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ZIYU GAO
Writer, Director, and Producer of five short films and one commercial. Actress in three short films.

Ways of Talking (2024)

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Writer, Director Producer: Ziyu Gao

A short film about a police interrogation of a young girl about the dead of her brother, ultimately revealing unsettling details about the brother's final days

Click here to watch Ways of Talking​

Awards

Los Angeles Film Awards

Sep. 23rd 2024

Semi-Finalist

Indie Short Fest

Sep. 30th 2024

Official Selection

Urban Mediamakers Film Festival (UMFF)

Oct. 14th 2024

Official Selection

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Everything But (2024)

New York Film Acadamy (NYFA)

 

Director: Ziyu Gao

Eve (Lead): Marilyn Rescate

In a New York apartment, Eve, 18, struggles with her emotions as she tries to find an escape from her grief. Faced with a difficult decision, she retreats within herself as she attempts to break free from loneliness and the past, embracing another version of her identity.

Click Here To See Everything But

Awards:

RED MOVIE AWARDS- Reims, France

Dec 25, 2024

Offical Selection

Toronto Indie Filmmakers Festival

Oct, 4th 2024

Offical Selection

New York Tri-State International Film Festival

Sep. 5th 2024

Offical Selection

Oniros Film Awards® - New York

​​June 4, 2024
Finalist

4theatre selection
June 30, 2024
Winner

New York Lift-Off Film Festival​
July 1, 2024
Official Selection

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Lost Angeles (2024)

NYU Tisch School of Arts; Film

Director: Yuyang Fang

Lynn (Lead): Ziyu Gao

Stepping onto this new land of New York City, all-time comes around in her head – the past in her hometown and the future she will experience, but she sees as if everything were in Los Angeles, where her old lover has gone.

New York Shorts International Film Festival

Oct. 2024

Offical Selection

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The Ascent (2024)

USC School of Cinematic Arts

Writer, Director Producer: Ziyu Gao

Pizza Delivery: Jonah Pinsent

A short film about Sam, a cheerful Blaze Pizza delivery driver makes a delivery and encounters a strange elevator terrifying him.

Click here to watch The Ascent

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Joyrider (2022)

SUNY Purchase Film Conservatory

Director: Astrid Dong

Rachel (Lead): Ziyu Gao

When an estranged mother and daughter lose their home and must move into their Chinese restaurant, a young girl (Rachel) learns about her mother’s love, sacrifice, and labor. "Joyrider" is a short film that explores the psychological effects of separation on immigrant families– a separation caused by precarious work and living situations, migration, and globalization.

 

A bold, self-reliant, simmering young girl who rides a beat-up bike and thinks she’s a cowboy. She is pulled between wanting attention from her hard-working mother and wanting to escape from the life of the restaurant. She is trying to understand what love means on her own terms. She is an outside observer of the effects of precarious work and living situations on her immigrant mother. She is imaginative and enduring and mentally older than she appears.

Click Here To Watch Joyrider Film

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Through the Modern Looking Glass (2023)

Digital Art Video

Directors: Tanya Chuturkova Kim E. Wang

Production Assistant: Ziyu Gao

The characters interact primarily through social media, which makes their depression worse as they compare their real lives to the posts of those they follow. Online those characters look like they have it all, but they are also struggling with their own issues.

Released spring of 2024

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Elitelink Commercial (2024)

Ziyu Gao Productions

Director: Ziyu Gao

Elitelink Education

Interview-style commercial to promote Elitelink education. Interview multiple teachers at Elitelink about their experience.

Click here to watch the Commerical

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ZIYU GAO

Based in New York City, I am a versatile woman in many aspects.

I am a filmmaker, actress, and advocate.

 My enthusiasm for collaboration is palpable as I thrive on working with others to bring stories to life. Being a director, I have created multiple captivating short films, each a testament to my creative vision and dedication.

I made my film to empower and support people who feel alone in society and provide representation on screen, especially women of color. 

 

My films have gained recognition from local to an international level. Seen on the screens of the Los Angeles Film Awards to YoFiFest (Yonkers Film Festival).

 

I currently have 2 films in post-production and one in pre-production. I has the pleasure of making five films during a six-week summer program at USC.

 

Equally in front of the camera, I have graced the silver screen in two distinct films, winning the Roger Reese Award for excellence in acting. I have also portrayed a wide range of characters in numerous theater productions.

I am constantly looking for ways to connect with my community, especially through my nonprofit, Enrich Arts, where I extend my talents to those who might otherwise lack access to such resources. I hope to embody creativity, collaboration, and community impact.

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