The Power of Storytelling: Julie Zhu’s Journey from Rejection to Pride as a Chinese
Staff Writer: Yiyi Xie
Image Source: Supplied
Chinese faces are rare in New Zealand's film industry, and even those who make it in often find themselves on the periphery.
Julie Zhu, a remarkable Chinese filmmaker and photographer, has won both the Best Director and Best Film awards in New Zealand. A true standout in her field, Julie is dedicated to bringing immigrant stories to the forefront of public consciousness.
As someone who grew up in New Zealand, Julie’s personal journey was fraught with struggle and internal conflict. She navigated an identity crisis that led her to extremes but ultimately shaped her into the successful filmmaker she is today.
“Being Chinese, Not Wanting to Be Chinese”
Having lived in New Zealand for nearly 28 years, Julie Zhu vividly recalls the feeling of "not wanting to be Chinese" that clouded her childhood. This sentiment followed her throughout her upbringing.
Born in Xi’an, China in 1993, Julie says, “I know it’s the home of the Terracotta Warriors through Wikipedia.” At age four, she moved with her parents to East Auckland, New Zealand.
Although her parents were engineers in China, their qualifications were not recognized in New Zealand, so they had to take on basic jobs. Julie saw her father rarely, as he worked several jobs to support the family.
In the new country, her parents were too busy to notice their daughter’s internal turmoil. For a long time, Julie sought to reject her ethnic identity. “I was born Chinese, but I didn’t want to be Chinese,” she reflects.
From a young age, she felt that being Chinese was something undesirable, a view that stemmed from the media’s portrayal of the Chinese community. “Even as a kid, I sensed that I didn’t want to be associated with that.”
There was a time when hearing the words "China" or "Chinese" would make her feel embarrassed. She avoided questions about her origins, growing frustrated when people didn’t recognize her as a New Zealander.
Receiving compliments like, “Your English is so good!” only further distanced her from her Chinese identity. To Julie, this was a constant reminder that she didn’t fully belong.
Dropping Out of University
University was a particularly difficult time for Julie. “I switched out of art school after my first year and felt like I'd wasted a year of my life. I cried a lot that year... There's so much pressure to stick to the first thing you try. Especially if you're from a lower socio-economic background, you feel like you're letting your family down,” she recalls.
She eventually completed a BA (Hons) in Screen Production and a Diploma of Language in te reo Māori in 2015. She found cultural similarities between Chinese and Māori communities, such as respect for elders and strong family bonds. However, she noted significant gaps in dialogue between the two groups.
After visiting Waitangi in 2016, Zhu was one of six people who formed Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga. “As immigrants, if we want to call New Zealand home, we need to understand why we’re here and how we can make this place better.”
By 2017, at just 24 years old, Zhu was selected as the Green Party candidate for the Botany electorate.
While navigating these various fields, Julie never lost her passion for storytelling, especially when it came to marginalized voices. “I want to make the world a better place, and telling stories is one way to do that.”
Rising Star: Julie Zhu’s Award-Winning Works
In the same year, Julie’s first documentary, East Meets East, premiered, a short film based on her grandparents’ move to New Zealand to help raise their grandchildren. The film highlights the often-overlooked elderly immigrant community.
In 2022, her docuseries Takeout Kids aired, winning her Best Director at NZ Web Fest. The series took an intimate look at the lives of immigrant children who help their parents run small businesses in New Zealand. Her short film Lǎo Lao Lǎo Le won her Best Director and Best NZ Film at Show Me Shorts 2023.
Through her work, Julie Zhu captures the everyday struggles of immigrant life, stories that are frequently encountered but rarely explored in depth.
Reflecting on the making of Takeout Kids, she says, “I was always curious about the kids helping out at their family’s takeaway shops or doing homework at the counter. I wanted to know what their lives were like.”
One episode features a family from Taishan, China, who run a fish and chips shop in Christchurch. Julie and her team spent five days filming, capturing a glimpse into the life of 16-year-old John Li as he helped out in his parents’ shop.
Julie’s films have moved audiences, with one viewer commenting on how touched they were.
Finding Peace with Her Identity
As Julie grew older, she became more aware of concepts like racism and marginalization. She encountered the term “internalized racism,” describing the process of internalizing negative stereotypes, which had driven her to reject her heritage.
Julie still grapples with this internalized racism. She can't speak much Chinese with families due to her decision not to speak Chinese as a child. But now, she proudly embraces her Chinese identity and no longer seeks to be a "Kiwi".
She put her Chinese name, 朱常榛 on her social media profile, trying to speak more Mandarin, declaring that she is proud of who she is.