Today we’d like to introduce you to Ziyuan He. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Ziyuan (Leomax) He, who was born in Yunnan, China, received his bachelor’s degree in digital media arts from Communication University of China. Ziyuan collaborated with the local government to make a number of propaganda film focused on anti-drug and patriotic themes, which not only enhanced his filmmaking skills but also deepened his understanding of life through the stark contrast between reality and the depicted image.
Following his years of work in China, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he earned an MFA in Film Directing from CalArts. He is a Nespresso Talents 2021 alumnus, recipient of the 2022 Sundance Institute Asian-American COLLAB Scholarship, directing fellow of 17th FIRST Training Camp and participant of the BAFTA Newcomers program.
His previous short films have explored themes of escapism and tiny miracles in life, streaming on Mubi and Cathayplay. Currently, he is developing his first feature, a personal story that carries a sobering sense of intoxication in its narrative.
https://mubi.com/en/us/films/gungnir
https://www.cathayplay.com/en/ldquo-leomax-verse-rdquo-leomax-he-short-film-screening
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My life is full of regrets and some short-lived beauty; I know that only what is in the film, their shelf life, can be infinitely long. Making films has become a language that makes me feel comfortable and a means to fight against life.
Over the past few years, the pandemic has been a challenging experience for many. Despite losing some things, I gained valuable insights during this time, particularly when the world slowed down, and I had a rare reunion with my family. My parents have always lived in different cities, basically only seeing each other after a long time, and their relationship was in a strange disharmony. After going through a strict lockdown period in 2020, the relationship between my parents and me improved.
This reconciliation is unique for a traditional Asian family, and I aim to capture this warmth through my film. I gradually realized that those subtle emotions hidden in life possess powerful strength. I believe that my pursuit of the small miracles in life is correct. I sincerely want to preserve them along with their warmth in my films forever.
In 2022, I completed my first English-language short film based on this script, Gungnir, with Sundance’s help. It was also based on my experiences living in a homestay with nine children. After participating in some programs, I actively engaged with the other talents. I not only got to know the stories they wrote but also learned about various aspects of their lives. These experiences have been invaluable to me. I slowly gathered one small idea after another and completed the first draft. Currently, I’m in the process of revising certain plot points to make the story more focused and refined.
English is not my first language; during the past six months of writing and editing, I gradually found answers in other aspects of life, and I’ve become more emotional. It’s quite magical how I’ve developed a better understanding of how to interact with my family and friends. All of this thinking stemmed from working on this script and has aided me in being better in real life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Gungnir (short, 2023)
Supported by Sundance TAAF COLLAB Scholarship
On the Platform MUBI: https://mubi.com/en/us/films/gungnir
Shortlisted – Beijing International Short Film Festival 2023 / NOVA Competition
https://www.bisff.co/selection/gungnir
In 2020, Los Angeles, in which the outbreak of COVID-19 accidentally coincides with the birthday wish of a 10-year-old boy, Leo, who wants to stop a Chinese American girl, Charly, whom he crushes on from going back to China.
Breaking New Ground – Melting Blue (Short, 2023)
In the temporarily formed jazz band, Qin Tian and Chen Qi develop a mutual fondness for each other, placing a sense of ambiguity between them during the rehearsal. After the practice, as they step away from the medium of music, the two quietly continue to explore the boundaries between them. On the day of the performance, Qin Tian is told that the originally absent guitarist have came back, and she isn’t needed anymore. From that day on, the two never meet again, and as this brief escape concludes, Qin Tian begins to reminisce about something lingering in the air of that space once briefly shared by two.
Could you share us more about your “Breaking New Ground” ？
Yes, in the annual FIRST Training Camp at FIRST International Film Festival, the position of director receives thousands of applications each year, but ultimately only seven are selected. The selection process involves two rounds of interviews, submission of films, writing sample and so on, evaluating candidates based on the professionalism, creativity, and sincerity of their works, as well as their ability to express, write, communicate, and collaborate as directors.
In 2023, after several rounds of selection, I was chosen as one of the seven director fellows by the FIRST Film Festival’s Training Camp from thousands of filmmakers worldwide. Anthony Chen was the mentor for 2023. The story I wrote for is called ‘Melting Blue,’ a story that explores the unspoken ambiguity between two people who meet through music rehearsals.
Anthony Chen and I discussed many possibilities in great detail, which opened my mind and kept me focused on my strengths in delicate expression. During filming on set, he proactively arranged meetings with me and the two lead actors to discuss character motivations/ARCS/micro-movements, which helped me break down the actors’ barriers and improve my efficiency in directing actors and the camera on set.
My thinking shifted from focusing on individual elements to observing and feeling the whole. The movement of the camera, the rhythm of the actors, and the changes in sound needed to be considered simultaneously, complementing each other. This approach continued to inspire me during post-production. Anthony and I spent several nights with the editor, reviewing every footage we had, and ultimately completed a vivid short film in a short time. Finally, along with six other short films, it formed a feature film called ‘Breaking New Ground’ that premiered in theaters.
In this shoot, my lead actress is the lead actress in Director Lou Ye’s new film, and the lead actor is a somewhat famous celebrity in China. When I learned that these people I had in mind were willing to come and shoot, my heart was filled with excitement and also a bit of nervousness. Our collaboration was quite harmonious. Before shooting an indoor musical scene, my mentor Anthony and I did a small “table reading” with the two leads. We didn’t follow the script’s lines but instead, it was like role-playing and chatting, and we talked for a few dozen minutes. Later, during the shooting of this scene, they retained a lot of light and natural body language. At that moment, I felt like the characters in the script came to life right in front of me.I realized that the less I “touch” the actors, the lighter their performance becomes and the closer it gets to the feeling of the script.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Thanks to every crews and talents I worked with, we built a universe together! Especially, I want to thank Anthony Chen. I spent a very unforgettable summer with the filmmakers I admire and made a memorable movie.
Contact Info:
- Website: leomaxhe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leomaxhe/
