Ligeia

  • Xiaolin Mai
    Director
  • Xiaolin Mai
    Writer
  • Zhiyan Li
    Producer
  • Xiaolin Mai
    Producer
  • Verity Van Dams
    Key Cast
    "Ligeia"
  • Alyssa Elbert-Alwin
    Key Cast
    "Rowena"
  • Spencer Dooley
    Key Cast
    "Jeremiah"
  • Wenjing Xia
    Production Designer
  • Fangjian Li
    Sound Department
  • SIRTAJ BHANGU
    DIRECTOR OF CINEMATOGRAPHY
  • Xin Sui
    Editor
  • NGA WENG CHIO
    Music
  • ELIZA GARCIA
    Costume Designer
  • Zheng Qu
    Gaffer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Other
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 9, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    35,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Xiaolin Mai

Xiaolin Viola Mai is a filmmaker crafting bold, emotionally resonant stories that center female protagonists and challenge genre conventions. Born in China and educated in Singapore, New York, Paris and Los Angeles, Xiaolin developed a global perspective. She earned a Media, Culture, and Communication degree from New York University and specialized in writing and directing at ArtCenter College of Design. Now in Los Angeles, Xiaolin’s films blend wit, humor, and elevated storytelling in science fiction, horror, and experimental genres. Her short "Ligeia" and upcoming projects, "Apogee" and "Velvet and Vengeance", explore resilience and empowerment while inverting traditional narratives to amplify underrepresented voices.

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Director Statement

Ligeia reimagines Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale through a feminist lens, centering on identity, agency, and justice. This horror-comedy flips the male-centric narrative, reclaiming Ligeia’s story as a bold, darkly humorous exploration of power and revenge. Visually inspired by gothic aesthetics with a modern twist, the film blends light and shadow to create a timeless, uncanny world. By fusing horror and comedy, Ligeia confronts patriarchal power structures with wit and resilience. At its heart, it’s a story of reclamation, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, there’s space for empowerment, justice, and subversive storytelling.