Joanne Cheng is an award-winning intercultural filmmaker and creative
consultant best known for her documentary trilogy, portraits of
contemporary China: CHINA GOLD RUSH (2000); MAMA'S GOLD: The Orphans of
Shangri-La (2003) and GOLDEN LOTUS: The Legacy Of Bound Feet (2006).
Born in Beijing, Ms. Cheng earned her BA in English/Journalism from
Beijing Foreign Studies University. Upon graduating, Ms. Cheng worked
as one of the first English-speaking reporters/anchorwomen for the
newly launched China Central Television (CCTV) English language channel
from 1987-88 where she directed and hosted the weekly entertainment
show "Center Stage" highlighting the latest trends in arts and culture
in China. Ms. Cheng immigrated to the United States in 1988 where she
studied filmmaking at the University of Maryland, graduating in 1990
with a Masters Degree in Film/TV/Communication Arts.
Ms. Cheng's professional career in the U.S. began as a bilingual PR and
media consultant working under her own banner East-West Corridor
Communications (based in New York). Here she produced print, video,
multimedia and creative marketing tools for corporate America/Fortune
500 companies doing business in China and Chinese markets worldwide.
Brands included, among others, AT&T, American Express, Clinique, GE,
IBM, MetLife, Philip Morris and Pfizer. For these clients Ms. Cheng
provided translation, adaption of scripts, narration and voiceover
services along with supervising conceptual strategic repositioning and
designs for the Chinese markets and audience.
Cheng's US-China tv/film projects over the past two decades include
providing journalism/investigative reports for networks including ABC
20/20 and MTV/Asia, publicity for PBS and the Chinese film industry.
Ms. Cheng was the PR/bilingual publicist/translator/interpreter for the
1998 Chinese film delegation to Hollywood led by Zhao Shi,
Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Radio, Film & Television and renown
producer Han Sanping (Mission: Impossible III and 74 other features to
date), the Chairman of China Film Group Corporation.
Ms. Cheng was the bilingual publicist and promotional host for the
nationally syndicated program CHINESE AMERICANS on PBS in November
2000. In addition, Ms. Cheng also has acted as a rights broker for
publishers/authors (i.e. Mario Puzo) and American film and TV libraries
in the China market.
Cheng's filmmaking career started in 2000 with her award-winning film
CHINA GOLD RUSH, which was broadcast on PBS. Over the last decade, Ms.
Cheng has written, directed, produced and narrated three documentaries
including the aforementioned CHINA GOLD RUSH, MAMA'S GOLD and GOLDEN
LOTUS. Cheng's shorts include HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZ (2007), DIGITAL STONE
EXHIBITION (2008) the first documentary on 3D printing technology, and
LOVE ALL THE WAY (2012). Her first feature was the hybrid film C/O
BUTTERLY - The Rhapsody Of The Womb (2015). Her newest documentary trilogy starts with RED FAREWELL (2017) and continues with two in post-production, A CHILD: Autistic Challenge For China (2018) and
QUEST OF THE SAGE (2019). Ms. Cheng has four feature films in development, a historical drama A SIHEYAN TALE, a mystery romance BUTTERFLY MANSION, a fantasy actioner JOY GUANYIN and a thriller PHOENIX RISING NOW.
Ms. Cheng has served as an Associate Professor of Cinema and
Television. She has taught Film Aesthetics, Documentary Production,
Editing and Directing at several universities including the New York
Institute of Technology (2004-05); Hong Kong Baptist University-Beijing
Normal University, United International College (2007-2009); and
Beijing Foreign Studies University (2009-2013).
In 2012 Ms. Cheng served on the Jury of the 8th Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival in Qatar. She serves as a frequent intercultural commentator and film critic on CCTV/CGTN [English Channel].
