Olivia
“Being a woman automatically means that you’re a survivor. You’ve survived in this messed up world that is rigged to put you down, limit your potential, and tell you who you can (or can’t) be. If we can survive these adverse conditions, damn straight we can thrive in them too. ”
Olivia is a passionate filmmaker whose story telling is a catalyst for social change. As an empath and someone who constantly looks out for others, her films help to amplify the voices of marginalized groups and shed light on important subject matter that is often overlooked. By educating her audience and encouraging reflection through her work, she has helped to mobilize film as a medium of progress, reflecting the realities of every day life for different communities while also pushing to transform them for the better. Meet Olivia. This is her story.
K: Please introduce yourself!
O: Hey there! My name is Olivia Wong (@oliviawong11 on Instagram) and I’m a 25 year old, Asian-American filmmaker. Ever since I was 14, it’s been my life-long dream to be a filmmaker (specifically a writer and director). About a year and a half ago, I moved to LA and have been living out that dream to the fullest. After graduating UC Davis, I was accepted into the graduate program at USC School of Cinematic Arts. Even though I discontinued my studies during the pandemic, I’ve been working in the industry and creating my own opportunities.
With my film work in general, I aim to create content that enacts positive social change in the world—by encouraging people to self-reflect, become more self-aware, and lead more empathetic lives. I want to highlight the stories of marginalized groups of people and speak up about stigmatized topics like mental health, body positivity, etc. Thus far, all of my films have included these underlying themes.
Most recently, I was awarded the One Outside film grant from the company Eddie Bauer. This project centers around fostering more inclusion and equality for POC in outdoor spaces. Therefore, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to not only create this film, but to also change our communities. I’ll be shooting this film in July and August.
I am also working on several other film projects. In March, I shot my directorial debut film (@madnessincarnate_film on Instagram) that’s currently in post-production. In May, I began working with Tiger Tail Pictures, a Chinese production company in LA. In June, I will be shooting a documentary entitled, Making Her-Story, that promotes women supporting other women—August 26 is national women’s equality day, celebrating the 19th amendment when we finally got the right to vote. To commemorate this occasion, I’ve gathered 19 amazing women together to hear their stories. Lastly, I’m also directing a couple of other projects that are in the early stages of pre-production—such as a sex-positive web series, written by two other Asian-American women.
K: Describe yourself in your own words
O: I’m highly ambitious and passionate, especially when it comes to my goals. I’ve always been *overly* hard on myself, which has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it propels me to be extremely productive, but on the other hand…I constantly feel like I could be doing “more”. I’m always working on how to become the best version of myself and part of this journey includes being kinder to myself and simply appreciating where I’m at in life.
I would definitely describe myself as an empath and, that too, has it’s pros/cons. I have a habit of putting other people’s feelings above my own, but I read a quote recently that really resonated with me—“if there’s ever a choice between disappointing yourself or someone else, always choose not to disappoint yourself.” Think about that for a second.
Additionally, I’ve always approached life with a “work hard, play hard” attitude. When I’m not working on my next project, I enjoy going to music festivals, hiking, relaxing at the beach, and going on trips. Fitness and nutrition have recently taken a big priority in my life. I’ve always believed that mental health is incredibly important, but I’ve recently started living a much more active lifestyle and thinking about the longevity of my physical health.
K: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
O: Being adopted has played an integral part in my life and made me who I am today, with the aspirations I have now. I was born in Hong Kong, but grew up in Sacramento, California with Chinese-American parents that always encouraged me to live my life to the fullest. I can’t even begin to describe how grateful I am for them and their unconditional love and support. On one hand, I view myself as incredibly blessed and constantly take appreciation in simply being where I am. I also see myself as undeserving of my privilege, fixating on the age-old question, “Why me?”
Instead of wallowing in my survivor’s guilt, I attempt to channel it in a productive way, using it as motivation to live my life for more than myself alone. Since I can’t do anything to help those in my past, I want to do everything possible to help others in my future. This is the fundamental reason behind why I am a filmmaker. The ability to inspire people to live their lives to the fullest and take advantage of their opportunities is the fuel that propels me to enact positive change in the world, through the medium of cinema.
K: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
O: I would tell my younger self to enjoy the present moment more. In fact, this is advice I’d give to my present self as well haha. I tend to be a huge overthinker and ruminate over the past a lot, as well as worrying about the future. However, I don’t believe in having regrets—at one moment in your life, that was exactly what you wanted.
I believe that we should take everything as a learning experience—learning about ourselves, learning about others, and learning about this world that we’re all coexisting in together.
K: What does being a woman mean to you?
O: As a member of the LGBT community (I identify as lesbian), I think that it’s important for us to first clarify and emphasize that gender is not a binary concept. So, rather than talk about what being a woman means to me, I’d like to discuss how identifying as a woman has empowered me in my life.
Generally speaking, women have always had to work way harder than men to get the same (or less) credit and even to this day, that’s still the unfortunate reality that we’re living in. Ever since moving to LA, I’ve faced more discrimination and micro-aggressions (as a woman, an Asian-American, and a gay person) than ever before—especially in the film industry. There are definitely times that I’m absolutely infuriated by this inequality and injustice, but I try my best to let that fuel my passions. These emotions light a fire under me; I feel even more determined to change this outrageous status quo. Being a woman automatically means that you’re a survivor. You’ve survived in this messed up world that is rigged to put you down, limit your potential, and tell you who you can (or can’t) be. If we can survive these adverse conditions, damn straight we can thrive in them too.