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

Siqi, appreciate you joining us today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?

My grandmother is my hero. As a filmmaker whose works are always related to “family”, my family members all influence me a lot my journey of film.

When I was young, my parents were very busy with work. When they weren’t at home, they would either have my grandma come to our house or they would send me to my grandma’s house for her to take care of me. To be honest, when I was young, I didn’t really like my grandma. I didn’t like the distinct smell that old people have, I didn’t like her restrictions on me, I didn’t like her collection of plastic bags and “junk,” and I especially didn’t like her constant chattering with her dialect accent. When I was young, I always wished she could be a bit quieter. But strangely enough, it was when I listened to my grandma telling stories in Mandarin with her accented voice that I would always sleep really well.

As I grew a little older, I entered my rebellious phase. I enjoyed doing things that the elders didn’t allow and thought it was cool, like staying up all night playing computer games in my room. One late night, while I was in my room playing on the computer, my grandma, who was passing by with a glass of water, heard the noise from my room. She pushed open the door and told me to stop playing and go to sleep. Sitting next to me, she tried to reason with me in her accented Mandarin, but as a rebellious child, I didn’t listen and even said some very hurtful things to her. That time, I really angered my grandma, and she silently cried in the living room. My mom heard the commotion and came out of her room to console my grandma, while I locked myself in my room and didn’t show any signs of relenting. After a while, I realized my mistake, but I never apologized to my grandma. The incident eventually faded away, and my grandma forgave me, just like after every argument we had. She continued to love me as always.

At the same time, after that incident, I deeply reflected on my own mistakes and never disrespected my grandma like that again. Later, I left my hometown to pursue my studies in another city and another country. There, I didn’t have to endure my grandma’s nagging and restrictions. Instead, I faced unfamiliar environments and pressure. It was from that time that I began experiencing insomnia due to the mental stress. On every sleepless night, what I missed the most was my childhood, when my grandma told me stories in her dialect. Unfortunately, I could no longer hear them because my grandma passed away due to illness. I wasn’t by her side to see her for the last time, nor did I have the chance to express how much I loved her or apologize to her. This emotional burden has always been with me, and there have been times when just thinking about my grandma would bring tears to my eyes. But one day, I had a dream where my grandma was telling me stories, and that night, I slept really well.

After that, I made a short film called “Sleepless”, the film tells the story of the reconciliation between the protagonist Suzie and her grandmother, but it is also a reconciliation between myself and the mistakes I have made in the past.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Siqi Zhang, a Chinese filmmaker, is currently pursuing her MFA in Film & Television at SCAD, specializing in directing and producing. She has a strong passion for storytelling and filmmaking, and her dedication has led to recognition for her work. One of her notable accomplishments includes the nomination of her produced short film “Ballerina” at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival. The film she directed call “Sleepless” as has been official selected by Atlanta Shortfest, and awarded in Indie Shortfest, New York International Film Awards, Seattle International Movie Awards. Prior to her studies in the United States, Siqi completed her BA at Zhejiang University of Communication in China. During her time in her home country, she served as one of the directors for the immensely popular stand-up comedy variety show “Rock & Roast Season 2.” Under her direction, the show experienced a notable increase in internet ratings, jumping from 6.9 in the previous season to 7.5.

Siqi’s films frequently explore the theme of “family relationships,” which has been instrumental in her development as a Chinese film director. Her experiences studying abroad have further deepened her understanding of the significance of cultural identity in the art of filmmaking.

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

For me, the most valuable aspect of filmmaking is enabling audiences to experience different worlds and lives. Films bring us joy and dreams, while also revealing truths and hardships. They don’t solve problems or provide answers. But that’s what films are – a part of our lives, an essential part.

Excellent films extend our lives in different dimensions through the play of light and shadow. They offer us the opportunity to transcend the limitations of time and space, almost infinitely expanding our life experiences, and grasp the eternal truths that lie beyond ordinary existence. This is a rare and profound life experience that helps us go beyond our narrow personal encounters, enhancing our understanding of ourselves, society, and the world. It reminds us that the world is vast and that we always have the opportunity to make ourselves and the world a better place. At the same time, it is not perfect. It conceals many extremes of human nature, the darkness that is kept hidden beyond our sight, and even the cruelty that exists. However, to understand ourselves and human nature, it is necessary to acknowledge the existence of darkness. Films provide us with an opportunity to fully experience different lives, allowing us to continue living our own ordinary lives in the present world while striving to make them better.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I don’t remember when I first came across the idea that geniuses are lonely, and the same goes for filmmakers. They have to face all the voices in the world, the questioning, the praise, and various diverse voices that reach them through different channels. Perhaps they will crumble under the weight of it all, or perhaps they will continue to strive until their work is recognized.

Regardless of the voices they hear, they are trying to express their inner desires through a unique perspective and approach. In this world, there are always some people who can perceive something completely different from abstract or specific images, something familiar yet unfamiliar, something that resonates.

Just like when I first encountered the literary work “Sculpting in Time” by Andrei Tarkovsky in the university library seven or eight years ago, I knew nothing about this foreign filmmaker from an unfamiliar country, but I could feel the power of his work and something he wanted to express.

At that time, I was young and only knew that he could be called a legend, with extraordinary influence in the history of cinema. It was only upon re-reading his words that I discovered the power of one person’s words, which, even after many years, still influenced a group of people. Compared to his films like “Ivan’s Childhood,” “Mirror,” “Stalker,” and others that require wholehearted immersion to fully experience, his words provide a more convenient way to understand his thoughts and values, and to comprehend what he wanted to express in his works.

For the audience to understand the essence of his films, and for him to express his understanding of his profession and the fundamental principles, he sought a more direct and straightforward outlet, resulting in the creation of this book alongside his film-making endeavors. “Sculpting in Time” is an intuitive reflection of his artistic creation and provides practical methods for understanding his films.

Throughout the book, Tarkovsky uses words to record his thoughts, memories, and reveals for the first time the creative inspiration, development, work methods, and intense autobiographical elements of his important works. He also delves into various issues related to visual storytelling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm13828850/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_0_nm_8_q_Siqi%2520Zhang
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/siqi.zhang.47?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Image Credits
Siqi Zhang