About — Yáng Yáng

About me

Hi hi, it’s Yang! I’m an independent documentary filmmaker and outdoor flaneur. When not in the remote lands, I split my time oddly in the buzzy metropolis of Brooklyn and Shanghai, clung to my balconies.

I studied music and art history in college before marching into the world of documentary filmmaking, which I find it to be the perfect combination of my love for adventures, meeting new faces, and sharing. I was raised in the silkroad capital of Xi’an, hugged by the Qinling mountain range (秦岭). I competed in 100m & 200m sprint as a kid, and loved spending time with food. My name, transliterate as “Cottonwood 杨, Ocean 洋”, has led somehow a destined life deep into the wild.

Documentary is my chosen discipline to experience life by, but sharing and connecting appears to be the greater cause. My most recent project, Jilu Commune, is the first and perhaps the only free open source website dedicated to the nonfiction storytelling community based in China. Launched in September 2021, our platform has grown over 8000 participants and hosted masterclasses with world-class creators.

At the end of time, this is what I strive for: strong arms, warm heart, open mind!