Sep. 2023
New project coming up x I’m collaborating with BFI & Film4 on a short film about a Chinese immigrant family in Wales. Really looking forward to shooting in the UK for the first time.
MORE INFO: Screendaily BFI
Feb. 2023
Tough and super exciting documentary shoot with Nike, about female footballers on the Gobi desert and the Tibetan plateau. Some altitude stress pictures to share…
Jun. 2022
In honor of the AAPI Appreciation Month and Pride Month, UPS partners to help AAPI-owned small businesses rise with its Proudly Unstoppable campaign video, Forged by Fire, directed by Jian Luo. Much gratitude to all involved in this amazing project.
Visibility truly does matter!
AAPI stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander. The term is used to describe a diverse and fast-growing population of 23 million Americans that includes roughly 50 ethnic groups with roots in more than 40 countries. Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) falls in May because of several historical milestones, including the 1843 arrival of the first Japanese immigrants, and Chinese laborers’ enormous contributions to building the transcontinental railroad, which was finished in May 1869.
Mar. 2022
The 2022 Winter Olympics will be opening in Beijing and we had the honor to work with its ambassador, speed skater Yang Yang, on a piece for Allianz X Winter Olympics.
As China's first-ever Winter Olympics gold medalist and six-time World Champion, Yang Yang is one of the most accomplished short track speed skaters of all time having won 34 world titles. Our team was deeply charmed and inspired by her.
This time filming, more than half of the department heads were women, making this job a fun, blessed experience!!!
Jul. 2021
Luo Jian’s short film wins the BRANDED category at the annual 1.4 Creative Excellence Showcase.
In this first-ever short film from the historic French Cognac house, we were asked to find a gastronomic story that mirrors their approach to creating a lasting legacy by challenging conventions. It marks our first piece of strategic work for Martell.
‘Naomang’ had the highest engagement on Martell’s social media platforms and the longest time spent on a page on Nowness where it premiered.
The film has also been shortlisted at this year’s Berlin Commercial Festival for BEST COMMERCIAL/BRANDED CONTENT and BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY.
Dec. 2020
Thank you Nowness Asia !
full film & interview: www.nowness.asia/story/what-do-you-know-about-the-water-and-the-moon
Aug. 2020
Directed by Luo Jian, documentary series “The Windless Mystica Season 3“ centers around Chinese ethnic music.
Watch at lief.london/luo-jian
Jul. 2020
Scouting for a documentary series in Guangxi and Yunnan, China.
Jun. 2020
Magical realist documentary “Naomang“ is premiering on NOWNESS
“Jian crosses temporal boundaries by merging portraits of Naomang’s nightly cooking ritual with his memories of wandering in awe through the food markets of Shanghai as a child. After the death of his mother, recollections like these encouraged Naomang to share her culinary legacy.”
“Born in the Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, Jian has a distinctive visual style that lends itself to surrealist and fictional portrayals of everyday encounters. ‘Fictional storytelling appeals to me because of how art affects the world,’ says the director, whose protagonist encounters a colossal goldfish floating outside a window. ‘Just like religion depends on myth, and history depends on anecdote, art spreads through romantic storytelling.’”
Click here for full article
May. 2020
Grades from new doc in collaboration with Martell:
Jan. 2020
Moving into 2020 with a film about food, love and goldfish. Thank you Lief London for the amazing opportunity and inspiring collaboration!
Oct. 2019
Thank you MEDIUM and New Orleans Film Festival for the shoutout:
“We’ve previewed this film on more than one occasion, and for good reason.. With “What Do You Know About The Water And The Moon”, Luo continues to hone her craft and intrigue festival crowds.”
Sep. 2019
We shot this film last year. Learn more about the film in this great interview:
“The story is simple, a young Chinese woman gives birth to a jellyfish during an abortion… it’s a short which carries itself with strong visual poetry, forming a beautiful concoction of longing and magical realism. DN caught up with Luo to talk visual and thematic inspirations, shooting on location in China, and the best advice to offer film students.“
Sep. 2019
“What Do you Know about the Water and the Moon” is going to BFI London Film Festival and has been nominated for the Short Film Award.
BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT at Palm Springs International ShortFest
BEST SHORT NOMINATION at 63rd BFI London Film Festival
JURY AWARD at Pendance Film Festival
SPECIAL MENTION at 15th Prague Short Film Festival
ALUMINIUM HORSE NOMINATION at 30th Stockholm International Film Festival
A complete festival list:
Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival - International Competition
Palm Springs International ShortFest - Special Mention for Best Student Live-Action Short
BFI London Film Festival - Short Film Competition
Stockholm International Film Festival - Short Film Competition, Nominated for Aluminium Horse
AFI Fest - Short Film Competition
New Orleans Film Festival - International Competition
Brooklyn Women’s Film Festival - Short Film Competition, Winner of Best Cinematography
Asian American International Film Festival - Short Film Competition
Leeds International Film Festival - - International Competition
Raindance Film Festival - Official Selection
Encounters Film Festival - International Competition
Vienna Shorts - International Competition
Atlanta Film Festival - International Competition
Tallahassee Film Festival - Short Film Competition
Maryland Film Festival - Short Film Competition
La Guarimba International Film Festival - Short Film Competition
Female Eye Film Festival - International Competition
Lago Film Fest - International Competition
Wiz-Art Film Festival- Short Film Competition
First International Film Festival - Short Film Competition
Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival - Short Film Competition
LUCAS International Festival
Stuff Mx Film Fest - Short Film Competition
Seoul International Film Festival - Official Selection
Salute Your Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection
San Diego Asian Film Festival - International Competition
Film Fest Gent - Official Selection
Aug. 2019
Thank you Miniflix and Medium for including our film as one of the most-anticipated short films of the 2019 film festival circuit !
“Layla Jian Luo completed her MFA at NYU and has effectively used this hypnotic short film as a career launch pad. So far, so good, as the film premiered at Clermont-Ferrand and has since played at many major festivals, and continues to have more (like New Orleans Film Festival) coming up. Layla stays busy — when she isn’t directing, she guest lectures at the School of Visual Arts.”
Jun. 2019
“What Do you Know about the Water and the Moon” has won special mention for BEST STUDENT LIVE-ACTION SHORT at Palm Springs International ShortFest.
Cover from Variety.
Feb. 2019
Tea Time with What Do You Know about the Water and the Moon An interview with Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival.
Poster designed by artist and director Greg Oke.
Dec. 2018
Grading session with Mingjue Hu, cinematographer of this film:
Oct. 2018
On set for the promo for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Aug. 2018
In production for a short film set in Mianyang, China
