Chishan Lin

Chishan Lin

Los Angeles, CA

Filmmaker Chishan Lin integrates her talents as a writer, dancer, and photographer with her travels throughout Asia and the Americas. She worked as an art educator in Brazil for organizations that help homeless children. Chishan has also participated in meditation and yoga workshops in India as well as dance workshops in Japan and has traveled throughout Europe to represent her film at film festivals. Her love for different cultures, social issues, and her unique life experiences are what inspire her to create.

Chishan’s films have been screened in over forty film festivals, on television, in museums, and won awards worldwide. She co-directed and was the directory of photography for the media installation, Yiju, showcased in Jack Straw Production. In addition, she was the director of photography for three short films.

Chishan’s writing reflects her status as an immigrant in the United States. These include, Ode to Mother published in the Face America Anthology and Amnesis featured as one of the best non-fiction works in the Writer’s Digest. Her numerous awards include the Motion Picture Awards Scholarship, Jacob Javits Fellowship, Gilbert Cates Director’s Fellowship, Lynne Weston Director’s Award, Lew Wasserman Director’s Award, Kawahara Scholarship, and the Multicultural Motion Picture Association’s Diversity Award.

Chishan received her B.A. with honors at the University of California at Berkeley in American Studies. She is a M.F.A. Candidate for Film Directing at the School of Film and Television in UCLA, Los Angeles, where she was selected to work with Oscar Award winning filmmaker Jessica Yu as part of the Independent Film Project (IFP).

Chishan’s current project can be seen at www.paradisechildren.com

Blue Sky Insight

When I first arrived to Blue Sky, I had a naive notion of thinking that I can help to inspire the youth participants’ creativity in some way. However, I quickly realized it was me who became completely immersed and fascinated by the way they choose to express themselves through art. My residency at Blue Sky has not only allowed me to work intimately with a group of young adults, but also provided me a glimpse into their complexities and challenges as they moving toward adulthood.

Blue Sky Project is a unique program that allows youths to explore their self-identities and creative expressions through an open and unrestrictive environment. I am honored to be able to witness this process and the transformation that happens to the youth participants after they finish the program. In fact, I am so inspired by the project that we have initiated here at Blue Sky that I plan to continue and expand this project with teens in other countries.

Having the opportunity to interact and collaborate with the other resident artists has been invaluable in strengthening my artistic practice. The discussions that circulate among the artists have been deeply insightful. It has been extremely stimulating to work alongside such talented and dedicated artists. I truly value the experience and the lessons I’ve gained here at Blue Sky.