Today we’d like to introduce you to Wen Ren.
Wen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in Hangzhou, China — then moved to Hawaii, New Jersey, and now living between Los Angeles and Beijing. Basically, I feel like Leon the Professional’s house plant, living without any roots.
I started making films at the age of 13 at a small town in New Jersey. I was one of the few Chinese kids in school, and the only reason I survived was because I was fast. Breaking the 400m school track record in middle school remains one of my proudest accomplishments. I even dreamt of being an athlete, however, high school taught me to take a much more practical route — filmmaking. There wasn’t much to do in town except for watching films, and occasionally making them. Once my parents bought me a Sony MiniDV Camcorder, that was it. I was always filming. Like some hot new drug, I forced all my friends to do it with me. At school for class projects and after school just for fun — we were shooting all the time. Thinking back, the path toward film was inevitable, almost deterministic. So it was decided, after high school graduation in 2007, I left home and moved to LA to do this “professionally.”
From 2008 – 2015, I met a bunch of really talented friends in LA and making one short film every year became my tenet. My big break came in 2015, when my short film, Cafe Glass, shot in 8 hours on $2000 bucks premiered at Tribeca Film Festival. I was inspired, fearless, and believed, truly believed that I was ready to tackle my first feature film. And for the second time in my life, I would leave my LA home and move all the way (back) east. I don’t mean the east coast. I mean the far east.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Arriving in Beijing, I was the new talent in town, and took meetings across several major companies to pitch my first feature. My first screenplay serendipitously got me signed to CAA. Several months of packaging later, there was a biding war and the script was to be optioned. The day before we were to sign the contract, the company pulled out. Strike One. Then I moved on to direct a web-series based on a popular Chinese IP. Literally, the night before principle photography, there was a censorship issue and the company pulled out. Strike Two. At this point, three years have past. Not only did I not make a feature, I didn’t even make a short! I’ve all about given up. Why was I here? What am I doing? I was waiting to strike out before I could go back “home,” wherever that was anyway.
On my third outing, while getting shot down on another script, I elevator pitched a producer a new idea. “A disaster film about two neighbors trying to survive after the Sun disappears. A story about hope called “Last Sunrise.” In a way, I needed to make this movie because I needed “hope.” After what felt like the longest elevator ride, the next day I was pitching it to Youku-Alibaba. They green-lit it that night.
I didn’t celebrate because I was waiting to be shut down again; however, I couldn’t afford to lose a third time. Like my historic 400 meter, I ran as fast as I can, this time against some unforeseeable event. Development began and everything afterwards was a blur. Before I knew it, we were casting and location scouting 1200 miles across China. In just two weeks, we finished principle photography. Months later, we were picture locked. On March 2019, we presented “LAST SUNRISE,” at one of the top fantastic festivals — Fantasporto, where we won their top prize. I broke down in tears at the airport when I received the news. Why was I at the airport? Well, we didn’t stay for the award ceremony because we thought we had no chance! I still didn’t allow myself to celebrate, still holding my breath, still waiting for that unforeseeable event — but then I saw this was THAT event. Several months later, we were invited to many more festival, winning 15 more awards at festivals like Cinequest, Dances with Films, CAAMFest, Phoenix, etc. I just heard that we have distribution in several international territories as well as playing on airlines. It’s been a rollercoaster… and I’m ready to do it all over again!
Last Sunrise – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I work as a writer and director in China and US. I wish to continue what I did with “LAST SUNRISE,” make genre films that work for both domestic and international audiences.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I don’t have much, but I do have grit. You just need to be confident and yes, stubborn enough to keep trying. It helps to think of life as being an unpredictable and I’albeit meandering “underdog story.”
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: thewenren
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewenren
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