The director Ashlei Payne with the official poster of ‘Palm Oil’s Vice Grip on Natives’  – TracingThought.com

What are the directors that inspire you the most?

Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Alfonso Cuarón are two directors that I admire sincerely.

How important is the role of cinema to communicate and tell stories like yours?

When I watch documentaries, at times, I find myself daydreaming on a subject. I want to know more about the individuals themselves, a more personal connection to their feelings. My documentaries take on the approach of establishing a deeper understanding of those feelings. I live with my subjects for weeks to months before even starting to film. Once connections are made, I find myself documenting some of the darkest, happiest, romantic emotions that you can’t get otherwise. Those emotions can only be seen and felt in a cinematic way. I enjoy the challenge of seeking authentic emotion in a documentary film!

Do you have any on set stories you would like to share?

Throughout making “Palm Oil’s Vice Grip on Native’s,” and living in Borneo, I lived with a family who had three daughters and a son. Their oldest daughter, Dessy, and I became very close. She helped me translate and learn the traditions of her Dayak tribe and all of the intricacies of daily life in the surrounding villages. On my second visit to Borneo, I was greeted with quite a significant surprise. While eating lunch, Dessy looked at me and said I was to become her sister. “Sister? What do you mean?” “Mom and Dad will adopt you as their own to symbolize trust and connection. You will be an official member of the tribe.” Yes, adopted, ah! I now have three Dayak sisters and one brother! Three chickens were sacrificed, the entire village was there, the ceremony was about 5-6 hours long, and the rituals left me flabbergasted.

What did you enjoy the most about working the film? What did you find more challenging?

What did I enjoy the most? Wow. Every aspect of learning, connecting, thriving off of a natural world and the cultural exchange. Growing up in a suburban landscape for most of my life, I found my connection to the rawness of what living, eating, sleeping, and socializing in the natural world feels like. This is my favorite part about making any film. This art is created from love and understanding between myself and the subjects. What do I struggle with the most? Sleep. Without a doubt. My brain likes to put real rest on the back burner given that I am the producer, camerawoman, editor, commander in chief, and a self-proclaimed perfectionist. But I need sleep to think and stay safe! In my sleep-deprived stupor, my guards began to drop, and inhibitions lessened. My immune system was not prepared for the battle I put it through. I left Borneo with a blood infection and ended up being hospitalized in Taipei, Taiwan. Rock and Roll!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your trip to Indonesia?

Lesson’s along the road: Don’t befriend the chickens, some plants are poisonous and, electricity is a luxury.

In light of the recent events, what do you think is the role of cinema in a world post-pandemic?

What is the role of cinema in a post-pandemic world? To share what the timid are afraid of and question the new narratives before accepting them. Cinema is more important now than it ever was; the pandemic solidified our obsession with film. We are an information-hungry society, and I love it. From the AMC-crazed Reddit community to the new media-consuming platforms popping up every day, it is evident, cinema and the feelings we get from it are changing but not going anywhere.

What is the message that ‘Palm Oil’s Vice Grip on Natives’ conveys?

‘Palm Oil’s Vice Grip on Natives” shares the story of how power and knowledge can work against each other. It is essential to know where your food is coming from (#knowthesource) and how it’s farmed. Were the people who planted and harvested it, child laborers or underpaid foreigners? Capitalism and imperialism are prominent in our food chain; we must recognize this and be willing to speak up.

What’s next for you? What are you working on at the moment?

Right now, I am working on pre-production for a 2022 documentary filming across northern Greenland. The indigenous Inuit communities are navigating a significant transition period as they leave their traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle for more modern living methods. Greenland’s environmental transformation is elaborate and nuanced. My mission is to provide a platform for the unbiased truths of the hardships being faced by the Inuit people during our planet’s climate change. The concept of time is the foundation on which this documentary is based. This film will be created by a woman-only crew and supported by people like you!