Support Lao Youth's Filmmaking Education

Sabaidee/Nyob zoo/Howdy!

My name is Daniel Ervin. For those who know me, you'll know that I am passionate about world cinema and have constantly advocated for bolstering artists from communities with undervalued voices. Despite my upbringing in a rural foothills town in North Carolina, I have always sought to be culturally aware. I attribute this to my deeply empathetic hunger to support the uniquely diverse communities from my childhood (primarily Hmong and Latin American) who were always there for me during times of great need. In short, I want to repay the kindness and generosity that was afforded to me.

In December 2024, I had the privilege to volunteer as a projectionist for the Blue Chair Film Festival in Luang Prabang, Laos. It was my first time going abroad, and the experience was life-changing. The Lao public's hunger for original stories and fresh perspectives revealed a world of inspiration to me. Ever since, I have felt called to return and find ways to support the nascent yet vibrant cinematic landscape in Laos.

It was at this festival, after a screening, that I was approached by Carol Kresge, the founder of an educational nonprofit in Luang Prabang called My Library. On top of providing English education and access to educational materials for underprivileged Lao and Hill-tribe minority youth, My Library also offers a 6-week filmmaking intensive every summer, born of the students' desire to express themselves on screen. Carol asked me to volunteer as an instructor and I accepted without hesitation.

The My Library filmmaking intensive will take place from July 6th - August 15th. I will also be running sidebar screenings for Blue Chair Film Festival once a week in the evening. This will require me to arrive two weeks early in Laos to prep for both positions.

I am fortunate to have had a diverse range of educational and career experiences which will enable me to hopefully provide an unforgettable experience for these students. Some of these experiences are as follows:

From beginning to end (including travel time), I will be abroad for over two months. While both organizations have been extremely generous in offering to cover my housing along with most of my travel expenses, I still have financial responsibilities back home.

For the time that I will be away, I've calculated that a bare minimum of $5,000 will be necessary to cover fixed expenses. In the interim, I am working multiple jobs to hopefully fill in the gap, but unfortunately, that will only make a minor dent in the funds needed.

I have always been extremely reticent to accept donations for anything in my life, let alone requesting them, but I believe this to be a cause worth donating to. Global humanitarian work and the arts at large have already been severely impacted by factors out of our control. The world needs volunteers more than ever right now, especially Laos.

While it will be a privilege to work in Laos, this IS NOT a vacation. I will be working long hours for two organizations, 5-6 days a week. I would gladly do it out of my own pocket if I were able, but that is not the reality that we live in.

While these funds will be used to cover my expenses, they are not for me. They are for those students in Luang Prabang who have the fire to learn and create, but not the means nor the access to mentorship.