Emmanuel Li

Emmanuel is a young, queer, BAFTA-Qualifying filmmaker whose imaginative tales often follow drifters and dreamers on the fringes of society, with a keen eye for nature, magical realism and performance physicality.

Drawing from a multi-disciplinary background in theatre, magic, music and more, he strives to craft immersive and expressive worlds within each of his films. While versatile and diverse in style and genre, they are commonly infused with rich colour palettes, energised by eclectic characters and brimming with heart and humour.

In 2019, he co-founded youth-led production collective Big Tent Films, under which numerous shorts and music videos have been produced which have screened and been awarded at festivals worldwide, as well as cultivating almost 1 million views on YouTube.

In 2021, Emmanuel was named the BFI's "Best New Talent" for their short 'MUSIC FOR THE END OF THE WORLD'.