PhD / MPhil
HKBU Academy of Film AF, PhD/MPhil. admits outstanding candidates interested in Cinema and Television History, Auteur Studies; Critical Theory and Cultural Studies; Sinophone Cinema; Gender, Identity and Sexuality; Media Industries and Platform Studies; Fans and Audiences; Media Globalization and Post-colonialism.
Peter CHAN
陳維就/陈维就
Proposed Research Topics
- Art-Tech of film:
- Exploring the intersection of Generative AI
- Eastern dance forms in Film Choreography
Yuki ZHANG Yuqi, currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Academy of Film, HKBU, focuses her research on diverse topics, such as Hong Kong independent cinema, the cultural history of Hong Kong, and community films. She holds a BA in Film Production from the University of Central Lancashire and an MSc in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh. Yuki approaches her studies with an open mind, striving to push the boundaries of knowledge within her fields of interest.
Shuhao CHEN
陳樹豪/陈树豪
Year of Entry
2023
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Adaptation,
- Chinese Animation/ Cinema,
- Audience Reception,
- Translation Studies in Creative Arts
Thesis Title
Animating for the People? Chinese Mythology in Transmedia Adaptations (2015–2025)
Previous Universities
M.Sc. in Film Studies, The University of Edinburgh (2021-2022)
M.A. in Translation and Interpreting Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (2017-2018)
B.A. in Translation Studies, Shaanxi Normal University (2013-2017)
Shuhao Chen is a Ph.D. student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. His research focuses on the adaptations of traditional Chinese mythologies in creative media to examine shifts in social values in contemporary China. Before joining HKBU, Shuhao earned a B.A. in Translation Studies from Shaanxi Normal University (2017), an M.A. in Translation and Interpreting Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (2018), and an M.Sc. in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh (2022). He was awarded distinction for his master’s thesis exploring the concept of the doppelgänger and identity in Krzysztof Kieślowski’s films.
Junfu DING
丁俊復/丁俊复
Year of Entry
2024
Research Interests
- Virtual Reality Film,
- Immersive Storytelling,
- AI film,
- Film Statistics,
- Art Therapy
Thesis Title
Research on Cinematic Virtual Reality Production and Audience in Chinese Mainland: Discover and Understand What Factors Affect Producers and Audience
Previous Universities
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, BA, USA, Bachelor of Journalism
Major, Advertising and Public Relations, Minor, Psychology
Northwestern University, MA, USA, Master of Science, Communication
Bio
In his long career of learning and working, Junfu realized that the primary condition for the progress of the world is everyone maintain a happy and healthy life. Therefore, while maintaining inner strength, he is committed to helping others and bringing happiness to them. He likes to volunteer with cats and dogs and find delicious food in his free time. With the advent of the AI era, he hopes to do his best to study things that interest him.
He hopes everyone can be healthy and happy, and have world peace.
In his long career of learning and working, Junfu realized that the primary condition for the progress of the world is everyone maintain a happy and healthy life. Therefore, while maintaining inner strength, he is committed to helping others and bringing happiness to them. He likes to volunteer with cats and dogs and find delicious food in his free time. With the advent of the AI era, he hopes to do his best to study things that interest him.
He hopes everyone can be healthy and happy, and have world peace.
Xiaoxuan HUANG
黃曉璇/黄晓璇
Year of Entry
2025
Proposed Research Topic
Bridging Realms: Videogames as a Catalyst for Museum Digital Transformation in China and Cultural Understanding
Previous Universities
University of Leicester(MA),
King's College London(MSc),
Tongji University(MSc)
Lucia Lu CHEN is a Ph.D. candidate in Film Studies at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research investigates the evolving relationships between cinephilia, Chinese film practices, and visual cultures, with a particular focus on how media and new technologies reshape cinematic experience in the post-digital era. Rooted in interdisciplinary training, she holds a dual B.A. from Communication University of China, and an MFA in Film Studies from Peking University. Her work is characterized by a commitment to exploring the evolving paradigms of film engagement and the complex interrelation of media aesthetics in today’s digital landscape. She approaches her research with a sense of curiosity and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discourse in these fields.
