Check Out Tianhui Huang’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tianhui Huang.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in Jinhua, a lovely mid-sized city in the southeast coast of China, where life seems to move at a slower pace. There I studied in a boarding school and my biggest entertainment during the weekend (the only time I had access to the internet) was to watch films. I devoured everything I could find online, from Taiwanese youth drama to Italian epics from the 1960s. My parents often complain that I live in a world of stories too much that I forget what’s happening in reality. It was hard to deny, but I still couldn’t help living in my own mind when my whole world was the distance from home to school.

I consider myself very fortunate to have won a scholarship to study in Hong Kong. During college, I studied literature and took the role of writer and producer in a film club. We spent a lot of (probably too much) time wandering around the city, capturing various locations, eating hot pots, and trying to salvage over-exposed footage and broken sounds from our DSLR cameras in post-production. Needless to say, I utterly enjoyed it.

My journey went one step further when I started graduate school at the University of Southern California, where I continued my interest in not only the theories and histories of film but also the intricacies of professional filmmaking. In 2021, I wrote and directed “Abdullah”, a short film about an 11-year-old Pakistani boy who relocates to the Chinese city of Yiwu to live with his father. With his father is often preoccupied with work, Abdullah grapples with homesickness and a longing to return to his mother in Pakistan.

“Abdullah” was recognized and nominated at several international film festivals. It was a turning point in my life, the moment when I realized that the stories in my mind didn’t have to stay there forever. I had a powerful medium, one that I’d always loved, to share them with people from around the world, just as I had been moved by the stories of other filmmakers when I grew up. Currently, I continue to craft new stories in my free time, with the hope of seeing them come to life on the big screen in the near future.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My journey has been mostly rewarding, with the biggest challenge coming from the critics inside. I find myself spend an excessive amount of time thinking about what I truly want to achieve and the type of cultural impact I want to make through my work. As someone who tends to be more of an observer than a participant, I’ve had to navigate my way through the vibrant and competitive community in the Tinseltown. It takes resilience, dedication, and a little bit of luck to find one’s place in such a bustling industry.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a filmmaker, and my work primarily revolves around writing and directing stories that resonate with audiences on a deep and emotional level. I specialize in creating narratives that explore the human experience and cultural diversity. My notable work includes the short film “Abdullah,” which I both wrote and directed.

“Abdullah” tells the story of an 11-year-old Pakistani boy who finds himself in the unfamiliar Chinese city of Yiwu, living with his father, a foreign businessman. The film delves into themes of family, homesickness, and the yearning for connection. It explores the challenges faced by a young boy caught between two worlds, missing his mother in Pakistan and struggling to bond with his father.

“Abdullah” was screened and received recognition at film festivals around the world. Awards and nominations include the Golden Flower Awards at the Beijing International Children’s Film Festival, Best Narrative Short nomination at the Athens International Film and Video Festival, and Best Student Production nomination at the Oslo Film Festival, among others. The film is now streaming on CathayPlay.

What sets me apart from others is my dedication to telling stories that are both emotionally resonant and culturally relevant. I strive to create films that not only entertain but also provoke thought and conversation. My commitment to exploring the complexities of the human experience, as well as my passion for cross-cultural narratives, sets me apart as a filmmaker who seeks to make a meaningful impact through my work.

How do you think about luck?
I consider myself to be a very lucky person to receive a high-quality education that has brought me to exciting journeys in different countries. I also had the luxury of exploring different and unconventional career paths with the understanding and emotional support from my loving family. Apart from these, the luckiest thing that happened to me is the people I met and the friends I made along the way. Life is messy in the twentieth, but good relationships make me enjoy it.

Of course, there are moments of bad luck when I find myself in the in the wrong place at the wrong time. I tend to face these challenges through focusing on what I can control, such as my preparation, dedication, expectation, and approach to the problem. For me, luck is like waiting for the just perfect sunlight when shooting outdoors. It may or may not come, but we still need to get the film done.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/tianhui-huang/
• Instagram: ththhuang