Filmmaker Statement

I’d been wanting to make a short film based on my personal experiences, which I could explore through characters that I’d find relatable. Initially, it felt like any ideas I’d come up with were too contrived until my mum called me one night – the conversation I had with her inspired me to make this short film. She asked me how my job was; I said that my 9-to-5 was going well when in reality I’d been sitting in my living room most of the day trying to come up with film ideas. I was struck by how many lies I’d tell her because of the tension I felt between her and my family’s expectations of me, and the expectations I’d built for my own life. Ultimately, Long Distance is a particular exploration of family, love and life from an intercultural perspective that I feel I haven’t seen on a lot of on screen before.