Interview with Award-Winning Filmmaker Suwannee Sam
Suwannee Sam is a Thai-American award-winning filmmaker, actress and entrepreneur. She is based in Los Angeles, California and has trained over the years with many respected professionals, including Baron Brown studio, Michelle Danner acting studio, and Denise Woods Training center.
We asked Suwannee about her experience within the film industry. She also shared with us her top 3 words of advice for aspiring filmmakers.
Indimore: Thanks for meeting with us Suwannee. What inspired you to become a filmmaker? Has it always been a dream or was it a set of specific events that led to here?
Suwannee Sam: It was a specific event. In the first year I moved to LA, my immigration attorney told me I couldn’t leave the State for a long time during the visa process. I was sad, homesick. I took a walk down the street; I stopped and told myself I have two choices: try staying happy or be miserable. And this popped up an idea in my mind. I should study new things. I looked up and, right in front of me, there was an acting school! As if the universe was sending me to stop there. I didn’t know a thing about the entertainment world, but I was curious. I walked in, I had an interview, and I signed up for two years of training at Baron Brown Studio. Now, I completed two films and am also working on one more. At the same time, I am taking a producing film class at UCLA. I accidentally found the thing I love and enjoy doing most! I feel lucky and very grateful.
Indimore: As a woman in the film industry, what were the biggest challenges that you had to face? Can you tell us about your experiences?
This is my favorite question and I love all of it. Thank you. Things in life are one coin and have two sides. My biggest challenge is my look. It’s like a joke! It has given me benefits but at the same time it is a curse. I attract people and of course good and bad, and sometimes I can’t tell because they are acting like they are interested in my work. However most of the time these people ended up being interested in me as a sex object with no brain. I felt upset, hurt and disappointed. It was frustrating and it was a waste of time. I was hoping they were taking me seriously. I was going to work meetings for my film, unfortunately those meetings were not about the film.
I’m not saying all men are bad because some are interested in my work however after reading my script they said the most surprisingly shocking sentences. I often heard “Oh I’m amazed! Your script is actually excellent! I thought you were one of those women you know, who just have the look but this is a great script!” When they saw my business plan (I have it with me in every meeting) they were like “Oh wow! You are also prepared and very professional too!” Lol, it was a very thin line there between the insult and the compliment.
I live and learn, now I prefer meeting with females and lots of my crew are gay. They are beautiful inside and out, very talented people. I feel much safer working around them. We’ve been seeing some changes lately with diversity, women and men of color. And females now occupy higher positions in all industries and in the entertainment business.
Indimore: Do you have a consistent message that you try to convey in each movie? What’s the red thread of your work?
My heart lies within human rights. I believe each of us should have equal respect for one another as human beings. No matter if we have different beliefs, races, religions, we can love and respect each other. We can elevate love and support with peace, kindness, and goodness to one another.
Indimore: In 2019, your short “Back to The Wall” won the Audience Award from the Awareness Festival. Could you briefly describe your film for us. And how do you feel about being recognized not only as a filmmaker but also as an activist?
This ground-breaking story is about a woman fighting to escape her abusive relationship and fleeing her home country in the hope to find a better life. I was honored and humbled to receive the Audience Award from the Awareness Film Festival. It was astonishing because I didn’t expect any awards. I was thrilled to complete the film as we all know how hard it is to be an independent filmmaker and make our dreams come to life. It definitely inspires me to keep working harder and be better on the next projects.
Indimore:What are your top 3 words of wisdom to aspiring filmmakers?
Keep up with Suwannee Sam’s work on IMDb here
Originally published at https://www.indimore.com on March 22, 2021.
