Deborah Devyn Chaung explores dreams and desire with short film “Strawberry Shortcake”

12/12/24 • 39 min

In this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Short Forum programmer Casey Wei interviews filmmaker Deborah Devyn Chaung about her short film Strawberry Shortcake , a genre-defying Freudian fantasy that explores a teenage girl’s relationship with her mother.
Chuang shares the deeply personal inspirations behind the film and the challenges of directing intimate scenes. Plus, they discuss the film’s intricate set design, the symbolism of “strawberry shortcake” as both innocent and provocative, and Chuang’s aspirations to develop the short into a feature.
This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.

This podcast is brought to you by the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Presented on the traditional and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations.

Previous Episode

"Inay" director Thea Loo talks migration, mental health, and the power of community

On this episode of the VIFF Podcast, Laura Arboleda sits down with filmmaker Thea Loo, director of the documentary Inay (Mama) .

Thea shares the creative process behind the film, which explores the mental health impact of migration from the Philippines to Canada on the children of caregivers. Hear about the film’s evolution from a five-minute concept to a feature-length documentary, the challenges of blending personal storytelling with archival research, and collaboration with her husband, Jeremiah.

This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.

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This episode was recorded during the 2024 Vancouver International Film Festival.