| Birth place | New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | University of Auckland |
| Occupation | Filmmaker |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Spouse | Stephen Harris |
Roseanne Liang is a New Zealand film director.[1] Her first feature film, My Wedding and Other Secrets, was the first theatrically released feature film made by a Chinese New Zealander and became 2011's highest grossing local feature film.[2] She also co-created, directed, and co-wrote the 2021 TV series Creamerie.
Early life
Liang was born in New Zealand to Hong Kong emigrants. Her parents were doctors, one was a doctor and the other a nurse.[3] She has two sisters.[4] Liang attended St Cuthbert's College, Auckland, and was dux of the school in 1995.[5]
She went on to study computer science at the University of Auckland.[3] She graduated with a Masters in Creative and Performing Arts in 2003.[4]
Career
Liang made her directorial debut with the autobiographical documentary film Banana in a Nutshell (2005), which was about her own cross-cultural romance with a Pākehā.[6] The film won Best Documentary at DOCNZ International Documentary Film Festival.[7] Liang won Best Director of Documentary Films at Asian Festival of First Films.[7] The film was screened at New Zealand International Film Festival 2005,[8] where she met John Barnett, a producer from South Pacific Pictures, who requested a feature length adaptation of the documentary.[4]
That project later became the romantic comedy My Wedding and Other Secrets (2011).[1] The film won Best Actress and Best Screenplay Award for a feature film at the Aotearoa Film & Television Awards.[2]
Liang also directed the short film Take 3, which won awards in 2007 at the Berlin and Valladolid Film Festivals, and the hit web series Flat3 and Friday Night Bites.[9][10] In 2008, she was awarded Women in Film and Television International's Woman to Watch Award for Women in Film and Television.[5]
Liang is a part of the Thousand Apologies Collective, a creative cohort of seven writers and filmmakers based in Auckland, New Zealand, which includes Shuchi Kothari and Serina Pearson. They made their television debut with their pan-Asian sketch comedy series A Thousand Apologies on TV3, New Zealand's first prime time Asian program.[11][12] Kothari and Liang later cofounded the Pan-Asian Screen Collective with others in August 2018 to support Asian filmmakers in New Zealand.[13]
In 2017, she directed a short film Do No Harm, which was selected to be shown at the Manhattan Short film festival[14] and the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.[15]
In 2020, Liang directed and co-wrote Shadow in the Cloud, a WWII action-horror film, starring Chloë Grace Moretz from a story treatment by Max Landis. It debuted at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People's Choice Award.[16] In the same year, Liang also contributed to The Women Writers' Handbook.[17]
Filmography
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Rest Stop | ||
| 2008 | Take 3 | ||
| 2015 | Sugar Hit | ||
| 2017 | Do No Harm |
Documentary film
- Banana in a Nutshell (2005)
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | My Wedding and Other Secrets | ||
| 2020 | Shadow in the Cloud |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | A Thousand Apologies | ||
| 2021 | Creamerie | ||
| 2024 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | ||
| 2025 | Murderbot |
Web series
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Flat3 | 12 episodes | ||
| 2016–2018 | Friday Night Bites | |||
| 2017 | Unboxed | 6 episodes |
Personal life
Liang is married to Stephen Harris, the subject of Banana in a Nutshell.[18] They have two children.[16]
Accolades
- SPADA New Filmmaker of the Year (2005)[19]
- Best Director of Documentary Films — Asian Festival of First Films[7]
- Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award (2012)[5]
References
- ^ Debruge, Peter (2021-02-25). "10 Directors to Watch: Roseanne Liang Launches Action Ambitions With 'Shadow in the Cloud'". Variety. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ "Roseanne Liang, Writer/Director". WIFT New Zealand. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Roseanne Liang". ngataonga.org.nz. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ Wilford, Judy (Spring 2006). "Filmmaker in a nutshell". Ingenio. University of Auckland. pp. 30–31.
- ^ "Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards | Old Girls' Association". St Cuthbert's College. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ Francesca, Rudkin (February 7, 2021). "Roseanne Liang hits Hollywood big leagues with Shadow in the Cloud". The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin. Newstalk ZB. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
- ^ Barclay, Keith (2014-03-03). "Roseanne Liang honoured by University of Auckland". SCREENZ. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
- ^ "New Zealand International Film Festival: Banana in a Nutshell", retrieved 2021-03-07
- ^ "Roseanne Liang | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Roseanne Liang tipped by Hollywood Reporter as director to watch". Stuff. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "The Asian inversion". Otago Daily Times. 2008-10-21. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ Screen, NZ On. "A Thousand Apologies | Series | Television | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ Medel, Mariah Alyssa (2018-09-04). "New collective fights for Asians on NZ screens". Newsroom. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
- ^ "Kiwi short film Do No Harm earns Oscars nod at Manhattan Short". Stuff. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Gunning for Hollywood and #TimesUp for NZ" (in en-nz). RNZ. 2018-03-25. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ "Roseanne Liang on Shadow In The Cloud". www.wiftnz.org.nz. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
- ^ 2020. Aurora Metro Books.
- ^ Morgan, Scott (2011-03-10). "Casting a light on culture clash". Stuff. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
- ^ "SPADA celebrates film industry achievements". The Big Idea Editor. 2005-11-25. Retrieved 2021-03-08.