Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine November 2016 | Page 87

Explore | Interview

© TONY RIVETTI Jr.,SMPSP

LIVI ZHENG

LIVING THE
DREAM
Interview by Adeste Adipriyanti
Photography by Jeff Caroli

mater of her idol, Bruce Lee. “In college,
I began to explore the film industry.
Whenever I had the time and during summer
holidays, I took film courses and worked on
movie sets. I fell in love with the industry,”
says Zheng, whose favourite movies include
Usmar Ismail’s Tiga Dara – an Indonesian
classic – and Bruce Lee’s martial arts
masterpiece Enter The Dragon.
But it was not until she got herself enrolled
in the master’s programme for film
production at the University of Southern
California that her devotion to the film
industry peaked. “My consideration brought
me to the conclusion that success can be
achieved in any field, as long as we work
hard from the heart,” she says.
Zheng knows the importance of hard
work to achieve one’s dreams. Her script
for Brush with Danger, for instance, was
rejected many times. Finding sponsors
and professional film crews to work with
was also hard. Many were sceptical and
pessimistic that she would make it in
Hollywood, because of her age, gender
and racial background.
“In selecting the film crew, I wanted to
collaborate with an experienced team
who have made box office movies. But, as it
turned out, they are extremely picky. In the
US, there is a saying, ‘You are only as good
as your last job.’ So, if they have made box
office movies but their last movie was a
bust, they would have a hard time getting
another job,” she says.
It was only after multiple revisions on her
script that the senior crews who had worked
on such big movies as Star Wars, The Hunger
Games and Mission Impossible, as well as

In college, I began to explore the film industry.
Whenever I had the time and during summer holidays.
other festival-nominated movies, finally
agreed to work on her film.
Reflecting on that experience, Zheng has
adopted a new life philosophy. “There are
many rejections and failures behind every
success. It does not matter if you fail, it does
not matter if you are rejected, because you
just need one ‘YES’ to succeed. Give your
best and believe,” she says.
Now her desire to continue creating is
unstoppable. In the near future, she hopes

to be filming in Indonesia, specifically in
Madura, where she will centre her story
on the island’s bull racing tradition. And,
indeed, Zheng is an avid traveller. “I like
hiking in new places and tasting their
local cuisines. I like meeting new people,
learning their culture and values. Each
city and country I visit gives me
inspiration to be creative.”

Livi Zheng directing her upcoming
untitled action thriller

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