Meet Kayla Aalia | Filmmaker & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kayla Aalia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kayla, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from Malaysia and it’s the kind of environment where you’re exposed to different cultures. I come from a Chinese and Indian background which though feel different in terms of experience and exposure, it blends well almost seamlessly. Malaysia is a country that celebrates Chinese, Malay, Indian, and even Western cultures. There was always a sense of acceptance and constantly learning about new things while growing up, and it has formed me into the person I am today in terms of morals, ethics, and the openness to learn more.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love to tell stories. It’s just something that I’ve always done as a kid, whether it’d would keep myself entertained or to get myself out of trouble. To be a filmmaker or storyteller is a career I’ve wanted for the majority of my life and I feel that I’m in a place as a soon-to-be graduating student where I know what I want and how I’m going to execute it. Obviously, I have much to learn and will be continuously learning as my journey goes on. I just hope that in this career of filmmaking, I’m able to achieve my goal which is to explore underrepresented stories of those we don’t see on screen.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this to my family, especially my mother who’s worked tirelessly all her life and pushed past boundaries that were set against her. She’s incredibly hardworking and I know I wouldnt be the person I am today without her.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayla_aalia/

Image Credits
Zeel Sagnoi