Crystal's journey into filmmaking began when she stumbled upon Meshes of the Afternoon by Maya Deren and Alexandr Hackenschmied when she was in her late teens. She was mesmerised by the film and was immediately captivated by its creativity and imaginative storytelling. But it was her time as a series regular on the BAFTA-winning BBC medical drama Casualty that cemented her love for the craft of filmmaking. She was surrounded by an enormously generous group of highly talented crew, who were happy to guide her and answer some of her (at times, rather silly!) questions.
Her path into directing has been full of wonderful detours: from life as a ballet dancer, to musical theatre, and acting; from China to Hong Kong, and now the UK. Yet, it is exactly her rich and multicultural life experiences that allow her to see the world through such unique perspective. Crystal's films have been accepted into numerous film festivals around the world, a testament to her talent and the wealth of experience she brings to her work. Driven by her love of storytelling and collaboration, she is constantly seeking out new challenges and opportunities to grow as a filmmaker.
'Survival is the only agenda.'
GRIT was written and co-directed by Crystal for the 2022 London 48 Hour Film Project. This short was nominated for Best Film and Best Direction of the festival, and won Best Actor and Best Cinematography.
GRIT
ARE YOU SLEEPING?
'Struggling with sleep deprivation for weeks on end, one man's search for relief awakens his deepest fear.'
Are You Sleeping? was selected to premiere at the 2020 Frightfest Film Festival, and later received a nomination for Best Director Short Film at the Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival 2020.