Last summer in China, Yiheng (Henry) Yao '24 took on an ambitious project by making his first short film, "Unpaused." Diving deep into filmmaking, Henry wasn't just the creative mind behind the script; he also handled casting, directed, shot, and edited the film. By fall, his hard work paid off, bringing "Unpaused" from concept to completion.
Henry's effort didn't go unnoticed. "Unpaused" was chosen for screening at the prestigious Seattle International Film Festival, a significant achievement in his emerging film career. This opportunity allowed him to showcase his work internationally and attend the festival this academic year. The film didn't stop there; it won multiple awards, establishing Henry as a promising new voice in the film industry. "Unpaused" also caught the attention of other film festivals, including the 2024 Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (CBFF) and the 2024 MONZA Film Fest.
Earlier this spring, Henry presented "Unpaused" at a Morning Meeting for the Upper School. This allowed his peers to see what he accomplished.