Biography

Sandy Tung is an American independent film director, writer and producer. He was born on Staten Island, New York. He received an MFA in film making from New York University.

Tung was also the first director of Asian American descent to receive the prestigious Directors Guild of America Award for his direction of the CBS Schoolbreak Special, The Day the Senior Class Got Married (1985).
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous

Sandy Tung was born and grew up on Staten Island, New York. After attending local public schools, Sandy went to N.Y.U. where he majored in physics, winning two National Science Fellowships in biophysics and atomic physics. However, after graduating #1 in the Physics Department, Sandy decided to go into film.

On the basis of a short film he made, Sandy was awarded a full-scholarship to N.Y.U. film school where he got an M.F.A.. After school, Sandy worked in the industry in New York, mostly as an editor and sound editor, but also as a director of documentaries and shorts.

His first feature, "A Marriage", was the closing night selection of the New York Film Society's New Directors Festival and the winner of the best first film in the Houston Film Festival. It was distributed theatrically by Cinecom Int.. Janet Maslin of the New York Times called it, "a knowing and believable portrait of a union, ...with more than its share of charm."

He then received the Directors Guild Award for best daytime television director for the Schoolbreak Special he directed called "The Day the Senior Class Got Married". This was the first time a director of Asian-American descent won a DGA Award.

Sandy next moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career. He wrote and directed the indie hit "Across the Tracks" which starred Brad Pitt and Rick Schroder. It won the Philadelphia Film Festival and the Los Angeles Times called it "an engaging movie of exceptional substance and insight that boasts shining performances..."

"Confessions of a Sexist Pig" starring Traylor Howard, and Lauren Graham was a romantic comedy that won six film festivals, including the Mannheim International Film Festival, the New Orleans Film Festival, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter called it "A well-executed, often hilarious romantic comedy..."

Sandy has directed a number of family films including "Soccer Dog, European Cup" for Sony Pictures and "Shiloh Season" and "Saving Shiloh" the critically acclaimed movies for Warner Brothers Family Entertainment. Roger Ebert called "Saving Shiloh" "a family film that deals with real problems and teaches real values, and yet is exciting and entertaining." And the N.Y. Times called it "touching, intelligent and admirably thoughtful."

Sandy also wrote, directed and produced "Alice, Upside Down", based on the Alice series of children's books. It starred Penny Marshall, Luke Perry, Lucas Grabeel and Alyson Stoner. The film won 4 International Film Festivals and was released by Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Sandy latest film,"Evan's Crime", is a legal thriller starring Douglas Smith and David Arquette. It was distributed nationwide by Orion Pictures and was an official selection of the Montreal, Boston, St. Louis, Sedona and Palm Beach International Film Festivals.
- IMDb mini biography by: Sandy Tung