Leon Lee (filmmaker)

Leon Lee
Occupations
  • Film director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active2006-present
OrganizationFlying Cloud Productions
Known for
Awards

Leon Lee is a Canadian film director, producer and screenwriter based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is known for documentaries and narrative films dealing with human-rights issues in China, including the Peabody Award-winning documentary Human Harvest (2014), Letter from Masanjia (2018), and the narrative feature Unsilenced (2021).[1][2][3][4] His work has received a Peabody Award, Canadian Screen Award nominations and multiple Leo Awards.[5][6][7][8][9]

Early life and career

Lee is originally from China and is based in Vancouver.[10][1] He has said that he began filmmaking after reading a 2006 newspaper report about allegations of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China, a subject he initially found difficult to believe but began to investigate.[11] His first major documentary, Human Harvest, took eight years to complete.[11] Lee is associated with the Vancouver production company Flying Cloud Productions, which has produced his documentary, narrative and animated films.[1] His films have often addressed subjects considered politically sensitive in China.[11][1]

In interviews, Lee has said that his previous work prevented him from safely returning to mainland China to film, which shaped the production methods used in later projects, including remote collaboration and overseas production.[11][1]

Films

Human Harvest

Lee wrote, directed and produced Human Harvest: China's Illegal Organ Trade, a documentary following Canadian investigators David Matas and David Kilgour as they examined allegations that hospitals in China harvested and sold organs from prisoners of conscience, mainly Falun Gong practitioners.[5][2]

Human Harvest received the 2014 Peabody Award for documentary.[5] It also won the Association for International Broadcasting's international investigative documentary award and the Michael Sullivan Frontline Award for journalism in a documentary film.[12][2] The film was nominated for the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary Program at the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards.[6]

The Bleeding Edge

Lee wrote, directed and produced the narrative feature The Bleeding Edge.[13] The film stars Anastasia Lin, who was Miss World Canada in 2015.[14] The film screened at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival.[13] It received a Gabriel Award in the Drama film category, and Lin won a Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Television Movie for her role.[15][16]

Avenues of Escape

Lee wrote, directed and produced the documentary Avenues of Escape, which was broadcast by documentary Channel and received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Original Music, Non-Fiction.[17] At the 2017 Leo Awards, Avenues of Escape won four awards in the Feature Length Documentary category, including Best Program, Best Direction and Best Screenwriting.[18]

Letter from Masanjia

Letter from Masanjia is a documentary about Sun Yi, a Chinese engineer and Falun Gong practitioner imprisoned in the Masanjia labour camp, who hid SOS letters in Halloween decorations exported to the United States. One of the letters was found by Oregon resident Julie Keith.[3] Because Lee could not film in mainland China, he worked with Sun Yi remotely, trained him over Skype, and received encrypted footage through intermediaries.[11] The film had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2018.[3] It won the Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Asian American International Film Festival.[19] In Japan, it was broadcast on NHK BS1's BS World Documentary strand and later received a theatrical release through Group Gendai beginning March 21, 2020.[20][21]

Letter from Masanjia received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary Award.[7] At the 2019 Leo Awards, it received six nominations and won two awards, including Best Screenwriting in a Feature Length Documentary for Lee and Caylan Ford.[8] The film was reviewed by several major publications, including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and The Globe and Mail.[22][23][3]

Rag Doll

Lee wrote, directed and produced the animated short film Rag Doll.[9] At the 2021 Leo Awards, Rag Doll won four awards in the Animation Program category: Best Animation Program, Best Direction, Best Screenwriting and Best Art Direction.[9]

Unsilenced

Unsilenced is a narrative feature based on events surrounding the 1999 crackdown on Falun Gong in China. It follows students at Beijing's Tsinghua University and an American journalist as they respond to the campaign of suppression.[1] The film stars Sam Trammell and Anastasia Lin and was written by Lee with Jocelyn Tennant and Ty Chan.[1]

Because of the subject's sensitivity, the production filmed outside mainland China, including in Taiwan and Vancouver. Lee told CBC News that some cast, crew and location owners withdrew from the production over concerns that involvement could jeopardize future work in China.[1] In its review, the Los Angeles Times noted the film's use of anonymous credits and its filming in Taipei and Vancouver.[4] Unsilenced won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature at the 2021 Austin Film Festival.[24]

