Starring in global movie shot during the Covid-19 lockdowns “a career highlight” for this multi-talented actress  

The filmmakers behind Anno 2020, an award-winning, Australian-produced, mystery-drama soon to celebrate its world premiere, count themselves lucky to have secured the services of California-based Chinese American actress Crystal J. Huang.

In recent years, Shanghai-born Huang has emerged as an in-demand actress in major American motion pictures, starring opposite such renowned Hollywood veterans as Eric Roberts and Tom Sizemore. The multi-talented actress is currently basking in the success of her new release psychological thriller Dark Feathers, another award-winning film and one in which she also makes her directorial debut.

Huang, who is also a film producer, model, dancer, and photographer of some note, is one of an ensemble of international actors who appears in Anno 2020, an ambitious, low budget (US$6,000) movie shot on four continents at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. She plays a Chinese immigrant living in Dublin, Ca., which also happens to be the place she now calls home in real life. Her screen daughter, played by Beijing-native Ruike Kuang, is on vacation in Beijing when the Covid-19 outbreak begins in early 2020.

Anno 2020’s New Zealand director James Morcan, who also acts in the film and who adapted the Anno 2020 screenplay from his published novel of the same name, says he didn’t hesitate to cast Huang to star in the production.

“Crystal was my main advisor on Chinese cultural elements. She carefully translated some of the script’s English dialogue into Mandarin for scenes in her native language,” says Morcan.

“I also gave her the freedom to improvise much of her dialogue. This helped to shape her role and mother-daughter plot into something authentically Chinese rather than reflect my Western perspective.”

Morcan says what he loves about Huang is she is not only an exceptional actress, but she is all about supporting the director and the film. “Crystal has no ego and that, combined with her remarkable talent, equals a winning formula for any actor.”

He describes the film as a multicultural kaleidoscope of interconnected characters seeking redemption, forgiveness and answers during the wild year that was 2020.

“It’s a vignette film, a rare type of movie where there are various plots instead of just one. These are told separately, but they all intersect at the end to ultimately become part of one larger story.” 

Requiring the employment of camera crews and cast around the world, Anno 2020 has an impressive lineup of actors. Other cast members include US veterans Kevin Scott Allen (Star Trek, Alias, Prison Break) and Sheila Ball (Assault on VA-33), and leading Australians Greg Poppleton (Backtrack, The Chronicles of Narnia) and Erin Connor (Occupation: Rainfall, Dino King 3D).

The movie has had recent success in film festivals – most notably winning the Titan International Film Festival’s ‘Best Experimental Film’ award, in Sydney last month, and Quarter-Finalist status in the Best Film category at the International British Film Festival 2023 in London. It also received an official selection for the Symbiotic Film Festival in Ukraine.

Crystal Huang says Anno 2020 will always have a special place in her heart.

“The lockdowns of 2020 had an impact on almost everyone, and for me personally it (the pandemic) was an especially depressing and stressful time in my life,” she says.

“I was separated from my daughter during that period, and then the Anno 2020 opportunity came along. It provided me with a chance to express my own feelings about family, and how to cope with long distance relationships.

“Participating in Anno 2020 was truly a career highlight for me as well as being therapeutic, and it helped me get through that very difficult period.”

Huang, whose favorite actor is Woody Allen, says Anno 2020 is reminiscent of Woody Allen’s work.

“I think it is a timely contribution and touches on various important issues facing society in this era. It has rich diversity and almost every scene feels totally realistic.”

“The film’s characters are all meaningful and unique, and James, as a first-time director, has great personal style and delivers cinematic atmosphere. I believe Anno 2020 deserves to be seen by everyone, including Chinese people.”

Huang says one of her lasting memories of the film was the day she drove to Burbank to performance an iconic bar sequence.

“I had to drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles to participate in that sequence, working around the continuing lockdowns in the process. As well as preparing for my performance, I had to shoot some scenes using my own camera. Fortunately, I was able to fall back on my experience as a photographer.”

Currently, she has been super busy producing her movie Dark Feathers, which just last week premiered on the opening night of the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. The film received five HRIFF nominations, including Best Picture and People’s Choice Award, and won three awards, including Best Actress (Crystal J. Huang), Best Supporting actor (Michael Madsen), and Best Trailer.

“I am swamped arranging for this movie to be released in theaters. Funding limitations mean I must do almost everything myself.”

Huang says she envisions producing the prequel of Dark Feathers if the film performs and if time allows.

As for Anno 2020, she says she would definitely work with director James Morcan and crew again if the opportunity arose.

“James’s creativity in directing the movie made the storyline very believable, and his approach to shooting assembling shots from individuals (physically separated by the lockdowns) felt rather fresh.”

Morcan confirmed he would work with Huang again in a heartbeat.

“Crystal really is a director’s delight to work alongside,” he says.

Anno 2020’s lead producer Gil Ben-Moshe, of Sydney-based film production company MoneyShot Productions, echoes his director’s comments.

“As a producer I need to ensure we cast people who are not only talented and professional, but who possess a positive attitude,” says Ben-Moshe who also plays a lead role in the movie.

“Throughout the entire shoot, Crystal demonstrated all these attributes. She is one of those actors who appreciate and respect other actors as well as the director. On set, Crystal’s charm and experience shone through, complimented by a truly likeable personality, and she delivered a heartwarming performance which was well received by all who have viewed the movie.”

Ben-Moshe says completion of Anno 2020, which was shot on a shoestring budget in 17 cities around the world at the height of the strict Covid-19 lockdowns, was a triumph in the face of adversity.

Beyond the movie’s official launch on April 7, interstate cinematic screenings Australia-wide are planned, followed by screenings in New Zealand and possibly the US as well. The longer-term target includes online distribution on major streaming platforms.

The Anno 2020 trailer can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/@ANNO2020TheMovie