[Exclusive Interview] Yiru Deng on her Film “Tunnel Vision”, LA Shorts International Film Festival, and Creative Process as an Up-and-Coming Artist

Photo Cr. Courtesy of Blade Vista Public Relations

With the LA Shorts International Film Festival just around the corner, Yiru Deng, an aspiring artist, animator, and filmmaker, is preparing to conquer yet another milestone in what seems to be only the beginning of a promising career. 

A Chinese animator and filmmaker, as well as a graduate from UCLA’s Animation MFA Program, Yiru experiments with 2D, 3D, and stop-motion animation through a bold lens. Her symbolic visuals serve as a metaphor and a sharp tool to her philosophical exploration of women, identity, and the diptych of personal choice vs. societal expectations. Yiru deploys visual storytelling with profound sensitivity, bringing real-life concerns to the screen and examining their actual implications by peeling back their layers in a manner that can only be described as poetic.

Societal expectations are prevalent in Yiru’s overall work, including “The Pit” and “Misogyny”. There’s no doubt that the artist does not shy away from nuanced stories, with films such as “Hansel&Gretel” and “Non-equivalent Exchange” inviting both Yiru and her audience to question and contemplate the essence of individuals in relation to their broader environment. All that through a visually compelling journey of multilayered characters. Her more recent work, “Tunnel Vision”, is no exception to this, as the film deals with the pressure and lack of autonomy that comes with the expectations of East Asian families for young women.

Yiru’s art style, here distinctive as ever, is accompanied by Carlos Duran’s delicate and emotionally charged score that only elevates the visual elements of the story. Tunnel Vision, selected by LA Shorts International Film Festival for its world premiere on Wednesday, August 28, perfectly depicts the complexity of a path that feels predetermined and narrow, highlighting Yiru’s unique voice in a narrative that despite its pervasive intimacy rings true in a cross-cultural scope. Or perhaps, because of it. 

Amidst her packed schedule, Yiru Deng shared with us her thoughts and musings on her recent achievements, her surprisingly optimistic approach to her craft, and  her aspirations for the future. 

First off, congratulations on your new film “Tunnel Vision” and its selection by the LA Shorts International Film Festival. How do you feel about achieving another milestone so early on in your filmmaking journey?

Thank you! I feel incredibly honored and grateful that Tunnel Vision was selected by such an amazing film festival for its world premiere. It’s a very encouraging milestone early in my filmmaking journey, and it motivates me to keep exploring and growing as a filmmaker.

You’ve mentioned that the title “Tunnel Vision”, as the actual symptom that narrows one’s field of sight, is the main metaphor of the film. Indeed, eyesight and eyes play a crucial role in the film’s main motifs and visuals. Although, it’s the female lead that gets her eyesight checked, from your perspective, through their expectations and narrow-sighted approach, are the parents the ones actually suffering from tunnel vision after all?

That’s a really good question. There are actually two layers to the metaphor in the film: Firstly, tunnel vision as a medical symptom where the peripheral field of vision gradually disappears, mirrors the process of losing one’s initiative. As a child who follows the single path chosen by her parents, the protagonist gradually loses the ability to explore other possibilities and make choices for herself. At the same time, the parents have also experienced the same process. They grew up following the paths their own parents set for them. Without realizing it, they pass that generational trauma on to their child. In that sense, yes, they are also trapped in their own form of tunnel vision.

In terms of visual storytelling, the colour yellow plays a crucial role in Tunnel Vision, as well as the main colours from the house picture of the autorefractor test. Why did you choose these colours as the visual theme?

I remember having countless autorefractor tests growing up because my mom took extra care of my sister’s and my eyesight. So when I decided to make a film related to vision, that familiar image naturally came to mind. The simple color palette of the green field, red house, and blue sky has always felt both surreal and peaceful to me, it represents an idealized world. Choosing yellow for the protagonist not only because it stands out against the black and white environment, but also because it reflects her innocence, vulnerability, and emotional uncertainty throughout the story.

Your work often revolves around women’s position in society. Tunnel Vision is no exception. How does East Asian culture and its expectations on women influence your artwork?

Growing up in China naturally shaped the way I see the world, so the environments and relationships in my films often reflect experiences that are familiar to me. While Tunnel Vision follows a female protagonist, what interests me most is not only women’s experiences, but the universal feeling of growing up under expectations that we didn’t choose ourselves. Women often experience these expectations in particular ways, which is why I chose a female protagonist for this story. However, when audiences from different countries watch the film, regardless of gender or cultural background, tell me that they see themselves in the character. That reminds me that the emotions behind the story are much more universal than its setting.

In Tunnel Vision, the female protagonist is being controlled with strings by her ancestors. Later on, she reproduces this controlling behavior by doing the same to her child. In what ways does generational trauma affect those visual choices and why is it an important theme for you?

The idea came from thinking about children who are expected to follow the life paths chosen by their families, often without their own consent or sense of agency. The puppet strings symbolize the transmission of generational expectations within families. This pattern is so common and deeply normalized that people often don’t even question it. Similar to the spotlight that constantly limits the protagonist, the strings visualize the emotional weight of being trapped by what is often called “tough love”. Through these visual elements, I wanted the audience to feel the pressure, helplessness, and lack of choice that the protagonist experiences, while also highlighting how this cycle can continue from one generation to the next.

Despite the initial grim look of the film, the final scenes are bright with colour and hope. This is such a refreshing take on such a heavy subject. Why did you choose to end the film on that note?

The final scene is intentionally full of color because it represents the moment when the protagonist finally breaks free from the chains and begins to find her own path. After spending most of the film immersed in suffocating black an white images, I wanted to offer the audience a sense of relief and hope, to breathe with the protagonist and share the silent happiness.

