Born to Lao refugees, Mattie was raised in Los Angeles, but returned permanently to Laos a decade ago. Her debut film, Chanthaly, was the first Lao film to screen outside of SE Asia. Chanthaly's festival success led to Mattie's selection for the Cannes' Fabrique des Cinemas du Monde, TIFF's Directors Talent Lab, Berlinale Talents, and BIFAN's ...