Y M A A M Y M Y A A M Y Films with Heart

Since becoming CEO and founder of her own production house, MYStudios, May Yam has not only gained a Primetime Emmy nomination but has served as a judge for the Emmys for over a decade. Her work has been seen on CNN, ABC, FOX, Lifetime and CBS. As a seasoned filmmaker and Cinequest’s Virtual Reality (VR) Programs and Film Producer, May has explored genre storytelling, but her heart for people is most evident through her documentary work.

May recounts filming Healing Hands, a documentary about girls in Namibia that undergo pro-bono medical procedures correcting lower body deformities. “The true gift for me was really just simply the wealth of information and perspective that I gained from interviewing [the brave patients],” May muses. “It really opened my narrow worldview to a profound appreciation for life in a developing country.” When the documentary was showcased at the 2017 Silicon Valley African Film Festival, May was honored with an award for Achievement in Documentary Short Film . An equal gift was from a Namibian woman she had just finished interviewing, who ran through the rain to give her a very special present. As the beaming woman extended a wet plastic bag, a bedraggled chicken poked out its head to eye May with indignation. “It was a truly touching gift of appreciation!” May laughed at the memory. “It was the family’s main source of food for probably a week!”

From a young age, May already had a storyteller drive. “As soon as I got my hands on a camcorder, I became the director extraordinaire of my own home movies,” she recalled with a chuckle. “I dragged all my friends and family—definitely kicking and screaming—and I put them into my cinematic adventures. Because, I mean, what else is there to do, right? How else are they going to spend their time but making movies with me?”

Written by Johanna Harlow

Photography by Kinley Lindsey mystudios.biz cinequest.org Instagram

The childhood movie that’s had the biggest influence on May might seem to come from an unexpected direction. It’s Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. “I remember just being so deeply moved by the sad parts of the film, the touching moments—to the point where I just cried uncontrollably,” she recalled. “I was so amazed at how a simple rubber suit alien could evoke such strong emotions in me.” It was a pivotal moment. “That was when I realized that I really wanted to be able to lift spirits and make others feel that kind of joy through storytelling,” She grins. “Steven’s the man!”

Songs are another inspiration for May: “I’ve always strived to make my films as pure and as beautiful as music itself,” she said. “For me, I think music has always been just the most expressive art form there is and is capable of conveying complex emotions. It has a way of capturing the essence of a moment.”

When May first moved from England to NorCal, she came to pursue computer science, not film. It didn’t stick. “I just felt like I could do more,” she said. Besides, cinema was in her bones. May’s grandfather made over 50 films as a prolific Hong Kong director.

The itch to tell humanitarian stories only grew after the birth of her daughter. “I started thinking about the challenges that she would face as a woman from the unrepresented minority community—and I wanted to contribute to creating a better and more inclusive future for her,” May reflects. Her upcoming documentary, Egg Whispers, will explore the fight for fertility (an issue she herself has faced). “I want to give a voice to those who have struggled in silence,” she said.

May said, “My films aim to bring awareness and spark conversations on important topics.” Like Headwind, a film about a family roadtripping to complete their terminally ill daughter’s bucket list, and Xmas Cake: This American Shelf-Life, which unpacks the noxious mindset equating unmarried women over 25 with stale dessert. The poignant Xmas Cake, which May directed, produced, and edited, was nominated for best short documentary at Tribeca Film Festival 2019 (out of thousands of submissions). It then toured with Lunafest, a traveling film festival celebrating and championing women in film.

“This film really sheds light on the problem of stereotyping,” May said. “We aim to challenge and dismantle it.” May also supports other women by hiring them for work in front of and behind the camera whenever possible.

As for her Cinequest endeavors? For the past seven years, May and her studio have led the film production team, helping with everything from creating the tribute videos for the Mavericks winners to making the marketing videos to capturing big festival moments like the red carpet. May also oversees the film festival’s VR Experience Lounge and VR Cinema programs. The first year she took over the lounge, attendance went up tenfold. “Actually, my first virtual reality experience was at Cinequest ,” reflected May, fondly describing her encounter with a VR whale (compliments of theBlu). “First of all, being in the water without scuba diving equipment and staying dry was a win-win right there,” she said with a smile. “Then to be just immersed into this world where you are literally eye-to-eye with this whale that’s passing by and you can hear them singing…It just blew my mind!”

Since then, she’s made her own VR film, The Sight of You, which raises empathy for issues of homelessness and those who struggle with suicidal ideation. “VR films create immersion and empathy,” May summed up. For a wholehearted humanitarian, does it get any better than that? C