UCLA film and psychology student featured in Teen Vogue’s ’21 Under 21′ list

12 Nov 2018

The 75-minute film, Escape, by UCLA film and psychology student Lisa Ranran Hu has caught the attention of Teen Vogue.

Featured in their influential 21 Under 21 list, the 19-year old UCLA sophomore was selected from hundreds of nominees and other aspiring artists and activists.

As reported in the recent UCLA Newsroom article, “Escape, which had an unexpected and circuitous route to its onscreen debut, garnered unexpected attention in her home country of China, spurred public discussion, challenged the status quo in terms of her country’s attitude toward LGBT topics and earned the self-taught filmmaker some impressive recognition.”

The film even sparked the interests of Harry Potter film star, Emma Watson, also known as Hermione Granger.

“They told me it was actually Emma Watson who nominated me, and that surprised me a lot,” Hu explains.

Hu’s film follows the story of a transgender teenager as she comes to gain acceptance and confidence in her emerging female identity.

The #21Under21 class of 2018 has arrived! 🎉✨ Meet the next wave of girls and femmes who are changing the game — from artists to activists and innovators: https://t.co/yY5f6jstXk pic.twitter.com/d1aiKWeV2N

— Teen Vogue (@TeenVogue) November 5, 2018

This amazing accomplishment has no doubt inspired Hu’s peers and young female innovators around the world to pursue their dreams to bring their ideas to the big screen.

UCLA is a university that supports all students, while this academic institution may also be inspiring other universities to encourage learners to produce creative projects of their own.

So, to all the aspiring film makers out there – remember that anything is possible!

If you’re interested in watching Hu’s film for extra inspiration, check out the trailer below.