Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Yland Li.
Hi Claire Yland, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Long story short, I was born in the States, but I grew up in China. Both of my parents love films. My dad’s favorite films are Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars, and he made us sit through them when we were about nine or something. And well, my mom goes through films and books like drinking water. So, it’s really no surprise that my sister and I fell in love with films. Honestly, the number of films my sister and mom watch put my filmmaker pride to shame.
It has, however, taken me quite some time to pursue filmmaking as a career. I did end up working in the Chinese film industry as an assistant producer and assistant director for short films, feature documentaries, and TV series after I graduated from university. However, while I liked my jobs, it wasn’t until I worked on a culinary experience with a group of culinary artists in the rainforest of Southern China that I realized I wanted to pursue a life as a storyteller.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A lot of the obstacles and challenges are internal for me. I’m very lucky to have family that supports my decision. Filmmaking, to me, is an exploration of reclaiming the confidence I once had as a kid. Growing up, I’ve always been brave and ready to take on the world. But my courageous spirit came to a halt when I transferred from a Chinese primary school to a Hong Kong one. I was thrown into an all-English environment from an all-Chinese environment.
To make matters worse, I’m the odd one out in class; my class consists of Korean boys and me. And to top that off, the school’s dress code forced me into putting on a dress for school. So, I often find myself targeted for my identities: being Chinese and being a girl. They would often shame me for being different, and I am weaker for it. That’s how I find myself breaking dress codes in school and reluctant to put on dresses even outside of school, and how I see myself holding on to my American identity as I try to push through this difficult time. But my rebuilt confidence came crashing down again when I transferred to an American high school, and I became the least American person in my surroundings. Everything was so new and unfamiliar, and I was left scrambling to recraft a bridge between myself and what being an American means. It wasn’t until years later that I learned to build an identity on the middle ground between cultures.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
So, I’m currently studying film production at USC, and one of the main reasons I picked USC is to explore different areas of filmmaking. Right now, I’m interested in producing, directing, sound and cinematography. I take pride in my curiosity and openness to new directions, as can be seen here with probably too many directions.
I take pride in most things that I’ve helped create and in all the things that I made as lead creative. As an optimistic nihilist, I’m not sure if anything anyone does can separate themselves entirely from one another. After all, we’re all somewhat constrained by human society. But I know that I’m drawn towards telling climate change stories, bisexual stories, immigration stories, and female stories.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Our family, like many other families, was also stuck in one place during COVID-19, but we were stuck in Kona Island, Hawaii. We spent half a year living together before splitting off in different directions; that was the longest time our family has spent together since 2011. It has brought us closer to each other, and I am now more appreciative of them because of our time together in Hawaii.
Hawaii has held a special place in my heart since my first visit (more than a decade ago); it is where I started building my connection with the ocean. Right now, I’m still processing the concept of eco-grief and have a problem discussing this with people without getting emotional. I realized now that some of the anxiety and depression I felt growing up are closely associated with eco grief. And it has become increasingly more depressing for me because, as a certified rescue diver and freediver, I’ve seen first-hand what bleached coral looks like and what that did to the ocean’s ecosystem. My time in Hawaii has reinforced in my mind just how much we’re losing to climate change.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: claire_y_li
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claireyli1118/
Image Credits
All by my friends and family.
