A Figure Lone

As a director I’m driven to investigate universal aspects of the human experience. My desire to do so is deeply connected to the roots of who I am and the experiences of my life. I am half-Thai, half-American, and spent my childhood and adolescence growing up internationally. Besides Thailand and the U.S., I have also lived in Pakistan, France, Tanzania and Switzerland. Having interacted closely with people from many different backgrounds has led me to conclude there are universal needs among humans that transcend culture, race, ethnicity, class and gender. In every work I direct, I strive to identify these human needs with the hope of creating greater empathy and understanding of others, and to inspire audiences to change oppressive situations.

I was drawn to direct “A Figure Lone” because of the self-created psychological oppression the main character, Ella, struggles with. Ella suffers from isolation and loneliness after a break-up, and the film challenges the audience to understand what the cause of it all is. Was it the guy’s fault or was it hers? Is she being over-dramatic or is she really in danger? Does she deserve our sympathy? The visual and musical elements of the film bring us into her emotional world, while her actions and interactions with others leave us wondering whether we should trust Ella at all.

Ultimately, what’s at stake in this film is not “why is Ella hurting?” but “what’s stopping Ella from healing?” The answer to both those questions is “herself.” She is the cause of her unhappiness and is projecting her fears outside of herself. She can only heal and find peace when she conquers the fears within herself. This is a human struggle about how we are both the cause and the cure of our unhappiness. My hope is that by identifying this, viewers will either be motivated to not put themselves in these situations, or to realize they hold the keys to breaking out of it.