Meet Williy Lau | Film Director & Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Williy Lau and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Williy, how do you think about risk?
I think it’s the same as a lot of other creatives and artists, doing what we do is already a big risk that we’ll have to take, both financially and mentally. Because most of the time we don’t really know where we’re going, and what’s waiting for us at the other end.

So we struggle, but if we could overcome the challenges, then we might become better at what we do. It’s kind of like hiking, you see this huge mountain in front of you, and you know you’ll have to get to the top to see what it’s like from there. You get tired and frustrated but you go on. Then you get to the top and see the beautiful view from there, but you also see there are bigger mountains in front of you waiting.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a writer and director that focuses on narrative films. I always look for the emotions of the stories, of the characters, because I believe emotions tell the most of the stories.

I was born to Korean and Hong Konger parents, and now I’m living in Tokyo, Japan. Speaking different languages and living in different places have helped me to see the world a bit differently, and that results in my films being a mixture of different cultures, so they might give something different to the audience.

At the moment I’m working on getting funding for my first feature film “Everything in Its Right Place”, a drama story about two brothers who can’t escape from their haunted past, a story that I’ve always wanted to tell.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
After showing them the popular spots like Shinjuku, Asakusa, and Shibuya etc.. I’d bring them to the small local restaurants in Tokyo to try the authentic taste of Japanese food and sake, and sometimes you could meet the most interesting people there as well.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Without the support of my producer, Aimi Inoue, I wouldn’t be here.

I’d also like to shoutout to all the people that have helped me on this journey, and I hope we’d continue working together to make good films!

Website: www.genosfilms.com

Instagram: @genosfilms

Twitter: @williylau

Image Credits
Jeremy Hannigan