By Editorial Co-Heads Rachel Lambert & Siena Richardson.
Many incredible artists will be featured in this year’s Fusion Film Festival screening and competition. We reached out to the finalists from all 12 categories to get to know more about who they are, what inspires them, and how they feel about being a part of Fusion.
UNDERGRADUATE FILM:
Chloe Aktas
Class of May 2015
Major in Film & Television – Tisch School of the Arts
Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina
Film: “Mutt”
Chriz Naing
Major in Film & Television – Tisch School of the Arts
Class of Spring 2014
Hometown: Yangon, Burma
Film: “Zayar”
Sandra (Min Wan) Tan
Major in Film & Television – Tisch School of the Arts
Class of May 2016
Hometown: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Film: “Fishbone”
How did you decide to become a writer/filmmaker/animator/etc.?
Chloe: My interest to make movies was sparked by my passion for acting.
Chriz: I was prepared to become an accountant until I took a cinema studies class for electives. The professor taught us horror films only for 6 months and convinced me that they were more than just scary movies. Then, I realized how educational films can be.
Sandra: In 2012, I had the chance to cover the London Olympics. I went there as a blogger, but left as a filmmaker.
What inspires you?
Chloe: I’m inspired by fairy tales, the 70’s, and Guillermo del Toro.
Chriz: Being able to relate to other people through films, art or culture inspires me.
Sandra: I am inspired by the people around me. From my hometown of Kuala Lumpur to the streets of New York, everyone has a story waiting to be told.
Why did you submit to Fusion?
Chloe: I decided to submit to Fusion, because as a student at NYU I was always inspired by the message of the festival and the opportunities it presented to learn from great filmmakers.
Chriz: I believe there should to be more collaborations between men and women in the film industry. Not only it will address inequality through these collaborations, but it will also bring new perspectives in films.
Sandra: I believe in Fusion Film Festival’s mission to support female filmmakers, and I want to be a part of that.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you?
Chriz: My career goal is to contribute to Burmese education through cinema.
The screening of Fusion Film Festival finalists and the awards ceremony will take place at 6:30pm at Cantor Film Center on Saturday, March 5th.