Hangcheng Xu holds an MFA in Film Directing and Screenwriting from Columbia University and is a 2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy Directing Fellow. In 2018, she studied filmmaking at FAMU International in the Czech Republic, where she began her filmmaking journey.

Hangcheng tends to blend ethnographic research with creative storytelling in her filmmaking practice, which spans fiction and documentaries. Her films explore personal and interpersonal connections in contemporary China and the Chinese diaspora overseas. She is interested in portraying urban landscapes and architectural spaces while connecting personal narratives with societal changes.

Her films have been shown at festivals including Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Palm Springs International Short Film Festival (ShortFest), and Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias (FICCI).