This Millennial Is the Director Behind an Oscar-Nominated Skate Film

It's not often you meet a millennial with an Oscar nomination on a film about their hobby. Bing Liu checks all these boxes. His recent documentary Minding the Gap has been making waves around the festival circuit for combining edits of personal skate footage with an honest look at the issue of domestic abuse.

VICE Asia caught up with him at Sundance Film Festival and managed to ask him a few questions about his passions and recent acclaim.

Congratulations on the Sundance win and most recent Oscar nomination. How does fame feel? Did you expect Minding the Gap to get this far? What has surprised you the most?

Thank you. It's weird getting recognized by strangers, but it only happens at places like Sundance, so I'm lucky that I'm not actually famous, ha! I didn't expect Minding the Gap to get this far, no. I consider myself a realist with my expectations so it's been a long series of surprises these past few years, starting with getting funding from POV and ITVS, then getting into Sundance, then having an amazing critical reception, then the flood of people sending messages of how much the film has helped them.

What does skating mean to you? From the first time you got on a board to today, how has your relationship with it changed?

At first it was something to become obsessed with. As an adolescent it was very much a part of my identity; I was a skateboarder. I think as I've gotten older I've identified more and more as a filmmaker who has this first love of skateboarding.

You moved to America when you were 5. Do you remember anything of your hometown in China? Have you been back since? If so, what are your favorite memories from China?

I remember being shipped around between Beijing, Chengdu, and my father's village in Hubei because my parents were both studying and working and my grandparents had to help take care of me a lot. I remember bits and pieces like fragments. I've been back once every few years since then and have seen a massive change in the country that's really staggering to think about. I'll always remember the feeling of being a toddler on the back of my mom's bicycle, clutching to her waist and watching the city go by.

You identify with being a Midwest / Chicago filmmaker - have you ever found it difficult to tell the story of this region from an Asian perspective?

The Midwest doesn't have the vibrant Asian enclaves of the coasts, but there are Asians. I think it's as difficult as any region to tell stories of the Asian perspective; we're such a fractured, insular minority group when you try to think about the whole of all the Asian experiences in America. But to me that's exciting and I believe in telling stories from the places end experiences you know and for me that's the Midwest.

It's often tough for us to be in touch with our emotions, and your film plays a lot with the tension between public and private realms. What helped you develop your willingness to go deep into issues others are often more reserved on? Any tips for the rest of us who feel difficult to speak out?

I fell in with a group of emotionally intelligent and vulnerable friends at a certain point in my adolescence and it gave me the courage to be in touch with my emotions and value them. I took a lot of risks and went to a lot of intimate places in my conversations growing up and entering my 20's because I needed it. My soul was bruised and broken and I desperately needed to start mending it and I would look for spaces to be able to mend it with other people. It's hard because it's a two-way street and you have to build up the ability to be able to recognize who in your life you can get to these spaces with, who can make you feel safe and who are willing to process with you. But when you do find those people, don't forget how special they are and be sure to speak with them about how you're feeling; like everything, being emotionally healthy doesn't happen overnight and you have to practice.

You have been an inspiration for both Asian-American youth as well as young Asians who want to crack the film industry. Do you have any specific advice unique to them?

Recognize mentors when they come into your life; they're hard to come by in this industry. Tell stories that you aren't seeing on screen. Entertainment reinforces stereotypes while are challenges them; this industry takes a lot of time and resources so why just make entertainment?

What's next for Bing Liu?

I have a documentary going into post and another one getting off the ground and a few other projects in development; a lot of spinning plates!

And some quick-fire questions…

Best post-skate meal? Ramen from Kizuki in Chicago.

Favorite films of all time? Waking Life, Gummo, The Work, Short Term 12, Little Miss Sunshine.

Soundtrack to your next skate video? Not sure, I usually go with the flavor of what I'm listening to at the moment.

5 fun facts about yourself (what do you like outside of skating and filmmaking?) I don't really do much outside of these things; definitely don't skate as much as I used to.