Trivia

Majored in directing, Beijing Film Academy, China. Majored in film arts, University of Washington, USA.

His film "Bus 44" was the first-ever Chinese language short film to be selected and win an award at Venice Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival "Director's Fortnight".

The only foreign member of the China Film Directors' Guild.

First American to write and direct a Chinese feature film in China.

Ethnicity: Chinese, English, and Persian.

First foreigner in the history of the Chinese academy awards to have a film nominated for Best Picture (for "Waiting Alone").

His film Inseparable, with Kevin Spacey, was the first fully Chinese-financed film to have a Hollywood star in the lead.

Was on the five-member jury for the 2014 China Film Directors' Guild Award.

He has directed numerous TV commercials and music videos in Asia.

He is trilingual and speaks, reads and writes English, Chinese, and Farsi.

Hong Kong film icon Chow Yun-Fat made a surprise cameo in Dayyan Eng's first feature film Waiting Alone. It was Chow's first appearance in a Mainland China film.

Was the co-head of the jury for the 2016 Chinese Korean Short Film Festival.

Directed Ziyi Zhang, You Ge and other Chinese superstars in the first-ever opening short of China's academy awards closing ceremony (2007).