UNBROKEN documentary logo 中文 Watch Now

Home / Filmmakers

Filmmakers

Meet the team behind the documentary UNBROKEN. This investigative documentary goes beyond the stage to present the artists, families and untold pressures behind Shen Yun.

About the Filmmakers

Portrait of UNBROKEN director Fiona Young

Fiona Young

Director

Fiona Young is a New York-based documentary filmmaker whose work explores overlooked histories, cultural memory and the human cost of political power.

Young combines investigative reporting with cinematic storytelling to reveal stories that remain hidden or misunderstood. Drawing on her background as a playwright, she shaped this documentary through character-driven storytelling.

Her previous work includes the documentaries "The Final War" and "Millennium Willow" (《千禧柳》).

Portrait of UNBROKEN executive producer Steve Lance

Steve Lance

Executive Producer · Sincere Pictures

Steve Lance of Sincere Pictures focuses on investigative documentaries and cinematic storytelling based on true events.

On this film, Lance leads the investigative narrative, examining the threats, sabotage and broader pressure campaign directed at Shen Yun Performing Arts.

With his background as an investigative journalist and former NTD Television vice president, Lance has reported extensively on U.S.-China relations and foreign influence operations. Based in Washington, D.C., his work blends journalism and filmmaking, telling stories of power, truth and resilience through rigorous investigation and in-depth storytelling.

Portrait of UNBROKEN producer and writer Penny Zhou

Penny Zhou

Producer & Writer

Penny Zhou is the film's producer and writer. She develops investigative documentaries and narrative films based on true events.

Zhou shaped the film's investigative narrative with her distinctive perspective tracking media, culture and geopolitical influence.

She produced the award-winning documentary "Hollywood Takeover: China's Control in the Film Industry" and, as an investigative journalist, contributed to "The Final War", a feature-length documentary examining the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) global ambitions. Zhou has also reported in depth on multiple leaked documents and whistleblower testimonies.

Approach

How the Film Was Made

Exclusive Access

The director secured rare, exclusive access to rehearsal halls, backstage areas and tour locations, documenting what audiences never see.

Investigative Reporting as the Backbone

The film builds its narrative through investigative journalism, cross-checking documents, news reports and first-hand testimony.

Character-Driven

The filmmakers chose to let the interviewees speak for themselves rather than through a narrator, so audiences hear each person's own voice and pauses directly.

Shen Yun Tickets