Livi Zheng

Livi Zheng (born April 3, 1989) is an Indonesian producer, director, actress, and stuntwoman. She began her career as a stuntwoman at the age of fifteen[1] and has since produced and directed Brush with Danger (2014),[2][3] Bali: Beats of Paradise (2018),[4] and Insight (2021).[5]

Livi Zheng
Born (1989-04-03) April 3, 1989
East Java, Indonesia
EducationUniversity of Washington (BA)
University of Southern California (MFA)
Occupations
Years active2004–present
Websitelivizheng.com

Early life and education

Zheng was born in Blitar, East Java, Indonesia on April 3, 1989.[1] A few years after she was born, Zheng and her family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia. Zheng attended elementary and middle school in Indonesia, and while working on her stunt career, Zheng attended the Western Academy of Beijing. After graduating from the Western Academy, Zheng attended the University of Washington, where she earned her bachelor's degree in economics, and was inducted into the International Economics Honor Society.[1] Upon graduation, she pursued her master's degree at University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. In 2016, Zheng graduated and received her MFA in Film Production.[6]

Zheng has one younger brother, Ken, who is also involved with film and martial arts.

Career

Zheng's career in the film industry began when she was 15 as a stunt performer in Indonesia.[1] She says she did stunts in the television series Laksamana Cheng Ho which aired on Metro TV in 2008 and starred former State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra in the titular role as well as actor and director Slamet Rahardjo.[7][8] She produced two feature films titled The Empire Throne and Legend of the East were a few years later in 2013 and 2014 with Mahendra and Zheng also involved telling a similar story as the television series.[9]

Livi produced and directed her first feature film Brush with Danger at the age of 23. Brush with Danger is an action film shot in Seattle that Zheng also co-starred in with her brother Ken.[1][10] It tells a story about a painter, and a fighter - siblings who were forced to flee their home, and soon find themselves embroiled in Seattle’s criminal underworld. Brush with Danger was released theatrically both in the US and internationally in 2014.[11][3]

After Brush with Danger, Livi produced and directed Bali: Beats of Paradise starring Judith Hill, Nyoman Wenten and Nanik Wenten. Bali: Beats a Paradise[12] is a story about husband and wife gamelan artists visually and musically express a lifetime of love and passion with a capstone - a music video that blends the funk style with gamelan.

During an appearance on a Metro TV program in September 2019, directors Joko Anwar and John De Rantau said that Zheng had misrepresented her films' achievements, including by claiming that Bali: Beats of Paradise had been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Zheng defended herself: "I never said that my movie was nominated for the Oscars. I said it was in contention to be selected as nominees for the Academy Awards. It is not easy to get your films screened in American theaters." (Films must be screened theatrically in the United States in order to be eligible for the Oscars.)[13][14] In a second interview with Metro TV, Zheng provided evidence to rebut the accusations from the previous interview.[15]

Livi’s film Insight was released on March 12, 2021. Insight tells a story about clairvoyant counter terrorism agent who joins forces with LAPD detective, to seek justice for murdered brother while uncovering the mission of a high-tech criminal. In February 2021, Deadline reported that Gravitas Ventures picked up the North American distribution rights for Zheng's action film Insight, which stars her brother Ken alongside Sean Patrick Flanery, Tony Todd, Keith David, and Madeline Zima.[16]

Awards

In 2018, Zheng received the Culture Ambassador Award at the Unforgettable Gala along with Jon M. Chu and John Cho that was held in December 8, 2018 in Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.[17][18] In 2019 Zheng was the recipient of Tourism Marketeers of the Year award.[19]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role
2014 Brush with Danger Producer, director, actress
2018 Queen of The Hill Director, producer
2018 Bali: Beats of Paradise Director, producer
2019 Vibrant Jakarta Director, producer
2020 After the NBA: The Second Rise of Mike Bibby Director, producer
2021 Insight Director, producer

Television
Year Title Role Featured episodes Notes
2013 A Day with a Star Self 1 Interview

References
  1. Tampubolon, Hans David (July 29, 2015). "The Zheng siblings invade Hollywood". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  2. Rechtshaffen, Michael (September 25, 2014). "Brush with Danger mixes art and martial arts". The Los Angeles Times.
  3. Somers, Dusty (September 29, 2014). "Martial arts film Brush with Danger Shot in Seattle". The Seattle Times.
  4. "'Bali: Beats of Paradise' Review:A Beautiful Blend of Sound and Color". Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  5. "Gravitas Ventures Acquires Insight & One And The Same Cleopatra Entertainment Lands Baphomet Film Briefs". Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  6. "Usai Raih Gelar S2, Livi Zheng Siapkan Film Bertema Karapan Sapi". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). June 8, 2016.
  7. "Ingin Nonton Serial Cheng Ho". Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  8. RG. "Sutradara Livi Zheng Sambangi KPI Pusat". Komisi Penyiaran Indonesia. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  9. Fimela.com (September 2, 2019). "Mengaku Filmnya Tembus Hollywood, Ini Profil Livi Zheng". fimela.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  10. "Martial-arts film 'Brush with Danger' shot in Seattle". Seattle Times. September 29, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  11. "Brush with Danger". Spokesman.
  12. "Singer Judith Hill on Film 'Bali': Let's Bring 'Cultures Together Through Music'". Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  13. "Reminder List of Productions Eligible for the 91st Academy Awards" (PDF). Oscars. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  14. "Slighted Film Director Reports Online Newspapers for Defamation". Jakarta Globe. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  15. "Pesan Livi Zheng untuk Pemuda Indonesia". Youtube. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  16. N'Duka, Amanda (February 4, 2021). "Gravitas Ventures Acquires 'Insight' & 'One And The Same'; Cleopatra Entertainment Lands 'Baphomet' – Film Briefs". Deadline. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  17. "Sandra Oh, John Cho and Crazy Rich Asians Stars to Be Honored at Unforgettable Gala". Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  18. Lee, Ashley (December 9, 2018). "Crazy Rich Asians, John Cho, Manny Jacinto honored for milestone year in Asian representation". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  19. "Hollywood-Based Indonesian Director Livi Zheng Awarded for Bali: Beats of Paradise". Retrieved March 17, 2019.
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