to think that starting sooner would have put me in a better place. But now, living in the present, I realize that right now is the best time.

Before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Liliana, also known by her Chinese name Yawen, is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker who grew up in Singapore. She came to the U.S. at the age of 18 to attend Boston University, where she completed her B.A. in Economics with a minor in Theater Performance.

Primarily working as a casting director and actor for various independent projects, Liliana also takes on the roles of director and writer for her own creative ventures. Her first film, “Xiao Bing”, has been selected for many film festivals, including the Oscar-qualified film festival, “LA Shorts International Film Festival”. Her second film, “Her Nails”, with its unique visual storytelling style, is currently in competition in many international film festivals.

Liliana’s films are highly influenced by the visual arts. Her love for visual arts began with drawing but extended into oil painting and photography. After honing these skills for many years, she decided to pick up a camera and record life through her own eyes. She writes down what she observes and turns it into poems, scripts, and films. Liliana loves to capture the small details and different moments of everyday life.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Telling compelling stories has always been my goal since I was young. However, under my parents’ strong objection, I didn’t choose the major I wanted in college. But there is a voice in my heart that always reminds me I should persist with my dream. Even though I didn’t attend a film program during my college years, I taught myself scriptwriting, directing, and the basic knowledge of cinematography. I utilized my advantage as an actor to collaborate with filmmakers in the Boston Area to strengthen my skills. Yet, my family’s financial issues forced me to stop pursuing what I’m passionate about. After I graduated, I started a job as a banker, meanwhile taking care of my ill mother. The unbreakable burden finally broke me down. Sent to a recovery center for a week, I could not walk properly due to severe paralysis. As I lay on the hospital bed, I questioned myself if I should stop my filmmaking journey, given my current health stage. But the voice in my heart persists; I don’t want to give up. Four years of trying, with consistent failures and preparation for a graduate program, finally got me into USC Cinema Art. Out of surprise, I’m the only interviewee who got selected from my interview group, with only a 3% acceptance rate in this program. On the day of receiving my acceptance letter, it feels surreal, as if I got admitted into Harvard, or even something better.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

My ultimate intention as an artist is to spread encouragement and happiness to people. I find it most rewarding when people are inspired and motivated by my work, as it gives me the strength to work even harder to spread positive energy and tell more uplifting and compelling stories.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lilianayang.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilianayyang/
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lilianayyang
• Other: imdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14742561/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Image Credits
My beloved “Her Nails” cast & crew