Wenwen Li

Why did you choose to join the film industry?

I have always been interested in all forms of art for as long as I can remember. I enjoyed ballet dancing until I had soft-tissue injuries as a kid; I learnt sketching and later realised I wasn't gifted; I spent a couple of years having vocal training and couldn't picture myself doing it for the rest of my life. By the time I was to apply to university, I thought film could be 'it' as I had also been a film buff. I became particularly passionate about documentary filmmaking. I independently produced and directed a short documentary, gained some recognition, and loved it even more.

What skills and interests do you have that will be an asset to your work?

I’ve been working as a researcher on four feature documentaries more recently. “You have good eyes,” “you’re very intuitive,” “how can you possibly find the stuff?” These are the compliments I often hear from my colleagues. I guess my interests and experience in other forms of art help a bit? Did I mention I love vintage shopping? Perhaps it makes my eyes sharper?

Where would you like film to take you? What positions would you like to be in, in the future?

As far as possible, really. I have some stories in development. Hopefully I have more to share soon.

Why have you decided to join the NZ Screen Industry Guild? What do you hope to get from your membership?

We all need a bit of “ground control,” especially during these unprecedented times, right? I definitely feel more grounded and informed.

How would you like the NZ industry to expand, and what should we be aware of as we do expand?

Now you see my face on the left or right corner; you wouldn’t be surprised to see I champion diversity! I genuinely encourage everyone to have a read of NZOA's Diversity Report. I hope we can change the stats in the near future.