Hua Hannah Zhong (they/she) is a New York-based writer-director, actor, and costume designer from Shanghai, China, currently pursuing an MFA in Film Directing at Columbia University. They approach filmmaking as an act of observing and interpreting life. Rather than inventing worlds, they distill the raw textures of existence into intimate, emotionally precise stories that explore memory, desire, loneliness, and the quiet complexities of being alive.

Before studying at Columbia, Hannah earned their BFA in Visual Media Arts from Emerson College. Their creative practice spans directing, screenwriting, acting, and costume design, shaped by years of working across independent film, commercial production, fashion, and media. They previously worked in development and production in Los Angeles and have collaborated on projects ranging from narrative filmmaking to brand storytelling, experiences that continue to inform their multidisciplinary approach to cinema.

As an actor, Hannah has appeared in award-winning independent films that have screened internationally, including Jet Lag in Summer, 200 Cigarettes from Now, and Seasons. Their work has been presented at festivals including International Film Festival Rotterdam, New York Asian Film Festival, Udine Far East Film Festival, and Pingyao International Film Festival.

Hannah’s interest in clothing began in high school, when they co-founded Youtopia, a youth fashion and creative platform that later became part of LABELHOOD’s community for emerging artists. Since 2019, they have designed costumes for more than nine short films. Drawing from their experience as both a director and actor, they approach costume as an extension of character, performance, and the world of a film, with particular attention to how clothing lives on the body and shapes behavior.

Whether behind or in front of the camera, Hannah is interested in stories that feel deeply human. They believe filmmaking is less about creating something new than about paying close attention to the world, discovering meaning within everyday life, and transforming lived experience into cinema.