LOS ANGELES · NEW YORK · CYPRUS
photo by Erica Urech
Liz Sargent is a Korean-American adoptee whose award-winning work as a filmmaker delves into themes of adoption, disability, and family. As a writer-director, she brings a unique perspective to visual storytelling, drawing from her background as a choreographer to channel complex human emotions. Liz's personal experiences as the middle child of eleven siblings and her intersectional identity deeply influence her creative vision.
Her film "TAKE ME HOME" has garnered significant acclaim, winning the Julia S. Gouw Fellowship with CAPE and Janet Yang Productions. The proof of concept for this film screened at over 50 festivals, including Sundance, SXSW, and PBS. It was featured on Delta Airlines and as part of the Sundance Shorts theatrical tour.
"TAKE ME HOME" is particularly notable for empowering her cognitively disabled sister as the lead actress, an experience Liz shared in a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter during the film's FYC Oscar campaign. The feature film is currently in development with Caring Across Generations and was announced in conjunction with a screening at The White House. The feature script won an SFFILM RAININ grant and is a semi-finalist for the Humanitas New Voices Fellowship.
Liz's work is intensely personal, as seen in her short film STRANGERS’ REUNION about an adoptee reunion. It was one of five films chosen by Ritz-Carlton and Hearst to be made with mentorship by Mike Figgis and production by RSA Hong Kong. The film was released online, worldwide in 6 languages and won Best Director at Diversity in Cannes and Best Screenplay at Brand FF London.
Liz incorporates her background as a choreographer trained at North Carolina School of the Arts into her commercial and experimental work. The national 360 FEMA spot was created with AdCouncil & TDWandCo focusing on unique Asian American diasporas. The short film SLOW DOWN: River To River was broadcast on PBS and won a NY Emmy. Experimental dance film collaborations include work with Pam Tanowitz and Fisher Center at Bard, Eiko Otake and Jacob’s Pillow, and Adrienne Westwood and Angelica Negron.
The extension of her personal stories have been told through podcasts and in her award winning story slam at the Korean American Story ROAR in Chicago. She is an NBCU Directing Fellow 2024, two time Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative Mentee, , AICP Mentee with Edward Grann at MSSNG PCES, a member of the Gold House Creator Network, and producer with Cyprian Films New York.
AWARDS
NBCU TV Directing Fellowship l 2024
SFFILM RAININ Screenwriting Grant l 2024
American Cinematheque's PROOF of Concept FF l GRANDY JURY PRIZE 2024
Academy Gold Fellowship for Women l Semi-Finalist 2024
Humanitas New Voices Fellowship l Finalist 2024
Stowe Story Labs - Film Fatales Fellowship l Finalist 2024
Gold House Futures Network l 2023
Ryan Murphy Half Initiative l Brad Buecker 2023 & Tori Garrett 2022
AICP Mentee l Edward Grann at MSSNG PCES 2023
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (Academy Qualifying) WINNER GOLDEN REEL BEST SHORT
deadCenter Film Festival (Academy Qualifying) WINNER SPECIAL GRAND JURY BEST SHORT
Julia S Gouw Short Film Competition w/ Janet Yang Productions & CAPE 2022
Reel Sister Fellowship l 2022
New York EMMY l THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES 2022 l Best Arts Special - Flowstate: NBK Artists Series
Commercial Diverse Directing Program (CDDP) Semifinalist 2022
Top 3 Finalist for Shondaland Directing Mentorship 2022
Best Director l Diversity in Cannes Film Festival 2020 l Strangers' Reunion
New York EMMY l THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES l 2020 l Best Arts Special - SLOW DOWN: River To River
Best World Actor & Best World Short l Soho International Film Festival 2020
Best Screenplay l Brand Film Festival London 2019 l Strangers' Reunion
Ritz-Carlton & Hearst Film Competition l 2018
Adoptee Film Festival I Best Film 2024
SPEAKING, EDUCATIONAL & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS
The White House: Screening, Panel & Live Stream
Sundance 2024: Sunrise House
Take Me Home Screening & Workshop at Keuka College I Keuka Park, NY
API Women, Non - Binary Filmmakers: Telling Their Own Stories at The Commonwealth I San Francisco, CA I Link to Panel
Film Fatales: Awards Campaigning Panel I Online
Festival Strategy & Oscar Campaigning: Manhattan Neighborhood Network l New York, NY
Public School Workshops with Take Me Home Film l Mercer Island, WA
Sibling Leadership Network & AHRC l New York, NY
Courageous Conversations l Virtual Worldwide l May 12
Beyond Film Festival l Asheville, NC
Female Voices Rock l Brooklyn, NY
Sundance l Sunrise Panel l Park City, Utah
Sundance l Northern California Asia Society l Park City, Utah