The Filmmaker and Creator Leon Cheo
Leon Cheo
In this profile series, Revry is highlighting authentic contributors to the LGBTQ media and entertainment community. We ask questions to find out who they are and where they are going in the future. The questions remain the same but the answers tell their unique story. It’s time to explore and celebrate true representation beyond the limits of Hollywood.
Leon Cheo is the creator, writer and director of the Emmy®-nominated short form series “PEOPLE LIKE US”. His latest short film “SIN-SFO” won Best Live Action and Best Director at the 2019 National Youth Film Awards in Singapore. The film premiered in-competition at the Academy Award-qualifying 25th Austin Film Festival. Other highlights include “The Three Sisters” which won ‘Best Short Film’ at the 2012 NETPAC-Jogja Asian Film Festival; “Move Out Notice” which broadcast on the Lifetime (Asia) channel and nominated for Best Script at the Singapore Short Film Awards; “Nuts” which received honourable mention for the YOMYOMF Interpretations 2.0 competition, founded by Justin Lin (“FAST & FURIOUS”, “STAR TREK: BEYOND”).
Commercially, Leon has worked with KFC, HSBC, 7-Eleven, Channel NewsAsia, Pink Dot SG, and government ministries and agencies. A graduate of Chapman University with a BFA in Creative Producing, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a diploma in Film, Sound & Video, Leon is also an alumnus of Outfest InFusion (2016), Berlinale Talents (2014), Asian Film Academy (2013) and Talents Tokyo (2012). Originally from Singapore, he is now based in Los Angeles.
What are you best known for?
The digital series "PEOPLE LIKE US"! The second season was nominated for Best Short Form Series at the 2020 International Emmy® Awards. Co-developed with Gayhealth.sg and Action for AIDS Singapore, the show follows four gay men in Singapore finding love, sex and happiness while exploring health issues related to the community. Both seasons have been selected and nominated at web festivals worldwide. Its first season won ‘Best Short TV Drama’ at the 2016 ITVFest, ‘Best Web Drama Series’ at the Formosa Festival of International Filmmaker Awards, and ‘Best Supporting Actor – Drama’ at the 2017 Indie Series Awards.
What is the first thing you directed?
I started my filmmaking journey with a short film called "PUSHING WOOD", an angsty drama about a teenage skateboarder and his relationship with his mother. Admittedly, being my first film, it is cheesy and cliche. But it made me fall in love with the medium and I have not looked back since.
What are you working on that no one knows about yet?
I have been working on two short films in Singapore this year. I just finished a short comedy called "IT NEVER RAINS ON NATIONAL DAY", a military odd-couple comedy about high-flyer Captain Naresh who joins old-timer Warrant Ong in the Singapore National Day Parade’s Weather Committee, which makes sure it does not rain on the parade on August 9th, Singapore's independence day. Because they funded it, this film will premiere on Viddsee.com on Sep 10, 2021!
My second project is much heavier: a period drama entitled "TWO IS ENOUGH", about a mother who contemplates keeping her third child during a time when families were given disincentives and pressured to have no more than two children in 1970s Singapore. This film is being submitted to film festivals for a world premiere.