Mattie Do, a trailblazing filmmaker, was born to Lao refugees and grew up in Los Angeles, only to return to her ancestral homeland a decade ago. Her remarkable debut film, Chanthaly, made history as the first Lao film to be showcased outside of Southeast Asia, and its subsequent festival success earned her a spot at the prestigious Cannes' Fabrique des Cinemas du Monde, Toronto International Film Festival's Directors Talent Lab, Berlinale Talents, and Busan International Film Festival's Fantastic Film School.
Following this notable achievement, Mattie collaborated with the Ministry of Culture to establish the necessary infrastructure for Laos to participate in foreign co-productions. This endeavor involved creating a framework for managing the country's strict censorship laws. As a result, Mattie produced Laos' first American and Japanese co-productions.
Mattie's second feature film, Dearest Sister, garnered Special Jury Mentions at the Sitges and Fantasporto film festivals and was later selected as Laos' first submission for the Foreign Language Film Award at the 90th Academy Awards.
Throughout her career, Mattie has made a significant impact on the film industry, and her accomplishments have earned her recognition as Laos' first and only female filmmaker.
