Meet Yihan Yang | Film Director & Photographer

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

Hi Yihan, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Growing up in Beijing, China, I came to the U.S. at 18. My family had no ties to the arts. My mother is a psychotherapist specializing in Family Constellation and Psychoanalysis, who offered me a fresh perspective on observing the world. I believe psychology profoundly inspires my filmmaking career. Themes of mental struggle, isolation, and human connection, both to oneself and the outer world, captivate me. This intrigue sparked my deep dive into individual stories.

Living near a theater and starting to sing and play the violin at the age of 3, I was steeped in the worlds of theater production and music when I was a child. This early exposure to acting, stage design, and classical music fueled my artistic inspiration, shaping my unique filmmaking style and refining my artistic approach in a more cohesive way.

Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The path to filmmaking was never on my radar until my junior year of college. Prior to that, I was studying advertising and social media studies. Some unexpected and overwhelming family issues struck me during that time, and the pandemic kind of forced me to isolate myself from the outer world. I stopped using all social media, spent significant time meditating, reading books, watching films, and witnessing daily sunrises and sunsets. Now I feel lucky because any sense of security was pulled out from under me. And this period forced me to introspect, to see what I truly excelled at and cared about.

After graduating from college, I interned at an independent film distribution company while simultaneously writing scripts for new short films. I also collaborated with artists for photography exhibitions, directed fashion short films, and engaged with various artistic communities. During this time, I became increasingly intrigued by how artists sustained themselves and their lifestyles. Many of them led “dual lives,” for example, working both as documentary directors and at railroad companies, or as models and psychological counselors, or in investment banking and film production. This dual existence added layers to their artistic expression.

So currently, I’m preparing to get to connect with more artists, create documentaries and photography series. In my spare time, I aspire to establish a social platform tailored for artists, a space for them to explore alternative lifestyles and embrace unconventional choices they might not have considered before. If anyone want to collaborating in any capacity, I’m more than delighted to engage in a conversation with you!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my friends were to visit me in New York, I’d consider showing them some of the city’s lesser-known gems. One of my personal favorites is the High Line Park. This unique urban oasis is constructed atop an abandoned railway line, surrounded by towering skyscrapers, offering a captivating view of the river in the distance.

Also, I find that New York’s nights, particularly in the heart of Manhattan, exude a distinct cyberpunk ambiance. I believe that taking a leisurely walk through Manhattan’s illuminated streets or enjoying a night out at a bar would make for excellent choices.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to highlight a book by Camus that left a lasting impression on me during my early years – “The Myth of Sisyphus.” This work significantly reshaped my perspective on storytelling. It marked my first encounter with the extensive incorporation of Greek mythology into artistic expression, replete with its symbolism and metaphors.

This experience prompted my exploration of the use of hints and symbols in cinematic storytelling.This, coupled with my fascination with psychology, symbolism, metaphors, dreams, and the subconscious, revealed a vast and captivating realm lurking beneath the surface—akin to an iceberg beneath sea, influencing the subtle and profound workings of human emotions and the world.

Moreover, “The Myth of Sisyphus” provided an emotionally detached exploration of individual destiny, evoking a fascination with the concept of an unending cycle. Every director has a specific type of story they want to tell. Sisyphus’s eternal struggle resonates deeply with me.

Website: https://yihanyang.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yihan_yang/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/yihanyang2000