Stars and Scars: Yi Zhou’s Visionary Sci-Fi Animated Feature Giving Back to Hollywood

Filmmaker Yi Zhou, a rising star in Hollywood, is creating waves with her new style of animation. Her latest venture, Stars and Scars, is a science fiction saga set in the future that is shaped by environmental conditions. As the maiden animated feature of her production company, Into The Sun Entertainment, the movie handles the subjects of resilience, hope, and unity. In a moving salute to Los Angeles, Zhou has pledged to donate the proceeds from “Stars and Scars” to the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) in support of Southern California wildfire relief.

A Story of Resilience and Hope

Stars and Scars transports the viewer to a world where dreamers and visionaries reunite to rebuild communities broken by crisis. The movie traces the journey of a young hero as they embark on a journey of self-revelation, depicting the strength of human beings through breathtaking landscapes and an immensely poignant storyline.

“Los Angeles has always been a symbol of creativity and togetherness,” says Zhou. “This animated feature reflects those principles and helps heal the wounds by supporting the MPTF’s valuable work.”

Giving Back to the Hollywood Community

In giving back the earnings from the film to its viewers, Zhou pays homage to Hollywood’s century-old tradition of providing for its own during times of hardship. The Motion Picture & Television Fund has provided financial, medical, and housing assistance to its members for almost a century, most recently with disaster relief for the destructive wildfires of Southern California.

Yi Zhou: A Global Artistic Visionary

Born in China and later brought up in Rome, Yi Zhou’s career crosses continents and varied landscapes. Her artwork has been showcased in elite festivals like the Venice Biennale, Sundance, and Cannes, and Zhou is greatly renowned for her excellence in blending artistic work with new-age storytelling.

Ever since Zhou moved to Los Angeles in 2018, she has diversified her creative endeavours to include the inception of her own fashion house, Global Intuition. Masters of Cinema series of the brand—a line inspired from her buzzing documentary In Between Stars and Scars: Masters of Cinema—is available for exploration on the website of Global Intuition.

An Award-Worthy Documentary

Zhou’s documentary In Between Stars and Scars: Masters of Cinema has just been shortlisted for the Oscars 2025 among 167 eligible films. The film features industry legends Cameron Crowe, Robert Richardson, and Vittorio Storaro, and it is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, with its soundtrack album streaming on Spotify. Furthermore, original works from the documentary are also for sale through Artsy and Saatchi Art.

A New Era in Animation with Into The Sun Entertainment

Established in Rome in 2021 and subsequently Los Angeles in 2022, Zhou’s production company, Into The Sun Entertainment, has already emerged as a source of impactful storytelling. Where her documentary shed light on the unsung heroes of filmmaking, Stars and Scars breaks new ground in animation, addressing the themes of perseverance and unity as it advocates for a noble cause.

“Animation has the power to change and unite people,” Zhou says. “With Stars and Scars, we hope to tap into that power.”

Other Projects Worth Mentioning

• Podcast: Sunshine in the Rain explores mental health, resilience, and longevity. Find out more at the Sunshine in the Rain Podcast.
• Books: Zhou’s latest literary endeavors, The Art of Triumph: Trauma, Sex, and Art and Waves and Whispers, can be purchased through Barnes & Noble.

Follow Yi Zhou’s Journey

For more information on Stars and Scars and other ventures, check out Into The Sun Films or Into The Sun Entertainment.