What are your hopes for the future of women’s position and expectations in East Asian cultures?

Every family and every culture has its own traditions and expectations, many of which come from love and the hope of protecting the next generation. Regardless of where they grow up, I hope people have more freedom to define success and happiness on their own terms. Tunnel Vision isn’t about blaming a generation. It’s about understanding how these patterns are passed down, and how empathy and communication can help us break cycles that no longer serve us. At the same time, I hope people can continue having open conversations about balancing those traditions with individual choices. For me, the ideal future is one where we feel empowered to pursue the lives we genuinely want, while still maintaining understanding and respect within their families and Communities.

Carlos Duran crafted a beautiful soundtrack for Tunnel Vision. Could you tell us more about this collaboration and how it came about?

Carlos is such a talented and professional composer to work with. When I showed him my storyboard, he suggested the use of string instruments and helped me to find a temporary piece of music that we used as reference. He tried several versions and even had to start from scratch a couple times, because the film needs different melodies to land on specific parts of the story to convey its emotions and twists. It already sounded marvelous when it was played by virtual instruments, but he made it even better by recording it with a live orchestra. The result just sounds so beautiful that I felt my heart was tearing apart when I first listened to it. Composing music for this non-dialogue film is not easy in my opinion, but Carlos understood the mission clearly. I look forward to working with him in the future.

You have also shared that you’ve always been passionate about discussing realistic topics in your projects. What do these topics entail for you?

Focusing on human emotions has always been my biggest motivation for creating. I believe that the feelings shared by people with similar experiences have the power to connect us, regardless of where we come from. The realistic topics I explore are often universal themes that many people can relate to. Although my stories are rooted in China, the environment I know best, I’ve found that audiences from very different cultural backgrounds often connect with them in similar ways. Everyone’s life experiences are unique, but when we explore themes such as injustice, love or humanity, those emotions cross cultural and generational boundaries. That’s what makes storytelling so meaningful to me.

From your perspective, how do these realistic topics interact with the expressive language of your animation, a medium that by nature is oftentimes far away from realist depictions?

Personally speaking, I actually think animation has a unique advantage when it comes to exploring realistic topics precisely because it isn’t bound by realism. When watching animation, people naturally approach the story with fewer preconceived expectations by putting themselves in a role of bystander. That distance can make emotional subjects even more powerful, because audiences gradually realize that the characters’ experiences reflect their own lives. That’s exactly what I hope to achieve. Animation allows me to express difficult emotions and complex ideas in ways that feel both imaginative and deeply human, which is why I think it’s a powerful medium for telling realistic stories.

Over the past few years, you have worked on Animation, Illustration, and 3D Modeling. How do the differences in these media influence your creative choices and visual approach?

Each medium has its own unique beauty, so my creative approach naturally changes depending on the project. For 3D animation, I’m drawn to stylized, cartoon-ish characters. Both 3D software and digital illustration allow me to create shiny, playful, or highly textured surfaces that would be much more difficult to achieve in other forms of animation. For stop motion animation, I especially enjoy working with clay and wool felting. Different materials immediately evoke different emotional responses. The fingerprints left on clay create a strong sense of human touch and warmth, while wool conveys softness and innocence. I love using these gentle materials to tell emotionally heavy stories because the contrast makes the emotions even more impactful. As for 2D animation, I love how limitless it is. It gives me complete freedom to create impossible transitions, expressive camera movements, and imaginative visual storytelling. If I can draw what I’m imagining, I can make it to life, and that’s what makes 2D animation so exciting to me.

You often share first drafts of your designs and breakdowns of your creative projects online with your audience. What motivates you to be so transparent about your creative process?

Sharing pieces of my projects feels a bit like checking something off a To Do List. It gives me a real sense of satisfaction after spending so much time working on a film. On one hand, I enjoy documenting my own filmmaking journey so that I can look back and see how my ideas developed over time. Those photos and videos become a personal record of the creative process, from the earliest concepts to the finished work. On the other hand, I hope sharing that process is helpful to others. Whether someone is curious about how an animated sequence is created from scratch or simply wants to know how long it takes to draw five seconds of 2D animation, I hope my posts can offer some insight and encouragement.

You are already on your way to a bright journey. What are your future aspirations as an artist?

I feel like I’m still at the very beginning of my career, and there’s so much more I want to learn. I’m excited about the opportunity to collaborate with talented and passionate people in the future. Whether it’s developing a story, fabricating puppets for stop motion animation, or drawing rough animation for dynamic action sequences, I’m always eager to take on new creative challenges and continue growing as an artist.

Looking ahead, what would you want to be the main takeaway from your artwork?

Throughout Tunnel Vision, the protagonist experiences the oppressive control of her family. A common story that is shared by countless people around the world. But instead of accepting that cycle, she chooses to break free and follow her own heart. I hope the film encourages audiences to reflect on the boundaries of love and care. Love should never come at the cost of someone’s identity or freedom. More than anything, I hope viewers leave with the courage to question traditions when necessary and the right to write their own stories.

Lastly, would you like to share a message with our readers?

Thank you so much to everyone who’s reading this and taking an interest in me and my work. It truly means a lot. If you’ll be attending LA Shorts over the next two weeks, I’d love for you to join us at a screening of Tunnel Vision! And if you’d like to share your thoughts about the film or are curious about my future projects, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d be more than happy to continue the conversation. Thank you again for reading!

Tunnel Vision marks its world premier on Wednesday, August 28, 2:00pm PT, at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, Laemmle NoHo 7.

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