October 31, 2024

From Sloan Grant to Oscar Contender: SCA Student Film Makes Waves Ahead of 2024 Awards

By Benjamin Pola

The USC School of Cinematic Arts’ long standing partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation aims to inspire filmmakers to tell realistic stories about science and technology while challenging stereotypes about scientists and engineers. Each October, SCA hosts the mandatory Sloan Science Seminar for those applying for Sloan grants, covering topics like OCD, evolution, bio-terrorism, and space exploration.

We spoke with one of last year's Sloan grant recipients, Zhongyu (Robin) Wang, about his recent film, Neither Donkey Nor Horse, which won a 2024 Student Academy Award and is eligible for the 97th Academy Awards for Best Live Action Short. 

Neither Donkey Nor Horse follows a young Chinese doctor during the 1910 Manchurian Plague as he confronts biases from both the East and the West to advocate for his groundbreaking theory on the disease's evolution. Here is what Wang had to say about the film.

Still shot from Neither Donkey Nor Horse
Still from Neither Donkey Nor Horse 


What inspired you to create this film, and how did your vision evolve throughout the production process, particularly with the support of the Sloan grant?

I first encountered the story of Dr. Wu Lien-teh in March 2021 during the pandemic while taking a gap year in China. At the time, the United States was shut down, and I found myself physically and creatively stuck in Beijing. I learned about Dr. Wu from a writer friend while applying for the Sloan grant. I was struck by how, despite the Manchurian plague occurring over a century ago, history just continues to repeat itself in the present day if we fail to learn from it. I felt the urge to tell the story - at a particular time when the AAPI hate raged across the country, and the pursuit of science and truth was cast aside. The Sloan grant, with the motto to explore "science and scientists in non-stereotypical way," inspired me to create a film that goes beyond capturing the Zeitgeist but delves into the psyche of Dr. Wu with depth and nuance — how hard it is to hold on to the pursuit of truth in a forgotten era rife with colonialism, prejudice, and racial divide, some of the darkest chapter of human history and only five years before the outbreak of World War I. His story continues to remind us that truth, no matter how fragile, is worth pursuing and is perhaps the only medicine that can heal the divisions of our world.

Did the resources from the Sloan grant allow for any unique collaborations or enhancements in production?

This film would not have been possible without the support of the Sloan grant. Filming a story set in 1910 Manchuria during the hot summer in LA presented unique challenges, requiring resources and resourcefulness beyond any past student films that I worked on. The Sloan grant provided not just crucial financial support but also an important validation, helping us attract additional investments, industry talent, and resources typically beyond the reach of a school filmmaking setting. Sloan has been our strongest backbone, and it is through their validation that we attracted such an enormous, talented team of artists. We are forever grateful for their trust in us to tell this story.

Cast and Crew of Neither Donkey Nor Horse at Student Academy Award
Cast and Crew of Neither Donkey Nor Horse at Student Academy Awards. Courtesy of Robin Wang. 


Winning a Student Academy Award is a significant achievement. How do you think this recognition, combined with the support from the Sloan grant and SCA, will impact your future work and career in filmmaking?

I feel grateful and validated that a story set in 1910 China can have such a profound impact on our contemporary world. It showcases that the power of storytelling can transcend time, space, language, and nations - and the story of one Asian scientist can become the medicine that heals today's world as it did in the past. It also inspires me to continue pushing boundaries as an Asian diaspora storyteller and explore the limitless possibilities for the future of AAPI storytelling.

What message or themes do you hope viewers take away from your film, and how did the Sloan grant influence your ability to explore these themes?

In a world divided by the polarized worldviews of "Us versus Them", do not look to either extreme of that spectrum; instead, look at everything that's in the middle. That's where the truth is. The Sloan grant allows me to put the themes of "science" and "truth" at the forefront of my vision - and pushes me to focus on exploring the meaning of "truth" in my particular cultural context.

What advice would you give to current and prospective students aspiring to follow a similar path?

Believe in yourself. Believe in your voice and your story. The Sloan grant may just be one of those rare and beautiful opportunities that can change your life.

For the latest updates on Neither Donkey Nor Horse follow them on Instagram.
 

Cast and Crew of Neither Donkey Nor Horse
Cast and Crew of Neither Donkey Nor Horse. Courtesy of Robin Wang


Congratulations to the Trojans who worked collaboratively to make this project a success. Fight On!

USC Alumni

Robin Wang, Jesse Aultman, Aslan Dalgic, Lilith Mo, Joshua Powell, Lameng Bei, Devon Johns, Joy Tan, Shan Jiang, Avo Kamborian, Ted Beck, Tony G.X. Shi, Beryl Liu, Vincent Essid, Lameng Bei, Anthony Muffoletto

Current USC Students

Chirsten Vanderbilt Ellis, Kaixiang Zhang, Lisa Ranran Hu, Misha Gankin, Ann Anlan Tao, Borna Moinpour, Jerry X. Lee, Ruolun Liu, Arden Sarner, Jon Peter Lewis, Yueran “Jamie” Wang, Frank Duan, Josey Cuthrell-Tuttleman, Nicholas Klesmith, Surui Guo, An Shu, Janine Zhang, Bang "Jovial" Xiao, Yorkson Yuxuan Liu