The Chinese filmmaker talks about her short film in the ‘She Creates Change’ series, an initiative that showcases how young women in Asia and Africa are empowering themselves
For Siqi Song, getting nominated for an Oscar was a stepping stone to bigger things. When the Chinese-born, California-based animator and director was nominated in the category of Best Animated Short Film in 2020 at the one of the most prestigious film awards in the world, she felt it was the ultimate validation of her talent and vision as a female filmmaker. She has wanted to do more since then.
Two years later, when Nexus Studios, a UK-based production company, called her to ask if she would be interested in directing a short film for She Creates Change—a multimedia storytelling initiative promoting gender equality that was initiated by non-profit Room to Read—it was an immediate yes. The project presents six inspiring stories of six young women from historically low-income communities in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam.
Song’s short film, titled Dewmini, is one of the six stories in the project. The film narrates the story of Sri Lankan teenage girl Dewmini, who grows food in her own backyard to provide for her family and earn a living, in order to escape being sent away to work as a servant in the city.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the film series will air on Discovery Asia, TLC and Discovery+ on March 8, 15 and 22 across several countries in Asia. Tatler Front & Female caught up with Song to discuss what inspired her to be part of this project, and more.
Read more: 10 women-led films to watch for a dose of empowerment
What made you want to be a part of this project?
I was hooked by the concept of the project. These stories are about women created by women. It’s a very female-centric creative team, which isn’t very common in the [film] industry. Also, the stories presented in this project are really amazing. As a filmmaker, I can use films and animation to tell stories about underrepresented communities and to encourage more young women to be strong.
Does Dewmini’s story relate to you in any way?
I was born and raised in Henan, which is quite a big agricultural province in China. Agriculture is the main source of the economy there, and both my parents worked in agriculture. I always listened to their stories about how difficult it was to make a living. When my mother was very young, she used to look for wild vegetables to feed her five siblings. Now, she always teaches me to not waste food. My parents eventually saved up enough for education that changed their lives. Their story resonates with Dewmini’s story.
What inspired you to pursue filmmaking?
I fell in love with filmmaking because it was a great way for me to build my vocabulary. I grew up watching lots of animations, feature films and documentaries that gave me access to the world without going out of my own home.
Now, I want to make a film that can help people understand each other a bit more and change people’s lives. I was really inspired by Dewmini in this film, and I want my film to encourage young girls like her to believe that they can [accomplish things] too.
