Dayna Li
Directing
Biography
Dayna has directed 10+ narrative and documentary shorts which have been recognized by 60+ festivals, including La Femme, Fort Lauderdale International, Bushwick, Woods Hole, and Dam Short Film Festivals. Her film "Qafas" (2019) was nominated for a Student Short Jury Award at Austin Film Festival. Her films have been supported by the Zonta Club of Newport Harbor and the Dhont Family Foundation. She is a graduate of Chapman's MFA in film production, with an emphasis in directing.
Known For
Crisco, an actor, wakes up in a resort and discovers that his husband has disappeared. He struggles to find out what happened only to be told that his husband doesn't exist. While trapped, he finally finds an escape and a new idea about their relationship.
The Check In
Rising tensions within and outside their home threaten to tear a family of four apart during the Syrian War in Aleppo.
Qafas
A young composer who moves to New York after graduation feels insecure about singing in public. When a former singer-songwriter classmate visits her, she finds herself unexpectedly smitten, but she is soon devastated by the discovery that her feelings are unrequited. This both erodes her confidence and heightens her confusion about her sexuality, which she must overcome in order to find her own voice.
Aurora
When his girlfriend tells him she loves him for the first time, a man still grieving for his late wife isn't sure he can say it in return.