Xiayang Li

Xiayang is a writer/director who earned his MFA in Film and Television Production at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Xiayang came to the US from China in 2014. He believes in the power and impact of great films that explore different subjects of humanity through authentic characters in well-constructed stories. Xiayang completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media Production at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2021. During his time there, he completed courses in film theories and wrote, directed, and edited two short films. In the summer of 2020, he interned remotely for Piller/Segan as a script Development intern. In 2024, Xiayang earned his MFA in Film and Television Production at the University of Southern California. He has written several feature specs and directed several short films. His thesis short film, The Act of Crying, which tells the story of a Chinese man working with an acting coach to learn how to cry for his father’s funeral, is currently in the Festival circuit.