Beyond writing and photography, Taryn also explores the world of moving images. She has directed, produced, shot, and edited documentary films both locally and abroad — spanning locations such as Batam, Hanoi, and Mae Sot.
Starflower
Mae Sot, a Thai–Myanmar border town, is refuge to thousands of migrants fleeing conflict. Of more than sixty schools for migrant children, only one accepts students with disabilities.
Among its pupils was seven-year-old Htaw, who followed his aunt from Myanmar after his parents separated, in search of an education not possible at home amid political unrest.
Now nineteen, Htaw has returned to the same school as a teaching assistant. This film follows his daily life in the classroom and at home, highlighting the challenges faced by children with special needs growing up in migrant communities.
Song of the Streets
Director of Photography & Editor
With just a mat, their voices, and perhaps a Đàn nhị (2-stringed instrument), the songs of Xam performers cut through the bustle of the street. Though they have captivated the hearts of people for centuries, Xam was almost lost to the relentless march of modernisation amid changing tastes of the young.
Song of the Streets is a film that explores Xam, a type of traditional Vietnamese art originating from the poor and blind. Its humble beginnings make it an art born from within. It is an art that captures the soul of a nation through its simplicity. This film explores the lives of those who have kept this tradition alive, preserving its legacy while also allowing it to evolve with the times.
Rumah
Director & Director of Photography
This film follows Silvia’s return to Batam seven years after her mother’s passing, as she revisits her childhood home, her mother’s former stall, and encounters an unexpected face near her old neighbourhood.