‘Sinners’ Actor Yao, Jodi Long Join Judy Lei’s Indie Comedy ‘Biz of Viz’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Filmmaker Judy Lei has assembled an ensemble cast for her comedy-driven drama “Biz of Viz.”

Yao (“Sinners“) and Emmy winner Jodi Long (“Dash & Lily,” “Sullivan & Son”) lead the cast alongside Lei, who wrote, directed and stars in the feature. The ensemble also includes Leonard Wu (“Low Life,” “American Born Chinese”), Ivan Leung (“Extremely Unique Dynamic”), Kelly Ng (“FBI”), Carrie Vu (“Partner Track”) and Murielle Hsieh (“Blue Sun Palace”).

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The film’s title serves as shorthand for Business of Visibility. It centers on Jules (Lei), a Chinese American festival director experiencing burnout while trying to support her community through cinema. She learns that concepts like visibility, representation and doing good work carry their own costs. Working under her clueless nepo-baby boss Eric, and dealing with demands from Cathy, a diva actress from the 1980s attempting a comeback, Jules depends on the “Core 4,” volunteer-interns who argue constantly yet somehow prevent the festival from falling apart. With the Asian American Independent Film Institute Film Festival’s Opening Night approaching, everyone involved faces the challenge of keeping the event on track while avoiding interpersonal conflicts.

Lei produced the film with support from 190 Seed&Spark supporters. Executive producers are Ronny Chieng, Yao King, Long and Yao. Co-producers are Aude Yosa Vallo, Christine Rivera, Kayla Wong, Joseph Carranza, Jenny Ye and Tiffany Bai.

A Chinatown and Brooklyn native, Lei works across multiple disciplines as an actor, writer, producer, filmmaker and community organizer. Her training includes the Barrow Group Theatre Company and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. She has written, performed and produced two one-woman shows that sold out in New York and Los Angeles: “The World’s Greatest” (directed by MC Jin) and “28: Still Fcked Up*.” The former was developed into a feature that played at the 2022 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and Asian American International Film Festival. Her latest short “Forever Maybe” represents her ongoing focus on NYC Asian American stories across comedy, television and film.

“I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to be working with this amazing cast,” Lei said. “Their authenticity, unapologetic comedic timing and their passion for this story is what will make this film shine. It’s been a thrill to work with yao and Jodi and the rest of the cast to bring this story to life.”

“Biz of Viz” has wrapped principal photography in New York City.

Lei is repped by Metropolis Artists Agency; Yao by Luber Roklin Entertainment, Stewart Talent and Peikhoff Mahan; Long by Vanguard Management and Innovative Artists; Wu by Venture Entertainment Partners and Stewart Talent; Leung by Link Entertainment and Hopscotch Pictures; Ng by Inclusive Management, Bonafide and Emerging Artists; and Vu by MZMGMTNY.