Find your people, find your path: Advice from four Southeast Asian female creators and talent

Director Pailin Wedel is no stranger to breaking barriers. Her documentary feature, Hope Frozen: A Quest To Live Twice, was the first Netflix program from Thailand to win an International Emmy Award but it took years of production and many rejections before the project started winning accolades. And even before that, the biology graduate turned photojournalist faced a lot of uncertainty when she first started dreaming about becoming a filmmaker.

“I grew up in Thailand. When I Googled Thai women directors, less than 10 showed up. I remember feeling lonely, not knowing how to find community and mentors,” she shared, adding that boosting the number of women behind the camera can inspire more aspiring female filmmakers to join the industry.

This was just one insight from a virtual panel of Southeast Asian creators and talent held on March 23 to celebrate International Women’s Month. Together with Pailin, Indonesian actress Marissa Anita, Malaysian producer Lina Tan, and Filipino writer and executive producer Tanya Yuson joined a spirited discussion moderated by Janine Stein, editorial director of ContentAsia.

Storytelling for, by and about women

The speakers concur that when women are behind the camera, the stories they tell about women are more nuanced and complex. Tan, who created the groundbreaking 3R TV show to empower young women in Malaysia, recalled how tough it was to deal with conservative public opinion when delving into topics like teen pregnancy and sexual violence.

“It’s a tough fight for filmmakers in Malaysia,” she added, whose women-centered drama Sa Balik Baju started streaming on Netflix in 2021. “I am grateful that there are now platforms like Netflix for our projects that explore women’s issues, and not just free-to-air TV.”

Anita, who stars in Ali & Ratu Ratu Queens and is currently training to become a writer, calls for more upskilling opportunities for current and aspiring female filmmakers. “I want to see more writers and directors with more perspectives on women,” she urged. Yuson, who is behind animated series Trese, also encouraged more women behind the scenes to branch out into more diverse genres.

A word of advice for her

With these role models and many more paving the way, female filmmakers of the future don’t have to feel as lonely as Pailin once did. “Find your people,” she advised. “They will lift you up. Without that, you can’t go forward.”

Above all, believe in yourself, said Tan. In her experience, female filmmakers set a higher bar for themselves and are often held back from opportunities by self-doubt.

“It can be scary when you first start out,” Yuson acknowledged. “But don’t be afraid to do things your way. Study, learn, and push forward. Eventually you will find your audience.”

And as Anita chipped in, “If you really love storytelling and the craft, you will always find a way to keep doing it.”