Jennifer Phang facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Phang
Jennifer Phang at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015.
Born	Berkeley, California
Education	Pomona College (BA) American Film Institute (MFA)
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, producer

Jennifer Phang is an American filmmaker who works as a writer, director, and producer. She is best known for her science fiction movies Advantageous (2015) and Half-Life (2008). Phang has also directed episodes for popular TV shows like Riverdale and The Boys.

Her film Advantageous was shown at the famous Sundance Film Festival in 2015. It won a special award for its creative vision. Her first major film, Half-Life, also premiered at Sundance in 2008 and won "Best Film" awards at several other festivals.

Early Life and Education

Phang grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, where she still lives. She was born in Berkeley, California, and her family background is a mix of Chinese Malaysian and Vietnamese.

For college, she went to Pomona College and earned a degree in Media Studies. To continue her film education, she attended the American Film Institute, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film Directing.

In 2008, Filmmaker Magazine named her one of the "25 New Faces of Independent Film." This title highlighted her as a promising new director. She also received special fellowships to help support her work, including one from the Sundance Institute in 2015.

Filmmaking Career

Jennifer Phang has built a successful career directing movies, TV shows, and short films. She often writes and edits her own projects, giving her a lot of creative control.

Feature Films

Phang's first big movie was Half-Life, which came out in 2008. She both wrote and directed this film. It tells a story about a family dealing with big changes. The movie was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and won awards at festivals around the world, including in San Francisco and New York.

Her next major film was Advantageous, released in 2015. This science fiction movie is set in the future and explores a mother's love for her daughter. Phang directed, co-wrote, and co-edited the film. It started as a short film that she later expanded into a full-length movie.

Advantageous was a big success at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, one of the festival's top honors. It also won a Special Jury Award for Collaborative Vision, which recognized the teamwork between Phang and the film's star, Jacqueline Kim. The movie was later released on Netflix.

In 2024, she directed the movie Descendants: The Rise of Red, part of the popular Descendants series.

Television Directing

Besides making her own movies, Phang directs episodes for many well-known television shows. This is a different challenge because she has to work with characters and stories that are already established.

Some of the popular shows she has directed for include:

• The Boys
• Cloak & Dagger
• The Expanse
• Riverdale
• Stargirl
• Foundation
• The Flight Attendant

Phang has said that directing for TV helps her become a more flexible filmmaker. It also allows her to work with a wide variety of talented actors.

Short Films and Other Projects

Before making her feature films, Phang directed several short films. Her 2012 short film, also called Advantageous, was the original version of her later feature film. This short film won awards for being the Best Science Fiction Film at some festivals.

She has also worked as a producer and editor on other filmmakers' projects. For example, she was an executive producer for the short film Crazy Beats Strong Every Time, which was shown at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of Jennifer Phang's most notable works as a director.

Feature Films

Television (Selected Episodes)

Awards and Recognition

Jennifer Phang has won many awards for her work in film.

• Sundance Film Festival
  • 2015: Won a Special Jury Award for Advantageous.
  • 2015: Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Advantageous.

• Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
  • 2015: Won awards for Best Director, Best Editor, and Best Musical Score for Advantageous.
  • 2013: Won the Golden Reel Award for her short film Advantageous.

• Asian American International Film Festival
  • 2008: Won the Emerging Director Award for her film Half-Life.

• Gen Art Film Festival
  • 2008: Won Best Feature for Half-Life.