Awards and recognition

Awards and nominations
YearWorkAwardCategoryResult
2014Human HarvestPeabody AwardDocumentaryWon[5]
2015Human HarvestAssociation for International Broadcasting AwardsInternational investigative documentaryWon[12]
2015Human HarvestMichael Sullivan Frontline AwardJournalism in a documentaryWon[2]
2016Human HarvestCanadian Screen AwardsDonald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary ProgramNominated[6]
2016Leon LeeRBC Top 25 Canadian ImmigrantsHonoureeWon[25]
2016The Bleeding EdgeGabriel AwardsDramaWon[15]
2017Avenues of EscapeLeo AwardsFeature Length Documentary – Best ProgramWon[18]
2017Avenues of EscapeLeo AwardsFeature Length Documentary – Best DirectionWon[18]
2017Avenues of EscapeLeo AwardsFeature Length Documentary – Best ScreenwritingWon[18]
2017Avenues of EscapeLeo AwardsFeature Length Documentary – Best Musical ScoreWon[18]
2018Avenues of EscapeCanadian Screen AwardsBest Original Music, Non-FictionNominated[26]
2019Letter from MasanjiaCanadian Screen AwardsTed Rogers Best Feature Length DocumentaryNominated[7]
2019Letter from MasanjiaLeo AwardsFeature Length Documentary – Best ScreenwritingWon[8]
2021Rag DollLeo AwardsAnimation Program – Best Animation ProgramWon[9]
2021Rag DollLeo AwardsAnimation Program – Best DirectionWon[9]
2021Rag DollLeo AwardsAnimation Program – Best ScreenwritingWon[9]
2021Rag DollLeo AwardsAnimation Program – Best Art DirectionWon[9]
2021UnsilencedAustin Film FestivalAudience Award, Narrative FeatureWon[24]

Filmography

Filmography
YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNotes
2014Human HarvestYesYesYesDocumentary; Peabody Award winner
2016The Bleeding EdgeYesYesYesNarrative feature
2017Avenues of EscapeYesYesYesDocumentary; Leo Award winner
2017RavageYesYesYesShort narrative film
2018Letter from MasanjiaYesYesYesDocumentary; Canadian Screen Award nominee
2018ReunionYesYesYesShort narrative film
2020Rag DollYesYesYesAnimated short; Leo Award winner
2021UnsilencedYesYesYesNarrative feature; Austin Film Festival Audience Award winner
2024Mind WaveYesYesYesNarrative feature

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Szeto, Winston (March 2, 2022). "B.C. director premieres controversial film on human rights abuses against Falun Gong in China". CBC News. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Human Harvest doc wins Peabody Award". Playback. April 23, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lederman, Marsha (April 26, 2018). "Documentary reveals the man behind the SOS letter from China's notorious Masanjia labour camp". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Rechtshaffen, Michael (January 20, 2022). "'Unsilenced' immersively dramatizes political oppression in China". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Human Harvest: China's Illegal Organ Trade". Peabody Awards. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Prix Écrans canadiens 2016: Liste des finalistes en télévision" (PDF). Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 "CSAs '19: Just a Breath Away, The Great Darkened Days top film noms". Playback. February 7, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 "2019 Leo Awards: Nominees & Winners by Program". Leo Awards. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2021 Leo Awards: Nominees & Winners by Name". Leo Awards. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Changing minds one screen at a time: Leon Lee on the freedom to be a documentary filmmaker". CBC Radio. 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Yan, Sophia (June 15, 2018). "Inside a Chinese labor camp: Q&A with Leon Lee, director of 'Letter from Masanjia'". The China Project. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "The AIBs 2015 Winners Book" (PDF). Association for International Broadcasting. 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  13. 1 2 "The Bleeding Edge". Vancouver Asian Film Festival. 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  14. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (December 13, 2016). "Miss World Contestant Barred From U.S. Premiere of China Drama 'The Bleeding Edge,' Says Organizers". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "2016 Catholic Academy Gabriel Award Winners" (PDF). Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals. 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  16. ↑ "2017 Leo Awards: Nominees & Winners by Name". Leo Awards. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Prix Écrans canadiens 2018: Liste des finalistes en télévision" (PDF). Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "2017 Leo Awards: Winners by Program". Leo Awards. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  19. ↑ "AAIFF42 Jurors & Awards". Asian American International Film Festival. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  20. ↑ "中国・強制労働施設の実態を暴くSOSの手紙 絶句する衝撃作「馬三家からの手紙」3月公開". 映画.com. February 22, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  21. ↑ "馬三家からの手紙". 映画.com. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  22. ↑ Jaworowski, Ken (September 13, 2018). "Review: A Prisoner's Smuggled Plea Sets 'Letter From Masanjia' in Motion". The New York Times. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  23. ↑ Crust, Kevin (September 13, 2018). "Review: 'Letter from Masanjia' shares heartbreaking story of human rights abuses in China". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  24. 1 2 "Austin Film Festival Announces 2021 Jury and Audience Award Winners" (Press release). Austin Film Festival. November 1, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  25. ↑ "RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards: Make "Room" for This Eclectic Mix of Artists, Academics, Entrepreneurs and Community Champions" (Press release). Canadian Immigrant magazine. June 21, 2016. Retrieved June 8, 2026 – via GlobeNewswire.
  26. ↑ "Michael Richard Plowman". Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.