We had the good fortune of connecting with Xiaohan Zhang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xiaohan, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is something I’ve always felt could be managed. Growing up in a town with lots of lakes and rivers, swimming was a big part of my life. But before I learned how to swim, I was scared of choking, not being able to breathe, and even drowning. So, I started in a supervised pool where I learned to breathe right and hold my breath.

Once I got the hang of it, I started exploring beautiful natural lakes. These were way more exciting but came with bigger risks, like no supervision and potential wildlife encounters. At first, I only swam about 20 meters from the shore. As my skills improved, I pushed myself to swim across the lake, taking breaks before heading back. I even had a few scary moments with leg cramps in the middle of the lake, but staying calm, breathing steadily, and letting my leg recover naturally helped me through.

That’s when I realized that swimming skills alone weren’t enough; preparation and warm-ups were key. Managing risk has always been part of my journey. In my career as a filmmaker, industry changes make me anxious, like the rise of streaming services and short videos. But once I learned the necessary skills, I found my groove. Whether it’s movies or short videos, they’re just platforms reflecting different times. My job is to keep creating content that meets current demands. I see myself not just as a filmmaker, but as a content creator adapting to the times.

From the swimming pool to the lake, and eventually to the ocean, we face different risks at different life stages. But with the right strategies, we can grow through each stage, breaking our limits and reaching new heights.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Persistence in creation and tuning out external noise are the two core principles of my filmmaking journey and the highlights I will continue to uphold. I don’t believe that being an artist always necessitates accepting criticism or taking others’ advice. Great works of art often reflect individual will. In the past, without advanced networks and transportation, painters would immerse themselves in solitary creation, driven by absolute confidence and focus, which enabled them to produce great and cohesive works. The continuous external voices have indeed been one of my biggest challenges. As a Chinese-speaking creator who primarily works in English, I faced doubts with my western short film “Miles To Go Before I Sleep”: Why would a young Asian man depict a culture and community that isn’t his own?

Yes, I understand that a filmmaker often needs to speak for their ethnicity and cultural background, but this doesn’t mean I can’t view other cultures from an outsider’s perspective. This position can often provide a clearer and unique viewpoint, adding different layers to the story. New perspectives and visions are always what society needs. Once I understood this, external voices no longer mattered to me. With heightened focus, my sensitivity to art strengthens, naturally helping me create better works.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The food scene in this city is definitely the first thing I’d introduce to my friends. From my favorite restaurants to those that best represent the city’s culinary culture, and even the street food—humans always seek to satisfy their taste buds, and spending time exploring food is never a mistake. Next, I might take my friends to some of the city’s hidden gems to show them a different side of the city. How ordinary people live here truly reflects the city’s essence. I love seeing the look on people’s faces when they realize that a place’s reality differs from its surface appearance. For some strange reason, I feel like it’s my duty to reveal this side of the city. Of course, we also have to visit the bars, where people shed their daytime masks. Popular tourist attractions? Not my thing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ma Xiang, a musician and an independent film director from China, is my mentor. He is not just an artist but also a successful entrepreneur and businessman. His approach to business has inspired me to look at things not only from an artistic and intuitive perspective but also through logic and essence. This motivation led me to start my own production company.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xiaohan.97?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10880753/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Image Credits
Antonio Zamarripa
Tianrun Shi

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