We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Wallis Liu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Wallis below.

Hi Wallis , thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful projects I’ve worked on all share the same purpose—using animation to express emotions or ideas that are difficult to articulate, and hopefully sparking reflection in the people who watch them.

My short film Unconditional Love is the clearest example. I’ve always struggled to verbally express love toward my family, so animation became the medium I used instead. The film was inspired by gratitude for my parents and the unconditional love parents give their children. Creating it allowed me to tell a story that felt personal, while also inviting audiences to project their own experiences onto it and find their own meaning. Many people who also have trouble expressing love to their families told me the film helped them communicate those emotions, and that meant a lot to me. I’m grateful that the piece was selected by multiple festivals worldwide and received several international awards.

The educational series Bubbles and Friends, produced by The Learning Experience, was meaningful for a completely different reason. As an animator, I had the opportunity to work on content that directly supports early childhood development. Through performance and character acting, we help young children learn, grow, and understand the world around them. Knowing that my work could play a small part in a child’s emotional and social development felt incredibly purposeful.

These experiences eventually made me want to create opportunities not only for myself but for others. That led to the creation of the New York Short Animation Festival. In its first year, the festival grew far beyond what I expected—we received nearly 500 submissions from more than 40 countries, attracting animators, studios, and institutions from around the world. Seeing so many creators trust the festival in its very first edition reinforced how much a platform like this is needed.

We welcome animators of all ages and backgrounds, and we intentionally separate categories by age group and by individual versus group creators to keep the competition fair. We also share every submitted film on our social platforms and collaborate with partners to increase screening opportunities, giving creators visibility they often struggle to find elsewhere.

As the festival grew, we began forming partnerships with organizations such as The Animation Project in New York and Cine Universitario UACJ in Mexico. Expanding these collaborations has become an important part of our mission—we want to create more spaces, more screenings, and more international pathways for animators to showcase their work. Every partnership is driven by the same intention: to give artists a bigger stage and help their stories reach audiences they might not have otherwise.

The New York Film Screening Festival grew from the same belief—that filmmakers and animators deserve more chances to screen their work. Curating programs, helping creators reach new audiences, and writing their stories and reviews has become one of the most fulfilling parts of my career.

I’m currently working on a new short film called Oops. The project continues my interest in exploring real social issues through storytelling. I’m constantly observing everyday behaviors and the problems we tend to overlook, and I like weaving those insights into my work. Oops uses a simple narrative to reflect some of these social patterns, and my hope is that audiences walk away seeing the world a little differently. If a film can spark even a moment of reflection, that alone makes it meaningful. The project is set to be completed by the end of the year and will begin its festival run next year.

Wallis , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a digital artist and festival director, and the core of my creative work has always been the same:
every project must have meaning.
Even the smallest positive impact—on a viewer, a child, or the creative community—is enough to keep me creating. I’ve always been someone who notices everything: subtle gestures, emotional shifts, and the quiet spaces between words. Those observations shape how I tell stories, design performances, and build characters.
I also aim to create stories that feel universal—narratives that can cross cultures, transcend language, and resonate with audiences wherever they are.

My short film Unconditional Love became the turning point of my career. I created it to thank my family, especially for the kind of love I’ve never been able to express verbally. Animation became the only medium through which I could communicate emotions I couldn’t put into words. I didn’t expect the film to go as far as it did, but it screened at festivals around the world and won multiple international awards. That experience connected me with global audiences, programmers, and curators—and it opened a path I never anticipated:
invitations to serve as a festival juror.

Before Unconditional Love finished its festival run, I worked on two meaningful projects: Adam and Eve and Bubbles and Friends.

For Adam and Eve, I created the early demo animation used to pitch the project. That demo played a key role in helping the team successfully secure several million dollars in production funding. Seeing my work directly contribute to such a significant milestone was incredibly rewarding and motivating.

Soon after, I joined the educational series Bubbles and Friends, produced by The Learning Experience. The series helps young children learn, grow, and understand emotional and social concepts. Knowing that my animation could have such a meaningful impact on children’s development genuinely made me happy. It reminded me that when this medium is used with intention, it can reach people in ways that feel real and lasting.

As Unconditional Love continued its festival journey, the jury invitations accelerated. Reviewing films from creators around the world made me realize how much I enjoy analyzing storytelling—structure, character choices, emotional movement, and visual clarity. That naturally led me to begin writing film reviews and interviews, helping spotlight strong work and amplify voices that deserve more recognition.

