Yu Gu

Yu Gu is an award-winning filmmaker born in Chongqing, China and raised in Vancouver, Canada. Working primarily in documentary, her films thrive on innovation, social awareness and imagination. Her films have traveled to festivals all over the world, from the United States to Germany to China. In Canada, she was awarded a National Film Board of Canada grant to direct her first short film "Can't See for Looking". Her documentary "City on the Verge", about pioneering Vancouverites, participated in the United Nations World Urban Forum III. In 2008, the mayor named her Vancouver's Best Emerging Filmmaker and New Media Artist. At the University of Southern California where Yu received her MFA in film production, she was awarded the coveted John Huston Award for Excellence in Directing. She was also a finalist in the 2008 Coca-Cola Refreshing Filmmakers Contest where she wrote and directed "Boneyard Bash", a 50 second commercial for Diet Coke. Yu's short documentary A Moth in Spring (2010)_ premiered at Hot Docs International Film Festival in Toronto, and since then it has garnered awards at Palm Springs International Shortfest, Newport Beach Film Festival and the Fotokem Silver Short Film Award. LA Times film critic Betsy Sharkey called it "beautiful and poignant, a strong sure voice." A Moth in Spring (2010)_ was licensed by HBO. Yu has also worked creatively at Robert Redford Sundance Institute in both the Documentary Program and the Feature Film Program. She has created non-fiction content for companies such as Sweet Lady Jane and Loews Hotel. Yu is directing two feature documentary projects, "The House at Dayangba" (2012) and "American Dreamers" (2013).