Ka Ki Wong sends a dispatch from Docs by the Sea

In search of co-producing partners and a chance to put her debut documentary feature through its paces: London-based, Hong Kong-born director Ka Ki Wong traveled to Bali, Indonesia to participate in the well regarded Docs by the Sea Storytelling Lab led by the excellent team at In-Docs.

Docs by the Sea champions creative documentary projects and independent filmmakers from Asia, and Ka Ki’s trip was supported by a discretionary contribution from our BFI partnered Travel Grants Fund for Labs and Co-Production Forums.

About Ka Ki Wong

Ka Ki Wong graduated from the London Film School in March 2018 and is a Berlinale Talents, Golden Horse Film Academy and Locarno Filmmakers Academy alumni. Her short film Wild Child (2020) won the Fresh Wave Award at the 14th Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival and short film Fire Room (2022) was shortlisted for Sony Future Filmmakers Awards 2023.

Subsequently, Ka Ki has presented feature projects at the Film London Production Finance Market, Berlinale Talents Script Station, Golden Horse Film Project Promotion (Work-in-progress) and 18th Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum.

Ka Ki’s debut documentary feature in development, The Way We Were, participated in Sheffield MeetMarket, CNEX CCDF and now, Docs By The Sea. The Way We Were follows the formative years of a 7 year old girl after she and her family move to a small English town from Hong Kong in 2021.

Here Ka Ki tells us about her trip to Docs By The Sea.

Why Docs by the Sea?

‘By attending Docs By The Sea, I wanted to find co-production partners and benefit from more experienced feature documentary filmmaker mentors to support the progress of my first documentary feature project. I hoped the lab would offer the chance to meet key UK and international funders and potential broadcast partners.

Having already amassed hours of documentary footage, I was keen to get some guidance from filmmaking peers and mentors on the current story arc. The opportunity to present existing footage to mentors, whilst being at the crossroads of incorporating new story elements into upcoming filming sessions, Docs by the Sea was perfectly timed to help with creative story progression.’

Location, Location

The Docs by the Sea Storytelling Lab was an invaluable experience that took place in a supportive and immersive environment. Held in a tranquil location in Bali, Indonesia, literally next to the sea, they provided us a focused space for us to work on our projects. We stayed in comfortable accommodations that allowed us to connect with fellow filmmakers outside of sessions, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and idea-sharing.’

What stood out?

‘One of the key features of the program was the diversity and expertise of the mentors, which made a lasting impression on me. Meeting professionals from renowned organisations like IDFA, the Documentary Association of Europe (EDA), Doc Society and the Taiwan International Documentary Festival offered invaluable insights into the international documentary landscape.

Their feedback was constructive, helping me refine both my storytelling approach and the overall structure of my project. The sessions that stood out were those focused on storytelling and audience engagement. I particularly benefited from discussions on how to make the narrative more compelling and relatable to a wider audience, as well as practical advice on festival strategy and distribution. Conversations with fellow participants were equally enriching; hearing about their experiences and challenges broadened my perspective on different approaches to documentary filmmaking.

Lasting impressions

In terms of achieving my aims, the lab certainly helped me sharpen my project’s vision, but it also contributed to my personal career development. The networking opportunities with industry experts and filmmakers from around the world were invaluable, and I left the lab with a clearer sense of direction for both my project and future opportunities in documentary filmmaking. Overall, the experience was transformative and exceeded my expectations.’