BIOGRAPHY

Shenxun (Steven) Yao is a an award-winning Chinese American director, actor, and cinematographer. His work includes being the cinematographer for Man Hill, Mixed Signals, acting in numerous theater plays, as well as directing Last Chance Dance, Grandma's River, Clark, The Story of a Stranded Frog. His films have played at major festivals in New York, LA, Houston, and Chicago.

Steven aims to create visual poems that blur the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction, conventional and experimental storytelling, reflecting his experience as a Chinese filmmaker navigating life in the U.S. at a young age, capturing the feeling of being caught between worlds and the internal loneliness within a cultural hodgepodge.

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SCREENINGS ​

The Story of Stranded Frog 

Gene Siskel Film Center

Asian American International Film Festival 

WorldFest-Houston

Asian Film Festival - Los Angeles (Best Actor)

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Clark

Brooklyn Sci-Fi Film Festival

Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival

Miami International Sci-FI Film Festival​

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Grandma’s River

Indy Shorts Film Festival

Newport Beach Film Festival


                                                                                                                   

GRANTS AWARDED  

Office of Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate Research Grants

 

Department of Radio/TV/Film 

Senior Directing Grant 

Media Arts Grants 

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School of Communication

Honors Convocation 2024: All School Student Award 

Sundance Travel Grant

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