Los Angeles, California May 8, 2018 (Issuewire.com) - The harsh rules and strict censorship of institutions like the Chinese government make it difficult for independent filmmakers in that country to make honest, truthful movies that share their message with a global audience. For the young film director Yoyo Li, this was especially tiring and difficult. The child of two academics, Yoyo’s creativity was always apparent, but she was also fiercely independent. Her imagination, storytelling skills, and desire to make a difference in the world led her to the film industry. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Film Directing and Editing from the Communication University of China, but it did not take long for her to make the leap to Hollywood to continue her education and career. Yoyo courageously immigrated to Los Angeles to earn a Master’s Degree in Film Production at the prestigious Loyola Marymount University.
Yoyo Li began working immediately as a production designer in Hollywood while making her own films about social justice. Freedom of expression is something filmmakers often take for granted in the United States. Directors and producers are at liberty to tell their stories in the USA, and Yoyo took the new opportunities she had in America to make documentaries that exposed the Chinese government’s propaganda and promoted social equality.
“My main goal with my films is to let the greater world learn and understand about how class structure in China is really seen. There are too many vague assumptions about the Chinese culture. My goal is to change this paradigm on a fundamental level,” said Yoyo in a recent interview.
Yoyo has received accolades for her films, screenings in Cannes, and several awards for her work as a production designer. She’s been recognized by film festivals all over the world including: Las Vegas Film Festival, Los Angeles Cineast, ArtCity Short Film Festival in Cameroon, and The Global Impact Awards. In summer 2017, Yoyo was accepted into the prestigious Film Independent Incubator Lab to develop her first feature film.
Yoyo was recently accepted as a member of the respected International documentary group New Day Films to distribute her film Under the Same Sky. This movie gained the group’s attention after earning many awards including nominations from the Asian Pacific Film Festival, St. Louis International Film Festival, and Los Angeles Chinese Film Festival. This film also won The Impact DOCS Awards, the Gold Kahuna Award at Honolulu Film Festival and the Jury Award at the Lady Filmmakers Festival. Yoyo was then given an Award of Recognition at Los Angeles International Independent Documentary Festival. Her success will likely climb at an even faster rate now that she is associated with New Day Films.
“I am so grateful to be accepted into New Day Films. Through them I can distribute my film with the backing of a group that is considered a leader in the documentary world,” said Yoyo. “I am very happy to be a part of this stellar company.”
Her first short film, Y2-10-10-1, a post-apocalyptic comedy about a community in which laughing is a privilege, will start a festival tour this summer. Her first feature length film, We Are Nowhere, recently attracted the top grant from Film Independent Incubator Lab and is currently in production. The highly anticipated documentary, due out in 2019, tells the story of a remote Christian town that was declared “nonexistent” by the Chinese government.
The potential is unlimited for this adventurous, courageous and creative up-and-coming filmmaker. To find out more about Yoyo Li, and to follow her newest productions and career updates, visit https://www.yoyolifilms.com and her official IMDb page.
About Yoyo Li:
Raised in China by University Art Professors, Yoyo Li grew up to gain independence from the constraints of the Chinese government and earn a Bachelor's Degree in Film Directing at the Communication University of China. She moved to Los Angeles to pursue a film career, and continue her studies in LA where she received her Masters in Film Production at Loyola Marymount University. Her documentaries explore class and regional issues, and debunk Chinese propaganda about equality in the oppressed country.
Website: https://www.yoyolifilms.com
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7792841/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Media Contact
Yoyo Li Management Yoyolifilms@gmail.com 310-486-0207 6445 W 87th St Los Angeles, Los Angeles County 90045 USA https://www.yoyolifilms.com/