These combined experiences—creating personal films, contributing to influential projects, reviewing others’ work, and participating in festivals—eventually pushed me toward a bigger mission:
giving filmmakers and animators the visibility they deserve.

This is how the New York Short Animation Festival was born. At NYSAF, we focus on fairness and exposure. We divide categories by age and by individual versus group creators, and we promote every submitted film—because every artist deserves a chance to be seen, not just the winners. I also lead the animation program at the New York Film Screening Festival, expanding screening opportunities even further for filmmakers and animators.

What ties all my work together is storytelling. Whether I’m creating films, reviewing submissions, judging competitions, or organizing festivals, my purpose remains the same:
to understand emotion, champion meaningful stories, and help creators express their voice.

What I’m most proud of is that a single personal film—a story born from emotions I couldn’t speak—ended up shaping my entire career. It took me around the world, led me into jury work, and inspired me to build platforms that support other artists. Everything I do today comes from that journey and from my belief that powerful stories deserve to be seen.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey has always been guided by a simple belief: stories have the power to say what people can’t.

I’ve always been someone who observes quietly—the small emotional shifts, the moments that go unspoken, the vulnerabilities people try to hide. Those observations naturally push me toward creating work that speaks to universal emotions, the kind that cross cultures and resonate even without dialogue.

My mission as a digital artist is to turn those observations into stories that make people feel seen. Whether it’s a personal film like Unconditional Love, which grew out of emotions I struggled to express verbally, or a project that helps children learn and grow, I want my work to carry meaning. Even if it creates just a moment of reflection for someone, that’s enough for me.

Over time, that mission expanded beyond my own films. After traveling with Unconditional Love to festivals around the world and eventually serving as a juror, I realized how many incredible artists never get the exposure they deserve. That experience pushed me to build platforms—like the New York Short Animation Festival and the New York Film Screening Festival—that champion fairness and visibility. I want creators from every background to have a place where their work is valued, shared, and seen.

Whether I’m animating, reviewing films, judging competitions, or organizing festivals, the mission is the same:
to give emotions a voice, to turn observation into storytelling, and to help more artists have their stories acknowledged.

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

One of the most influential resources in my life wasn’t a book—it was Disney’s Zootopia.

The film came out during a pivotal moment, right when I was working toward my dream of studying in the United States. I remember watching Judy Hopps push past every limitation placed on her, and I couldn’t help projecting myself onto her. Her determination and courage gave me a kind of strength I genuinely needed at the time. The timing of that film—and the message behind it—helped me move forward when I was unsure of myself.

Because of that experience, I’ve always hoped my own work could bring others a similar sense of encouragement. If something I create helps someone feel understood or gives them a bit more confidence in their own journey, that means a great deal to me.

Many Disney and Pixar films have shaped my creative philosophy in similar ways. Their stories show how emotional honesty and strong storytelling can resonate across generations. They also remind me that animation isn’t just for children—adults can find clarity, comfort, and even courage in these narratives.

These ideas continue to guide how I approach my films and how I support artists through the festivals I lead.
Animation changed my life, and I hope my work can offer that same spark to someone else.

Contact Info:

• Website: Personal Website: https://www.wallisliu.com/ , New York Short Animation Festival: https://nyshortanimationfest.com , New York Film Screening Festival: https://nyfilmscreeningfest.com
• Instagram: NYSAF: https://www.instagram.com/newyorkshortanimationfestival/ , NYFSF: https://www.instagram.com/newyorkfilmscreeningfestival/
• Facebook: NYSAF: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566448346806 , NYFSF: https://www.facebook.com/people/New-York-Film-Screening-Festival/61572510482825/
• Youtube: Bubbles and Friends: https://www.youtube.com/@BubblesandFriends , NYSAF: https://www.youtube.com/@NewYorkShortAnimationFestival
• Other: NYSAF Press: https://www.skwigly.co.uk/new-york-short-animation-festival-launches-with-bold-new-model-for-fairness-and-global-exposure/

  IMDb:
  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm17852446/?ref_=ttfc_fcr_7_1

Image Credits

Unconditional Love & Oops Posters
Photo Credit: Wallis Liu

NYSAF Related Photos and Official Assets (including logo)
Photo Credit: New York Short Animation Festival (NYSAF)

NYFSF logo
Photo Credit: New York Film Screening Festival (NYFSF)