Sharon Deng

Zixuan (Sharon) Deng grew up in Wuhan, China, and it was in Wuhan, aptly and poetically named the “furnace city” because of the scorching summer heat, that Sharon began her explorations in storytelling. At the age of 13, she started the three-year process of writing her novel, Breathe, which was published by Jiuzhou when she was 16. Her first film “From My Shop Window” follows a self-made businessman in Trenton and tells the story of Trentonians working together to bring the city back to life. Sharon is currently studying architecture at Princeton University, focusing on how culture and immigration are transforming the urban landscape. She is grateful to her professor Purcell Carson, the Martin A. Dale ’53 Summer Award, and her family for sparking and supporting her love of film.