Today we’d like to introduce you to Lydia Isnanto.
Hi Lydia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I have always enjoyed a good story, especially those with an impactful message, bringing awareness to an issue, empowering women, stories of transformation, and stories of healing. My passion since I was a young girl in my native country of Indonesia was to tell these stories to anybody who would listen.
I have spent most of my adult life pursuing this dream, sometimes doing the grunt work to make ends meet and other times living out the dream. After relocating to the United States with my husband, I have been able to concentrate fully on bringing stories to life. I started my own Singapore company, doing photography and film productions. In between film projects, I also host a podcast telling stories of great women called DREAMPRENEURS CHAT. I can chat with incredible women who make their stories happen through business and influence.
My most recent film project, Evy’s Wish (2023), was filmed in Austin, Texas, where I directed and co-produced with talented writer Sanju Jacob and amazing producer Pati Currie. I was honored to be part of this APPI film amplifying Asian American talents and stories. Before the pandemic, my short film THIS IS ME (2019) was filmed in Austin, Texas, where I wrote, directed, co-produced, cinematographed, and edited. I was fortunate enough to have a great cast and crew to bring this project to life. This story was created for and dedicated to mental illness survivors and warriors. The film has been screened in San Francisco Bay area, Los Angeles, Texas, with more than 20 accolades, and has won nine awards, including a special Mental Health Community Award from the Los Angeles Silicon Beach Film Festival.
I also wrote, directed, co-produced, cinematographed, and edited THE CALLING (2018), filmed in San Francisco Bay. This short film was made entirely with iPhone celebrating the creative movement of smartphone filmmaking. The film tells the story of transformation and healing, based on a true story of a writer, a pastor, and a filmmaker, Tony Gapastione. THE CALLING has been screened in San Francisco and New York. It has won five awards, including the Best Phone Made Film award from Olympus Film Festival Los Angeles. While back in Singapore, I had the tremendous opportunity to work with a super-talented band, FantabulouZ, and create a music video for their song, BFF (2017). I had the privilege to write the screenplay and direct and cinematograph the music video. The video portrays a fictional story about two best friends with inspiration about true friendship. The music video has won three awards and screened at the Long Beach Indie International Film Festival and Fort Worth Indie Film Showcase. I realize that I could only get this far through the strong tribe of people who believes in and supports me. I pray to continue to bring impactful and meaningful stories for many years.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Never a smooth road. The struggles are always the challenge of how far I would be willing to take the risk for any story that I believe in.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a filmmaker. My passion is storytelling. I feel empowered and believe stories can change the world. My goal is not to compete or be better than others or other creatives; I aim to live and work on my passion for making this world a better place, one story at a time.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and are any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Yes. That is slowing down matters as creatives easily feel unproductive when everything shuts down. But rest and slowing down is a brave part where I work on inward matters. I am courageous enough to do the hard work to heal and improve. That’s what makes my art shine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lydiaisnanto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydiaisnanto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lydiaisnantochannel
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/lydiaisnanto
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/@dreampreneursfilm
Image Credits
Hair & Make Up by Pati Currie Photography, by Ashleigh Brennan BTS on set of “Evy’s Wish”, photography by Christopher De La Rosa
