Mattie Do was born in Los Angeles to Lao parents and relocated to Vientiane, Laos’ Capital City, in 2010.

Laos has been ruled by a strict Communist government since the end of Vietnam War in 1975. Non-propaganda film-making started only recently and when Mattie – who had previously worked as a ballet dancer and makeup artist – returned to Laos, only few filmmakers were active in the country and none of them a woman. In fact only very scarce infrastructure where in place and no official cinemas.

Almost by chance she put together her first feature film Chanthaly in 2013, the first horror film written and directed entirely in Laos, for the launch of the first Luang Prabang Film Festival.

Her second feature film Dearest Sister (2016) was selected as a project at the Cannes La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde and had the honor to be selected as the Laotian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, the first time that Laos has submitted a film in this category. It was then screened at more than 20 film festivals.

Mattie’s third feature The Long Walk premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival and had its North American premiere at Toronto Film Festival. A hybrid between arthouse and genre, the film is a ghost story that utilizes the genre conventions to explore and critique the contemporary Laotian society.

In a recent conversation she told Asian Movie Pulse 8 of her favorite Asian movies (not ranked)

Mattie Do

Ring (1998) by Hideo Nakata

“I find it still very scary. I watched it a long time ago. Last year I watched it again and it still terrified me”

Ring

Kung-Fu Hustle (2004) by Stephen Chow

“I can watch it over and over. I think it’s such a sweet story, so strange too. Very beautiful”

Kung-Fu Hustle

Manta Ray (2018) by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng

“It was very emotional. And the acting is amazing”

“Manta Ray”

Song Lang (2018) by Leon Le

“It’s an amazing love story”

Song Lang

The Raid (2011) by Gareth Evans

“It’s really incredible. So many different ways to get stabbed!”

The Raid

Satan’s Slaves (2017) by Joko Anwar

“It was WOW! Really interesting”

Satan’s Slaves

Memories of Murder (2003) by Joon-ho Bong

“I really loved that film, it was cool, incredible!”

Memories of Murder

Confession of Murder (2012) by Byung-gil Jung

“It is humorous and exciting. Amazing!”