Zilong Wang is a writer-director currently based in Los Angeles. Originally hailing from a small northwestern town in China, he grew up surrounded by desert and far away from big cities. Through his experiences, he has realized that anyone can become a minority under certain conditions and advocates for empathy to bridge divides between people. Zilong pursued his passion for filmmaking at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing and CSU Northridge in Los Angeles. He has worked as a camera operator, editor, and script developer for TV stations and web movies in both countries. His short films, "Lost and Found" and "Crab Dance," have received nominations and awards at various film festivals. He holds an MFA in directing from the American Film Institute, and his screenplay, "CLUES," was selected for the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program.