Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Xiayang Li. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Xiayang, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

In June 2023, we shot a USC thesis short film called The Act of Crying, written and directed by me. The story follows a Chinese man who cannot cry and works with an acting coach to prepare himself for an upcoming performance. The premise is inspired by the Chinese cultural value placed on family relationships and the social stigma against men for expressing their feelings. It’s a subject often frowned upon in conversations. We made the film specifically to spark more discussions and hopefully an emotional response from viewers not limited to the Chinese audience, but the audience from every other community.

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

Hi. My name is Xiayang Li, and I am a writer/director from China. I’m currently pursuing an MFA degree in Film Production at USC Film School. My strong suit is thriller drama, but I also explore other genres as well. I create stories with unique and original themes that complement characters rich in personality and voices. I am big on Psychology and how traumas may impact characters into specific actions and motives since my mother is a therapist. Besides English, I am also proficient in Mandarin and Japanese, which allows me to write/direct in multiple languages.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

I think it is time for studios to look for artists with more original voices and visions. Obviously, films based on existing IPs have proven to be very commercially successful, there are fewer books and games that haven’t been adapted. The audience has been asking for more original IPs that would excite them to go to movie theaters.

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

The most rewarding thing about being an artist is for your fictional work to receive a sincere emotional response from your audience. A good film with a good story speaks to you personally and it almost feels like you’re having an up-close conversation with the filmmaker. Every story, despite the genres, or the spectrum of fictional scale, always circles back to humanity. Therefore, if your film organically provokes something in your audience, it’s a success.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xy_li/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiayang-li/

Image Credits
Photograph by Michael Harrison Sparks