Environmental change and its impact on human survival: Is it nature’s backlash, or the consequences of human actions over generations?
The Mekong River, the mother of the land and life in South East Asia, has been facing threats from water resource disputes, pollution, and overdevelopment. How can artists and cultural practitioners respond to these urgent sustainable issues through creativity and cross-national action?
The short film "The Che Brother" by Laotian director Anysay Keola explores environmenal changes in Laos and can be read as a prophecy of the future, a reflection on the past, or a warning for the present.
After the film screening, a panel of experts will discuss how artists from Mekong river countries confront and interpret the impact of environmental change and how their narratives can inspire transformation.

Moderator: Prof. CHUNG Shefong / College of Communication, National Chengchi University, Taiwan
Panelists

• Sean Chadwell / Director of Blue Chair Film Festival 
• Wayla Amatathammachad / Director of Prayoon for Art Foundation 
• Stefanie Eschenlohr / Instructor Center for General Education, NTUST

Film title: The Che Brother
Director: Anysay Keola (Laos)
Length: 20 mins
Language: Laotian with English Subtitles 
Synopsis: Xe returns to the nearly deserted Mekong fishing village in which he was raised. He intervenes in a dispute between his siblings over the ethics of exploiting their elderly mother’s blood. The blood has become a valuable commodity to a Western corporation that has been developing a cure for a deadly plague outbreak A story of a near future which is tangled of pandemic, science, medicine, money, redemption, and the human nature…

 
Moderator: Professor Shefong CHUNG / College of Communication, National Chengchi University, Taiwan

 
Panelist: Sean Chadwell / Director of Blue Chair Film Festival 

A native of West Virginia, Sean Chadwell has a Ph.D. in literature from Texas A&M University, and he has lived in the U.S.,India, China, and Laos. In some of these places he has worked as a university professor – teaching things like American literature, writing, and film studies – and in others he has spent his time writing, helping people to solve IT problems, and tending bar. In his spare time, he reads, makes miso, and tries to figure out what it is people are talking about when they’re talking about authenticity.

First joining the Luang Prabang Film Festival from 2014 to 2016 as a volunteer, Chadwell returned to Laos in 2019 to take on the role of executive director. Since then, he has mostly tried to keep the organization going through the pandemic, producing a virtual festival in 2020, a live festival in 2022, and expanding the work and impact of the Lao Filmmakers Fund.

CHUNG Shefong is a producer and curator, who founded Trees Music and Art, an independent folk and grassroots music record label. In 2001, she started the Migration Music Festival, a platform in Taiwan for folk and global music that embraces artistic experimentation and social activism. Her current efforts include projects that connect Southeast Asian musicians, artists, filmmakers and academics.  
Chung currently teaches at the College of Communication, National Chengchi University, Taiwan. 

 
Panelist: Wayla Amatathammachad / Director of Prayoon for Art Foundation 

Wayla is the Director of the international multidisciplinary arts festival "Low Fat Art Fes" (since 2018) and serves as Director at the Prayoon for Art Foundation. His expertise spans marketing, advertising, arts management, and alternative healing practices. As an independent arts manager and producer, he has collaborated extensively within various artistic communities. Notably, he served as the Print Coordinator, Projectionist, and Festival Manager for the World Film Festival of Bangkok (2010–2022) and contributed to business development and cultural management at Thong Lor Art Space (2016–2019). In 2019, Wayla initiated the sustainability-focused arts incubation project "STAR TIER," aiming to develop a prototype for a vibrant artistic city ecosystem. This innovative initiative leverages contemporary art to enhance community well-being and promote sustainable urban development. The project's first cluster was successfully launched in early 2021 in Dansai District, Loei Province, Thailand.

Panelist: Stefanie Eschenlohr / Instructor at the Centre for General Education, NTUST

Stefanie Eschenlohr is a linguist and sinologist who earned her Ph.D. in General Linguistics from Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. For over two decades, she has worked with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), holding posts in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan.
Since joining Taiwan Tech (NTUST) in 2018, Stefanie has been a faculty member of the Center for General Education, where she teaches courses on European urban culture and documentary filmmaking. A passionate advocate for documentary as a form of cultural expression and social engagement, she has been an active volunteer with the Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF) since 2018, focusing on international liaison work.

Date and Time: Friday, May 9, 2025, 12:00 - 13: 40

Check-in: Starts 30 minutes before each session. Please be punctual.

Venue: Room IB 202, 2nd floor International Building 

Schedule: 

12:00 - 12:20 Screening of The Che Brothers 

12: 20 - 13:40 Panel Discussion 

Capacity: Limited to 90 participants (with waiting list) 

Registration: Click here.

Registration Guidelines

• There is no registration fee for this series of events. All participant fees are fully subsidized by the "Bilingual Education for Students in College" project funding.

• A waiting list will be available. If confirmed participants are unable to attend, individuals on the waiting list will be notified. We appreciate your patience.

• Participants who complete the feedback questionnaire will receive a meal voucher for the lunchtime post-screening discussion. 

• Photos and videos will be taken during the panel discussions, lectures, and workshops. If you do not wish to appear in the footage, please inform the organizers in advance.

Contact
Center for General Education – Ms. Wu
Tel: (02) 2730-1182
Email: yachin0930@mail.ntust.edu.tw

Supervising Institution: Ministry of Education
Hosted by Center for General Education, NTUST
Co-sponsors: Office for Billigual Education Initiatives,  Ministry of EducationHigher Education Sprout Project 
Presented by Mekong Cultural Hub (MCH)

Special Thanks to:
Blue Chair Film Festival
Prayoon for Art Foundation
Trees Music & Art