Tampa, Florida USA
7/19/1987
Vietnamese-American
C. Leon King High School ‘05
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Andy is the son of Vietnamese immigrants that escaped as what is known as the "boat people" during the Viet Nam War where millions of innocent Vietnamese were gunned-down on their escape from Communism. Andy has turned down film schools at NYU, BU, and University of Miami in hopes of entering the FSU Film School.
At the age of 10, he was cast as an extra in a critically acclaimed film series entitled “Song of The South.” After many years of mentoring from other directors, Andy began to write numerous short screenplays based on the literary styles of classic novels. In his freshman year of high school, he began to write a screenplay entitled “A Silent Night.” For four years, he applied without any success for permission to film in Communist Viet Nam. Through the epidemics of SARS, censorship, and restrictions, Andy decided that his film would arrive at no success without risks. Therefore, in the summer before his senior year in high school, he flew to Viet Nam, appointed every member of the crew, and cast every actor to ensure reliability. By the time shooting started, he had written nearly twenty-six "final" copies of his screenplay without one word of permission to film. By the end of summer, Andy had written, directed, and edited, his first narrative short in an effort to distinguish himself early within the industry. “A Silent Night” has been screened at numerous film festivals regardless of age and experience and has been ranked alongside other professional filmmakers. Most recently, “A Silent Night” has been awarded with the Independent’s Film Festival Florida Choice Award, Moondance Columbine Award and Audience Choice Award for Short Film, as well as the very prestigious Heartland Jimmy Stewart Crystal Heart Award. Andy is only the second high school student to ever receive this award. Winners of this award have gone on to become nominated for the Academy Award.