paper tongue is:
Lisa, Irene, Michelle and our tribe of fellow womxn storytellers.
Lisa Yadao is a Hawaiian-Filipina producer, director and screenwriter raised in SoCal and based in San Francisco. She earned a BA in English from San Diego State University, studied screenwriting at UC San Diego and video production at Bay Area Video Coalition. Her credits include short films, web series and videos for Bobbie Baby, Square, Caviar and FWD Stance.
Random facts: Habitual knuckle-cracker. Former cellist. Currently Team Thor (previously Team Loki). Always hungry.
Currently (and forever) inspired by: Chantal Akerman, Sofia Coppola, Ava DuVernay, Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Massy Tadjedin, Greta Gerwig, Issa Rae, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sharon Horgan, Michaela Coel, Chelsea Winstanley. The great Anthony Bourdain. And Taika Waititi.
Check out her work here.
Irene Yadao is a writer, producer, director and video editor based in Maine and California. She studied journalism at San Diego State University and earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Naropa University. She has written and edited for various publications and has worked behind the scenes on documentaries and indie films. Most recently, she was a co-producer on Picture a Scientist (Tribeca, 2020), directed by Sharon Shattuck and Ian Cheney, and produced by Manette Pottle. A Native Hawaiian-Filipina, she is interested in stories of heritage and identity, and is particularly driven by the desire to advocate for lesser known and overlooked perspectives. She is a collaborating programmer at Rockland Cinémathèque, whose mission is to showcase and celebrate underrepresented and unconventional voices in film.
Random facts: Played roller derby for several seasons. Tagalog was her first language. Favorite films include Vagabond, Ratcatcher, In the Mood for Love, Three Colors Trilogy and Moonlight.
Find more of her work here.
Michelle Sampior was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is of Filipino and Basque heritage and strives to be both a mirror and window to help amplify BIPOC voices. After graduating from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Film & Digital Media she later developed her first short film. She is passionate about representation and innovation. Her approach to filmmaking and storytelling is holistic, and looks for ways to be efficient without sacrificing authenticity. Her background in television and film opened doors to working in VFX on blockbuster films, indie films, and cinematics for games. She is currently developing a project about solo female travel. Catch her sun-saluting, dancing, or hiking along coastal trails with her puppy.
Writer/Director/Producer inspirations: Niki Caro, Rashida Jones, Taika Waititi, Yvette Lee Bowser, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Vittorio De Sica, Wong Kar-wai, Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Ali Wong, Melina Matsoukas, Dee Rees, Mindy Kaling, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jess dela Merced, Roseanne Liang, Issa Rae, Chelsea Winstanley, Michelle Obama.