Hot Seat

As the youngest in the family, I am quite sensitive to what my parents say, especially when their words are hurtful resulting in some of my childhood trauma. There are times when I interpret it as their way of expressing love — thinking it's normal. I find joy in the presence of a cat that frequents our front yard, which I adopted and named Taiga. Through him, I found my loving safe space. One day, he went missing, and upon his return, he was visibly injured. Despite my efforts to save him, I failed. This memory resurfaced during a brainstorming session for our film, possibly the most personal piece we've written. It revealed why I have an affinity for cats and emphasized the importance of our friendship as a safe space, where we are free from judgment, harassment, or discrimination. Like Poy and Katkat, we are still navigating the world and dealing with the traumas it brings. Despite our age, we continue to heal our inner child and break the cycle of abuse.