Shutong HUO
霍姝彤/霍姝彤
Year of Entry
2025
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Hong Kong Television Drama,
- Fandom Culture,
- Creative Autonomy and Storytelling,
- Transmedia Adaptation
Previous Universities
Central University of Finance and Economics (Bachelor of Economics)
Hong Kong Baptist University (Master of Fine Arts)
Liu Mengke is a Ph.D. student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research passionately explores the intriguing intersections of film-philosophy, AI film, and Chinese cinema. Mengke’s academic path began with a Bachelor of English Literature from Sichuan University, and she further honed her expertise with a Master's in Film Studies from Edinburgh University. These academic experiences have equipped her with a diverse foundation for her current research endeavors.
Mengke is deeply fascinated by the transformative potential of AI in filmmaking and how it reshapes traditional cinematic narratives. Her work is characterized by a keen interest in blending theoretical insights with practical applications, aiming to uncover the profound implications of AI on the art and industry of film.
Jiajun LIANG
梁家俊/梁家俊
Year of Entry
2023
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Hauntology,
- Asian Cinema,
- Auteur Cinema,
- Critical Theory
Thesis Title
Haunting Japan beyond Japan: Hauntology, Revenant and Spectrality in Japanese Transnational Cinema
Lucia Lu CHEN is a Ph.D. candidate in Film Studies at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research investigates the evolving relationships between cinephilia, Chinese film practices, and visual cultures, with a particular focus on how media and new technologies reshape cinematic experience in the post-digital era. Rooted in interdisciplinary training, she holds a dual B.A. from Communication University of China, and an MFA in Film Studies from Peking University. Her work is characterized by a commitment to exploring the evolving paradigms of film engagement and the complex interrelation of media aesthetics in today’s digital landscape. She approaches her research with a sense of curiosity and a desire to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing discourse in these fields.
Yanlei LI
李衍磊/李衍磊
Year of Entry
2025
Proposed Research Topic
From Disposal to Display: Exploring Trash Aesthetics and Youth Subculture in Chinese Independent Cinema
Previous Universities
MFA in Film Creation, Communication University of China
BA in Journalism, Hunan University of Science and Technology
Liu Mengke is a Ph.D. student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research passionately explores the intriguing intersections of film-philosophy, AI film, and Chinese cinema. Mengke’s academic path began with a Bachelor of English Literature from Sichuan University, and she further honed her expertise with a Master's in Film Studies from Edinburgh University. These academic experiences have equipped her with a diverse foundation for her current research endeavors.
Mengke is deeply fascinated by the transformative potential of AI in filmmaking and how it reshapes traditional cinematic narratives. Her work is characterized by a keen interest in blending theoretical insights with practical applications, aiming to uncover the profound implications of AI on the art and industry of film.
Mengke LIU
劉夢珂/刘梦珂
Year of Entry
2024
Research Interests
- intriguing intersections of film-philosophy
- AI film
- Chinese cinema
Previous University
Bachelor of English Literature from Sichuan University
Master's in Film Studies from Edinburgh University
Bio
Liu Mengke is a Ph.D. student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research passionately explores the intriguing intersections of film-philosophy, AI film, and Chinese cinema. Mengke’s academic path began with a Bachelor of English Literature from Sichuan University, and she further honed her expertise with a Master's in Film Studies from Edinburgh University. These academic experiences have equipped her with a diverse foundation for her current research endeavors.
Mengke is deeply fascinated by the transformative potential of AI in filmmaking and how it reshapes traditional cinematic narratives. Her work is characterized by a keen interest in blending theoretical insights with practical applications, aiming to uncover the profound implications of AI on the art and industry of film.
Yuki ZHANG Yuqi, currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Academy of Film, HKBU, focuses her research on diverse topics, such as Hong Kong independent cinema, the cultural history of Hong Kong, and community films. She holds a BA in Film Production from the University of Central Lancashire and an MSc in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh. Yuki approaches her studies with an open mind, striving to push the boundaries of knowledge within her fields of interest.
Moying Wang
王默盈/王默盈
Year of Entry
2025
Research Interests
- Sino American Cinema,
- Film Adaptation,
- Diasporic Film,
- Asian Cinema
Previous University
2019-2022 Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting, Pepperdine University
2015-2019 Bachelor of Fine Arts in TV& Radio Directing, Communication University of Zhejiang
Proposed Research Topic
The Reshaping of Chinese Images in Sino-American Cinema since the 21st Century: Negotiating Language, Identity, and Culture in the Diasporic Space
Yuki ZHANG Yuqi, currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Academy of Film, HKBU, focuses her research on diverse topics, such as Hong Kong independent cinema, the cultural history of Hong Kong, and community films. She holds a BA in Film Production from the University of Central Lancashire and an MSc in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh. Yuki approaches her studies with an open mind, striving to push the boundaries of knowledge within her fields of interest.
