Lily Topples The World - SXSW 2021 Jury Award Best Documentary

Working on 'Lily Topples The World' was a cinematographer's dream—capturing the extraordinary journey of Lily Hevesh with an artist's eye and a storyteller's heart. My role in additional cinematography brought me to an indoor skate park in California and additional locations in Seattle. The film, a true crowd-pleaser, won the SXSW 2021 Jury Award for Best Documentary and was a testament to the captivating tale of a domino artist's rise to fame. As the go-to local DP, I embraced the challenge of being a one-person crew. 

Camera in hand, sound bag across my shoulder, I maneuvered through dynamic environments to film organic moments that made Lily's story resonate. Utilizing a Canon C300ii camera paired with a Mix Pre 3 sound recorder, I crafted a visual and auditory experience that was as immersive as it was intimate—proving that even with a lightweight setup, one could achieve great production depth.

'Lily Topples The World' is more than a documentary; it's a celebration of youthful creativity and a moving narrative of identity and ambition. Following Lily Hevesh for over three years, the film showcases her evolution as an artist, a role model, and a young woman navigating the complexities of the world. With appearances by celebrities like Jimmy Fallon and Katy Perry, to influential YouTubers like Casey Neistat, the film paints a vivid portrait of a new American dream—one where an unassuming Chinese adoptee becomes a viral sensation with a billion views to her name.

This project highlighted the incredible synergy between passion, artistry, and the realization of dreams. It was an honor to contribute my lens to this American tale, where modest beginnings lead to global acclaim, and to work under the direction of Jeremy Workman with the support of executive producer Kelly Marie Tran… an amazing experience.