My journey with Docs by the Sea continues this year for the third year! After an intense and insightful Virtual Lab throughout July, it’s time to hit the long road (a 24-hour trip!) to Bali for the in-person session.

In the Virtual Lab, we kickstarted the process, working alongside talented and renowned filmmakers like Salomé Jashi and S. Leo Chiang. Together, we guided all the participants in the Storytelling Lab. Each mentor is closely working with a group of participants, and my group includes four talented and passionate filmmakers from China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. They are developing either their first, second, or fourth feature documentaries, each rooted deeply in personal experiences.

I see my role to help these filmmakers rediscover their voices, reconnect with their projects, and ask the difficult, sometimes uncomfortable, questions. Together, we’ve been exploring how to better articulate their films cinematically and refine their unique film languages and then put all of this into words!

On September 7th and 8th, I’ll reunite with my fellow mentors and all the Story Lab participants in Bali. We’ll be reflecting on the growth and development that has happened since July, discussing newfound challenges, and continuing to nurture each project’s progress. Following that, we’ll dive into three days of immersive experiences as the participants from the Storytelling Lab, Producing Lab, and Editing Lab come together. This is where the filmmakers will present their now well-articulated and refined projects to representatives from the Asian and international film sectors. They’ll also receive invaluable feedback from experts who can help them take their work to the next level.

What I find incredible about Docs by the Sea is how it brings together a large community of Southeast Asian filmmakers. The space it creates allows for serendipity, inspiration, and meaningful encounters to happen – all of which are key to nurturing creative growth and forging new paths in storytelling.

Learn more: https://www.docsbythesea.org/dbts2024/.