(Cindy) Zixin Zhang
Email: zixinzhang812@gmail.com
Phone: 312-647-8778
(Cindy) Zixin Zhang is an LA-based filmmaker & artist, who is a graduated producing fellow at American Film Institute. She has an MFA degree from Northwestern University with a focus in Documentary Media as a scholarship recipient and a BFA degree in the School of Art Institute of Chicago with focuses in Film, Painting, and Sculpture as a merit scholarship recipient. She worked on the documentary series Lady Parts Justice In The New World Order that premiered at Doc NYC. Cindy's short documentary and narrative films have been selected by worldwide Academy & Bafta Qualifying festivals, including LA Shorts, Edmonton International Film Festival, Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, and Cannes Shorts, etc.
The root of reality that reflects social issues is a crucial inspiration for her films. She makes films to inspire people to question stereotypes and challenge prejudices. Revealing the truth, challenging bias, uncovering stories, her capability in films brings her a responsibility to ignite changes and create impacts.
CV:
EDUCATION
American Film Institute Conservatory 2022 Master of Fine Arts, Producing
Northwestern University 2020 Master of Fine Arts, Documentary Media, Scholarship Recipient
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago 2018
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Painting, Sculpture and Film, Merit Scholarship Recipient
FILMOGRAPHY
Bad Bach - Queer Romance Short - Co-producer- 2023
Humanity - Sci-fi TV Series - Producer - 2023
Holding Her Own (AAPI Auto Parts) - Short - Producer - 2023
Benny’s 2nd Birthday - Short - Associate Producer - 2023
Bossman (Salon De Paprika)- Line Producer/UPM - 2022
Feature length mini-series with 59 episodes that are released on Reelshort
Lucky Market - Short - Producer - 2022
Fundraised $45k budget
Starring Cindera Che (Tigertail), Harmonie He (Shang Chi), Chen Tang (Mulan), Li Jing (Everything Everywhere All at Once)
Premiered at LA Shorts (Academy & Bafta Qualifying)
Selected at Edmonton International Film Festival (Academy Qualifying)
Selected at AFI Fest 2023 (Academy Qualifying)
Cinematography nominees for the 2023 ASC Heritage Awards
Selected at the 16th Annual Bushwick Film Festival
Selected at the Tacoma Film Festival 2023
Selected at Chinese American Film Festival
Selected at Hamilton Film Festival
Selected at Lone Star Film Festival
Bienvenido Juanito - Short - Producer -2022
Fundraised $55k budget
Starring Nitzia Chama (The Gracias), Ricardo Gonzalez (The Tax Collector), Rocío López (Modern Family)
AFI Pitch Fest Grant Recipient
Premiered at LA Shorts (Academy & Bafta Qualifying)
Selected at AFI Fest 2023 (Academy Qualifying)
AFI’s selections to submit to the 2023 Energa CamerImage Film Festival
Selected at the Santa Fe International Film Festival
Selected at the 12th Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival (EMIFF)
DGA Best Women Student Filmmakers - West Region Jury Award
Above Us - 35mm Short - Producer - 2022
The Bargain -Horror Short - Producer - 2021
Uglies - Sci-fi Short - Producer - 2021
Bleed - 35mm Short - Producer - 2021
The Hippocratic Oath - Short - Producer - 2020
Ted - Doc Short - Producer, Director, Editor, DP - 2020
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, Semi-Finalist
North London Documentary Festival, Award Winner
9th International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra Awards - Award Winner
Toronto Independent Film Festival, Official Selection
Chicago Indie Film Awards, Official Selection
The Way You Fade - Romance Short -Producer, director, editor, cinematographer - 2020
Lady Parts Justice in the New World Order (Ruthless Film) - Documentary Series - Assistant editor -2019
Premiered at Doc NYC
Athena Film Festival, Official Selection
York Furrier, Promotional Video, Videographer & Editor - 2019
Shoot footage of behind-the-scenes, on-set, and outdoor lifestyle action for the YF 88th Anniversary Collection
Edit videos to create two promotional videos for social media and the website
Boxed In - Doc Short - Producer, Director, Editor - 2019
International Independent Film Awards – Fall session, Silver Award
Asian Cinematography AWARDS (ACA), Finalist
Golden Statuette International Film Festival. Semi-Finalist
Los Angeles CineFest, Semi-Finalist
Feel The Reel International Film Festival Glasgow, Finalist
Key West Film Festival, Key West Film Festival, Award Nominee
Antarctica - Feature Doc - Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor - 2018
Directed videographers and photographers to document the experience of scientific research in Antarctica
Shot videos of people on the ice and on board of Akademik Ioffe
The Bloody Glove Box - Horror Short - Producer, Director, Writer - 2018
WorldFest-Houston International Film & Video Festival, Bronze Remi
Canada Shorts - Canadian & International Short Film Fest, Award of Excellence
The Lost Sanity 2019 Film Festival, Scream Queen Award
Spotlight Horror Film Awards, Award Winner
L.A. Neo Noir Novel, Film, & Script Festival, Gold Award
Detroit Shetown Women's Film Festival, Award nominee
Windy City Film Festival, Award nominee
New York Lift-Off Film Festival, Award Nominee
Chihuo Team, Promotional Video, Director, 2018
Directed short film for restaurants to increase publicity
Promoted food and the restaurant with story-based advertisement
Escape Plan, Music Tour, Program Director, 2017
Led the broadcast of the music band Escape Plan’s live performance
Cut live shootings of different cameras
Time Gaps - Short - Producer, Director, Writer, Editor - 2016
Shorts-in-Fest, Award Nominee
Aword - Independent Film Festival & Screenplay Contest, Award Nominee
Exhibition
-Raw Showcase, Metro Chicago, 2019
-The Great Great 2017, Ningbo, China, 2017
-East Meets West Art Exhibit, Galaudet Gallery, WI, 2017
-Waveforms Exhibition, Elastic Arts, Chicago, IL 2017
-Hélio Oiticica Lab, Sullivan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2016
-Painting in Time 2, Sullivan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2016
-The Best Talent Award, Beijing BTV Youth Channel, Beijing, China, 2016
-EXFEST, ExTV’s Film Festival, SAIC, Chicago, IL, 2014-2016
-Dissociative Identity Disorder Resilience Show, SAIC, Chicago, IL, 2014-2016
-Library Whim, Chicago’s public access network CANTV (Channel 21), Chicago, IL, 2015
-Until Justice Rolls Down Like Waters, Martin Luther King, Jr. Mural Competition, Hostelling International Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2014
-Alternative Space Artbash, SAIC, Chicago, IL, 2014
-The Interactive HTML section GIFWWWRAPPED IV, SAIC, Chicago, IL, 2014
SKILLS & INTERESTS
Languages: English: Fluent. Mandarin: Fluent. Spanish: Beginning
Skills: Movie Magic Budget & Scheduling, Script Coverage, Final Draft, Backstage, Pitch Deck, Premiere, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Web Design, Microsoft Office, Monday.com, Mailchimp, Syngency, Social Media Expertise
Special Interests: Piano, Creative Writing, Photography, Paintings, Horror & Thriller, Animation
