We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lin Cheng a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lin, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
To be honest, I don’t always feel that my creativity is alive. But I try to nurture it by living fully and seeking new experiences.
After graduating from Tisch School of the Arts (NYU), I felt lost. I was unsure of where to go next, who to work with, or even what I wanted to pursue. Without the structure of school—classes, events, and communities—it felt as if I had been dropped into an infinite ocean with no direction. To move forward, I became more proactive: finding new communities, reconnecting with old friends, and building new relationships.
The summer before starting my master’s program at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, I dedicated time to reconnecting with friends around the world. I visited a high school friend who is living in Singapore and is now working as a broker in oil, which opened my mind to possibilities outside the film world. I traveled in China with a DJ friend I hadn’t seen in three years, and through them I discovered how much I enjoy techno music. I also returned to New York City for a month, spending time with college friends who now work in commercials and documentary film, attending film festivals, and revisiting the city I once dreamed of living in forever. This time, however, I felt more at ease—less weighed down by academic pressure and more open to simply experiencing the city. Ironically, I realized that I had missed out on much of its joy when I lived there as a student.
Over the past year, I haven’t produced new films, but I’ve been nurturing my creativity in other ways—by traveling, listening to new stories, and immersing myself in new environments. These experiences feed my imagination and remind me that creativity isn’t only about making; it’s also about living and learning.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In English, I usually introduce myself as a filmmaker. In French, I would say: « Je travaille dans le cinéma. » In Chinese, I would say: “我是做电影的。” (I make films.)
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I decided to continue my studies with a master’s degree in cinema. While it is sometimes debated whether art truly requires higher education, I felt strongly about deepening my knowledge and made my decision accordingly. During my studies, I had the opportunity to spend three months in Prague, where I directed my thesis film The Promise of Intimacy. The film, which premiered at the New York Short International Film Festival, tells the story of a daughter navigating her complex and distant relationship with her father.
Through this project, I discovered that my creative process in Europe was very different from what I had previously experienced in China and the U.S. That realization sparked a thought: perhaps I should return to Europe to study cinema more profoundly. France, being the birthplace of cinema, naturally felt like the right place. On top of that, I had always dreamed of living in Paris ever since I began learning French at the age of fifteen. It feels almost as if this path was destined — 冥冥之中自有安排.
At the moment, I am not actively creating new projects, but I am in the process of re-editing one of my experimental short films. The piece explores a phenomenon in China known as 催婚 (“marriage pressure”). It is something very familiar to my generation: many of us choose to delay marriage or remain unmarried, which often leads to significant social and familial pressure. This project reflects on that tension, offering a personal yet universal perspective on the theme.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, I would say the three most impactful qualities and skills in my journey have been discipline, open-mindedness, and the ability to speak multiple languages.
Discipline is essential, especially in filmmaking, which is a highly collaborative process. Whether I am directing a project or working as part of a film crew, discipline allows me to be reliable and earn the trust of both cast and crew. People know they can count on me, and that sense of trust is what makes creative collaboration possible.
Being open-minded has also shaped my journey. It has enabled me to connect with people from many different backgrounds and to listen to their stories with curiosity. Each encounter becomes a source of inspiration and widens the scope of my creative work.
Finally, speaking multiple languages has given me access to different cultures and perspectives. It allows me to see the world through diverse lenses and to bring that richness into my storytelling.
For those who are at the beginning of their journey, my advice would be: practice discipline as a foundation for trust and collaboration, stay open to people and ideas that challenge your assumptions, and, if possible, learn another language or immerse yourself in another culture. These qualities do not only enrich your work but also profoundly shape who you are as an artist and as a person.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
As I begin this new chapter in Paris, I would love to connect with people who share an interest in film—whether or not they already have experience in filmmaking. I am open to collaborating on projects, exchanging ideas, or simply enjoying films together by going to the cinema or attending film forums. For me, collaboration is not only about making films but also about building friendships and communities around cinema.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vimeo.com/929135727
- Instagram: hc._lin
- Other: Wechat ID: Wanlhls2024
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