Xinyi WANG
王心意/王心意
Year of Entry
2025
Research Interests
- Transnational Cinematic,
- Cross-cultural Consumption Practices,
- Media Globalisation,
- Cultural Identity Representation
- Cultural Authenticity
Previous Universities
Master of Arts in Film, Television and Screen Industries, University of Nottingham
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Literature of Drama, Film & TV (Chinese Dramatic Literature), National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts
Fatima Susana Lock Aspiros is a PhD candidate at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research focuses on Korean Wave studies and K-drama adaptations. Before joining HKBU, she was awarded the prestigious Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) and earned her master’s degree in film and Video Production (VFX) from Dongguk University, South Korea.
Yatong XIAO
肖雅童/肖雅童
Year of Entry
2024
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Family Representations from a Comparative Perspective
- Film studies
- Gender studies
- Queer Theory
- Feminist Films
- South Asian and East Asian cinema
Previous Universities
MPhil in Film and Screen Studies in University of Cambridge
Master of Arts in Film Studies in University College London
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Cinema and Television in Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College
Shuhao Chen is a Ph.D. student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. His research focuses on the adaptations of traditional Chinese mythologies in creative media to examine shifts in social values in contemporary China. Before joining HKBU, Shuhao earned a B.A. in Translation Studies from Shaanxi Normal University (2017), an M.A. in Translation and Interpreting Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (2018), and an M.Sc. in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh (2022). He was awarded distinction for his master’s thesis exploring the concept of the doppelgänger and identity in Krzysztof Kieślowski’s films.
Yanyi XIE
謝彥儀/谢彦仪
Year of Entry
2026
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Sinophone Cinema;
- Documentary studies;
- Archive Studies;
- Gender and First-Person Narrative in Documentary
Previous Universities
Northwestern University, MFA
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, BS
Bio
Yanyi Xie is a PhD student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research and creative practice investigate cinematic memory, documentary realism, and gendered narratives, drawing deeply from her background in non-fiction storytelling. Yanyi holds an MFA in Documentary Media from Northwestern University and a BS in Media and Cinema Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Before joining HKBU, she worked as a documentary filmmaker and editor in the U.S. and spent two years teaching video production and documentary cinema at a college in her hometown, Chengdu China. Her current academic focus lies in family archives, cultural memory and women's lived experiences within Sinophone cinema.
Weixu XU
許偉旭/许伟旭
Year of Entry
2026
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Milkyway Image
- Hong Kong Cinema
- Asian Movie Culture
Previous Universities
Chongqing University (Master of Arts)
Guangdong University of Finance and Economics (Bachelor of Science)
Bio
Weixu XU is a PhD student at the Academy of Film, Hong Kong Baptist University. His research interests include Hong Kong cinema, Milkyway Image, and film aesthetics. He is also passionate about cinema-going and enjoys exploring how screen aspect ratios, brightness, resolution, and other technical conditions differ across cinemas.
Yue XING Frank
邢越/邢越
Year of Entry
2025
Research Area(s)/Focus
- Humor Studies,
- Mainland Chinese Comedy Industry,
- Censorship and humor functions in Chinese media,
- Hong Kong cinemas.
Previous Universities
Master of Arts in Film Studies in University College London
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in Beijing Sports University
Jiahua YANG
楊家華/杨家华
Year of Entry
2025
Proposed Research Topics
- History of Chinese Cinema,
- Hong Kong Cinema,
- Film Exhibition Practices
Ruixue YANG
楊瑞雪/杨瑞雪
Year of Entry
2025
Proposed Research Topics
- Horror Cinema,
- Domestic Horror,
- Post-Horror,
- Film Theory,
- Psychoanalysis,
- Philosophy of Film
Previous Universities:
Master of Arts in Creative Communication, the University of Hong Kong
Bachelor of Arts in Film & Television, minor in Psychology, Fordham University
Recent Oral Examinations and Open Seminars
Dr. Winnie Yanjing Wu
伍妍婧博士/伍妍婧博士
(2020-2025)
Lecturer at the Department of Creative Arts, Wu Jieh Yee School of Arts and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Metropolitan University
