Oliver Yan was born and raised up in Shanghai. He graduated from his first university in 2002 which studied physics. He made his first short film R that is no dialogue in 2008, screening in Cannes Film Festival short film corner and won Best Foreign Short Film in Washougal international Film Festival that year. In 2011, He wrote, directed, shot, edited and produced his first experimental feature Flipping (68mins) won Best Foreign Feature and Best Screenplay (nominated) in 2012 Madrid International Film Festival. His first feature film HOME AWAY which he wrote, edited, produced and directed has won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematographer, Best Lead Actor, Best Editor in NYC Indie Film Awards 2017. Won Best Original Screenplay and nominated as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actress in 2017 New York City International Film Festival. Won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematographer, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor in Los Angeles Film Awards 2017. Won Best Original Screenplay for Foreign Language Film in 2017 International Filmmaker festival of World Cinema Nice. Oliver Yan won Best Director in Florence Film Awards 2019. On July 28th, 2019, won Best Screenplay and Osaka Governor’s Award for “Home Away” in Kadoma International Film Festival. Won Best Picture in Venice Film Awards on May 2020, Won Best Script in Montreal Independent Film Festival on October 2020.

Director Statement

China’s economy sky-rocketed during the 15 years between 2002 and 2016, bringing about sea changes in the country. Since 2002, China’s GDP kept an annual growth rate over 8% for a whole decade owing to the real estate industry for the most part.

The government ceased housing allocation in 1999 and, instead, encouraged private ownership and, consequently, people’s urgent demand for housing which had been looming for 3 years was uncared. But on the other hand, given the absence of housing security system, rapid urbanization, coupled with the government’s restriction on land supply, led to a morbid supply-and-demand that stoked up land prices, which, in turn, caused housing prices to rise dramatically and fueled GDP growth. In the face of commodity economy, many Chinese people gave themselves up to the pursuit of economic interests which, sadly, sowed distrust among them and indifference in families and came to be the imperative priority in terms of providing for the aged, education and marriage. Furthermore, the non-religious tradition together with the deteriorating moral standards in China began to gnaw at family ties, leaving the old alone and uncared-for.

As a filmmaker, I believe that film is about stories and is an instrument for story-telling and raising questions by means of which more people may start to think about what human value means, especially in the background of today’s Chinese society. We need to assume responsibility for everything , draw inspiration from everything that happens around us and learn about and recognize our problems. Aside from being an instrument, film art is, more importantly, a medium for awakening the mind.