EXCLUSIVE: AAO Entertainment has signed director Adrian Yang for management following the breakout success of his viral narrative short film Passing, which has generated significant industry attention after notching nearly 15 million views on Instagram.

Shot and directed by the Chinese-American filmmaker, Passing follows a young woman who gathers the courage to speak to a stranger on a New York street. What begins as a simple interaction becomes an intimate reflection on human connection, with an unexpected twist.

The momentum surrounding Passing has led to a follow-up project starring actor Nick Creegan (Batwoman) and actress/singer Leslie Grace (In the Heights).

Yang is a graduate of the AFI Conservatory whose work has screened at festivals including HollyShorts Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival and Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

“Like filmmakers such as Celine Song and Lee Isaac Chung, Adrian has a deeply human approach to storytelling,” said AAO Entertainment founder Christian Rodriguez. “There’s an emotional precision to his work that feels both intimate and cinematic.”

Currently, the director is developing multiple features and other original projects spanning drama, romance and character-driven storytelling.