
Jiayang Liu
Directing
Biography
Jiayang Liu is a Chinese-American director/producer driven by real, sentimental narratives and bold, poetic moving images. Over the years, he has directed and produced over 60 short narrative and documentary films, many of which have won awards and screened at Academy Award®-qualifying festivals. His latest film Teenhood world premiered and won Best Wyoming film at the Wyoming International Film Festival and won Best USA film at the 307 International Film Festival. His commercial work include clients like Lamborghini, GMC, Toyota, and USC. A graduate from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, he is currently building Goldhour - a creative studio aimed to champion the next generation of bold, original stories and storytellers. Through Goldhour, his YouTube channel and his film career podcast, First Act Break, he continues to cultivate and mentor a growing community of modern storytellers.
Known For

After moving back to their hometown in Wyoming, a family starts a ranch for special needs children, hoping to provide a sanctuary where everyone can feel like they belong.
A Piece of Ranch

Two kids stumble upon a sword that tells them the tales of a prominent place in the Midwest.
There Is Only One

In 1944 rural China, two young musicians, trapped inside an abandoned building by enemy soldiers, share one last song together.
Melodies of War

After witnessing a murder, a YouTuber follows and records the killer for content.
The Bystander

A recently divorced office worker longs for the quiet embrace of solitude, which seems impossible to attain in the clamor of an indifferent world.
Hermit Crab

While struggling to finish a painting, a young girl finds herself lost in the world of perfection and objectivity.
Pieces

A social media celebrity gets kidnapped and is forced to make a viral video in a desert, where he tries to rebuild his estranged relationship with his father through Chinese calligraphy.
Empty Canvas

After one gets accepted into a top university, both brothers grapple with the prospect of change as they struggle to accept their futures.
The Sun Rises Differently

A boy responds to letters for his illiterate grandmother, when he is confronted with a letter with news of her failing health. He must make the decision to disclose the truth or keep the letter's contents to himself.
Amon

After a college student returns to China and his grandparents, he begins exploring the idea of death in an introspective journey to understand what it means to exist.
Our Last Time

Two students stumble upon an oil-stained bird, a dragon in disguise, by the beach, and it leads them on a journey to uncover the myth hidden beneath the ocean and in their hearts.
Echoes of the Sea

After being drafted to a pro track team, a midwestern young teen needs to decide between his future career and his dementia-ridden grandfather.
The Summer Field

After falling asleep, a young teen drifts into the downtown night, exploring his deepest insecurities and desires.
A Young Owl

A society of oppressed entities discovers instant bliss.
City uf Meat

A rich kid returns to his hometown only to find his childhood best friend in deep trouble.
The Reunion

A wounded European settler gets aid from a Native American but soon finds out that the same boy could be part of the slaughter of his entire family.
Blue Dusk

In a high-stakes art world, a struggling painter faces a deadline for her exhibition that threatens her career. She must confront her fears and redefine her art before the world judges her new creation—ultimately discovering that true artistry lies in self-acceptance.
Inner Colors

Following an unintended pregnancy, a troubled Chinese-American boy faces the crushing responsibility and emotional weight of fatherhood, past and present.
Teenhood

When a young bike thief gains the power of shape shifting his tongue, his world takes a surreal turn into a whirlwind of chaos.
Tongue Twister

During a research trip, an international marine biology student uncovers his lab partner's scheme.