Check Out Nicole Hanzi Zhou’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Hanzi Zhou.

Hi Nicole, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
My interest in photography started when I saw my friend using her dad’s DSLR, and I was fascinated by the quality of the image; I didn’t know a photo could look so crisp. Later that year, when my birthday came, my dad gifted me a Canon 6D, and I hadn’t stopped practicing photography since then. The advancement of cameras throughout the years made it easier to create, and I started shooting short films on the canon in middle school. I was in China then, in an environment where the goal was to get into a good high school, then college, my teacher scolded me for “not putting effort in the right place” and saw me as a bad influence on my peers. I knew I wanted to be a filmmaker back then, and that’s one of the deciding factors in my decision to come to the States for high school. 

I studied IB film in high school and later got accepted to NYU Tisch School Of The Arts, the same school my favorite director, Ang Lee, attended. One could say it was a dream come true moment for me. 

I tried out different roles and found that director/producer spoke to me the most and that I enjoyed the most. I have directed and produced more than 30 productions and was fortunate enough to receive some recognition from festivals and awards. Right now, I’m working as a creative & video producer for companies. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The main struggle has been not being able to pursue it in China, and that allowed me to come to America. The film & entertainment industry never lacks talented people, so another struggle is that I had to learn how to present myself and showcase my talent, but fortunately, I’m much better at it now. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a New York-based Producer & Director & Actress. As a transnational woman filmmaker, my works explore social issues, and I’m particularly fascinated about the ways people identify themselves and relate to the world. “All Night She Hears The Water Sobbing,” a short film I wrote and directed, was a jury nominee for best short film at NFFTY, and “Artificial Flower,” a fashion I produced, was an official selection at Oscar Qualifying Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival. Her other work has been selected for the Atlanta Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Awards, and Art Photography Awards. 

I’m from multiple cultural backgrounds and that really plays a critical part in my identity and shapes the lens I view the world, you can see these themes in my film “La Petite Mort”, a film that explores how childhood trauma influences one’s choice in partnership. 

I first had the idea for this film when I was watching a Mexican Cinema film called “Enamorada.” This film features beautiful guitar music and a cliche love story. But somehow, it clicked. It inspired me to write a story with a protagonist so obsessed with love stories on the big screen that it impacts and changes her life. 

A cinephile as I am, movies play a vital part in building up my life philosophy and creating unrealistic high standards for meeting the love of my life. So, in some aspects, I did draw a little inspiration from myself. This film is called “La Petite Mort,” And it’s quite literal in the sense that It’s a story about movies, love, and people who love and believe in the movie just a bit too much. 

Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think risk is an essential part of an interesting life, at least for me. Human are afraid of taking risk because that’s in our genes, our survival instinct. However, in today’s world, sometimes embracing a fear can lead to surprising outcomes. In my case, I was not afraid to take on different roles in filmmaking while at school, leading me eventually to become a producer and have great opportunities. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nicolehanzizhou.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolezhouh/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolezhz/