we all hate conflict right fighting it’s bad right we are taught to avoid
bad right we are taught to avoid
bad right we are taught to avoid conflict
conflict
conflict don’t fight rise above it ignore the
don’t fight rise above it ignore the
don’t fight rise above it ignore the bullies don’t get bored and then they’ll
bullies don’t get bored and then they’ll
bullies don’t get bored and then they’ll leave you alone
leave you alone
leave you alone well maybe not conflict has been a part
well maybe not conflict has been a part
well maybe not conflict has been a part of my journey my life it’s in my genes
of my journey my life it’s in my genes
of my journey my life it’s in my genes and my family in here in Australia I was
and my family in here in Australia I was
and my family in here in Australia I was confronted challenged and bullied but as
confronted challenged and bullied but as
confronted challenged and bullied but as an adult I decided to try something new
an adult I decided to try something new
an adult I decided to try something new as a lonely scraggly kid with a bold cut
as a lonely scraggly kid with a bold cut
as a lonely scraggly kid with a bold cut with a few friends my parents enrolled
with a few friends my parents enrolled
with a few friends my parents enrolled me in to a local dojo in Cabramatta I
me in to a local dojo in Cabramatta I
me in to a local dojo in Cabramatta I had been bullied I even tried to stand
had been bullied I even tried to stand
had been bullied I even tried to stand up for other kids at school but I always
up for other kids at school but I always
up for other kids at school but I always ended up on my back
ended up on my back
ended up on my back beaten up conflict sucks doesn’t it my
beaten up conflict sucks doesn’t it my
beaten up conflict sucks doesn’t it my parents put me into the dojo to learn
parents put me into the dojo to learn
parents put me into the dojo to learn the art of self-defense to become unpick
the art of self-defense to become unpick
the art of self-defense to become unpick horrible a bully proof I was obsessed
horrible a bully proof I was obsessed
horrible a bully proof I was obsessed with watching kung fu movies as it was
with watching kung fu movies as it was
with watching kung fu movies as it was the only thing that gave me solace at
the only thing that gave me solace at
the only thing that gave me solace at that time I love the dojo but I wasn’t
that time I love the dojo but I wasn’t
that time I love the dojo but I wasn’t really in it for self-defense well not
really in it for self-defense well not
really in it for self-defense well not really as a martial artist one of the
really as a martial artist one of the
really as a martial artist one of the first few things that I learned that
first few things that I learned that
first few things that I learned that radically changed the way I lived today
radically changed the way I lived today
radically changed the way I lived today is to increase safety move towards the
is to increase safety move towards the
is to increase safety move towards the conflict engage in
conflict engage in
conflict engage in your opponent’s in kung fu movies Jackie
your opponent’s in kung fu movies Jackie
your opponent’s in kung fu movies Jackie Chan doesn’t avoid conflict and when you
Chan doesn’t avoid conflict and when you
Chan doesn’t avoid conflict and when you avoid fighting you’re coming from a
avoid fighting you’re coming from a
avoid fighting you’re coming from a place of fear and I wanted to learn how
place of fear and I wanted to learn how
place of fear and I wanted to learn how to be strong now my mother she was
to be strong now my mother she was
to be strong now my mother she was jailed for more than six times before
jailed for more than six times before
jailed for more than six times before finally fighting away onto a small boat
finally fighting away onto a small boat
finally fighting away onto a small boat to a refugee camp in Malaysia
to a refugee camp in Malaysia
to a refugee camp in Malaysia my father was put into re-education in a
my father was put into re-education in a
my father was put into re-education in a prison where he spent almost six years
prison where he spent almost six years
prison where he spent almost six years malnourished in in solitary confinement
by the time I was born they had both
by the time I was born they had both made it to Australia to start new lives
made it to Australia to start new lives
made it to Australia to start new lives they left the war behind them but they
they left the war behind them but they
they left the war behind them but they never confronted it we never spoke about
never confronted it we never spoke about
never confronted it we never spoke about it we all hated conflict their version
it we all hated conflict their version
it we all hated conflict their version of strength is quiet they even tried to
of strength is quiet they even tried to
of strength is quiet they even tried to avoid the conflict my parents were too
avoid the conflict my parents were too
avoid the conflict my parents were too busy burying themselves in coping in
busy burying themselves in coping in
busy burying themselves in coping in this new country learning a new language
this new country learning a new language
this new country learning a new language finding work starting this new life but
finding work starting this new life but
finding work starting this new life but their traumatic experiences my homelands
their traumatic experiences my homelands
their traumatic experiences my homelands conflict was dormant left unchallenged
conflict was dormant left unchallenged
conflict was dormant left unchallenged within my parents and it never went away
growing up I saw this fear fester in
growing up I saw this fear fester in them they had escaped but they weren’t
them they had escaped but they weren’t
them they had escaped but they weren’t able to move on from the war my father
able to move on from the war my father
able to move on from the war my father turned to gambling and then became an
turned to gambling and then became an
turned to gambling and then became an alcoholic my mother found work in
alcoholic my mother found work in
alcoholic my mother found work in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam in a marketing company but in Australia
in a marketing company but in Australia
in a marketing company but in Australia she was working in a sweatshop doing
she was working in a sweatshop doing
she was working in a sweatshop doing 10-hour days she fell into anxiety
10-hour days she fell into anxiety
10-hour days she fell into anxiety depression she was either sad or angry
depression she was either sad or angry
depression she was either sad or angry at herself sewing hems sleeves and
at herself sewing hems sleeves and
at herself sewing hems sleeves and collars day in day out and despite all
collars day in day out and despite all
collars day in day out and despite all of this they never once spoke about it
of this they never once spoke about it
of this they never once spoke about it it was thought that it would have
it was thought that it would have
it was thought that it would have brought shame onto my family if the
brought shame onto my family if the
brought shame onto my family if the community knew about it conflict
community knew about it conflict
community knew about it conflict avoidant praying that like the bullies
avoidant praying that like the bullies
avoidant praying that like the bullies if they didn’t fight back their ghosts
if they didn’t fight back their ghosts
if they didn’t fight back their ghosts would leave them alone meanwhile the
would leave them alone meanwhile the
would leave them alone meanwhile the only thing that kept me going was
only thing that kept me going was
only thing that kept me going was martial arts and it wasn’t to fight back
martial arts and it wasn’t to fight back
martial arts and it wasn’t to fight back the bullies or my parents but it was for
the bullies or my parents but it was for
the bullies or my parents but it was for my own strength and power my arms my
my own strength and power my arms my
my own strength and power my arms my legs and the awareness of my mind I drew
legs and the awareness of my mind I drew
legs and the awareness of my mind I drew strength from working on myself and I
strength from working on myself and I
strength from working on myself and I was a learning a different way on being
was a learning a different way on being
was a learning a different way on being strong high-energy punches are strong
strong high-energy punches are strong
strong high-energy punches are strong and fast but still loose paired with
and fast but still loose paired with
and fast but still loose paired with your legs and kicks and it’s up to your
your legs and kicks and it’s up to your
your legs and kicks and it’s up to your minds intent what you want to do with
minds intent what you want to do with
minds intent what you want to do with them but physical strength forms and
them but physical strength forms and
them but physical strength forms and skills can be learnt and taught it’s up
skills can be learnt and taught it’s up
skills can be learnt and taught it’s up to the artistic conception a true
to the artistic conception a true
to the artistic conception a true martial artist is only perceived from
martial artist is only perceived from
martial artist is only perceived from within
therefore it was essential to master
therefore it was essential to master physical movement and martial skills
physical movement and martial skills
physical movement and martial skills it was more crucial to train the mind in
it was more crucial to train the mind in
it was more crucial to train the mind in the spirit and cultivate the Chi we need
the spirit and cultivate the Chi we need
the spirit and cultivate the Chi we need some brace conflict as it is what drives
some brace conflict as it is what drives
some brace conflict as it is what drives us and like the kungfu action heroes our
us and like the kungfu action heroes our
us and like the kungfu action heroes our authentic life is not free from struggle
authentic life is not free from struggle
authentic life is not free from struggle we need to engage embrace conflict as it
we need to engage embrace conflict as it
we need to engage embrace conflict as it is what drives us forward now conflict
is what drives us forward now conflict
is what drives us forward now conflict didn’t stop when he left school bullies
didn’t stop when he left school bullies
didn’t stop when he left school bullies and learnt martial arts I grew up I
and learnt martial arts I grew up I
and learnt martial arts I grew up I completed a psychology degree but deep
completed a psychology degree but deep
completed a psychology degree but deep down inside I wanted to be creative I
down inside I wanted to be creative I
down inside I wanted to be creative I wanted to make films action films but to
wanted to make films action films but to
wanted to make films action films but to my parents being an artist being
my parents being an artist being
my parents being an artist being creative were dirty forbidden words
creative were dirty forbidden words
creative were dirty forbidden words being an artist to them was equivalent
being an artist to them was equivalent
being an artist to them was equivalent to being unemployed so I was going to
to being unemployed so I was going to
to being unemployed so I was going to have to fight that one as well
now martial arts has taught me well I
now martial arts has taught me well I was precise in the dojo
was precise in the dojo
was precise in the dojo I learned to be disciplined structured
I learned to be disciplined structured
I learned to be disciplined structured and free-flowing and snap back like a
and free-flowing and snap back like a
and free-flowing and snap back like a punch I decided that I wanted to live my
punch I decided that I wanted to live my
punch I decided that I wanted to live my life kick-ass and like the heroes of my
life kick-ass and like the heroes of my
life kick-ass and like the heroes of my favorite movies Jackie Chan the hero’s
favorite movies Jackie Chan the hero’s
favorite movies Jackie Chan the hero’s journey that I knew so well I wanted to
journey that I knew so well I wanted to
journey that I knew so well I wanted to turn my life into a film so to speak the
turn my life into a film so to speak the
turn my life into a film so to speak the Hiromi started off in an ordinary world
Hiromi started off in an ordinary world
Hiromi started off in an ordinary world programmed by the learnings of my
programmed by the learnings of my
programmed by the learnings of my parents to fear the world to be conflict
parents to fear the world to be conflict
parents to fear the world to be conflict avoidant but then go on an adventure
avoidant but then go on an adventure
avoidant but then go on an adventure challenge themselves in a decisive
challenge themselves in a decisive
challenge themselves in a decisive crisis wins the victory
crisis wins the victory
crisis wins the victory comes home changed and transformed what
comes home changed and transformed what
comes home changed and transformed what was going to be my adventure of my life
was going to be my adventure of my life
was going to be my adventure of my life how do I challenge myself to become a
how do I challenge myself to become a
how do I challenge myself to become a hero and to be strong I wanted to be in
hero and to be strong I wanted to be in
hero and to be strong I wanted to be in action films but I grew up frustrated
action films but I grew up frustrated
action films but I grew up frustrated with Australian film and television I
with Australian film and television I
with Australian film and television I mean I don’t know about you but there’s
mean I don’t know about you but there’s
mean I don’t know about you but there’s not many Asian Australian women kicking
not many Asian Australian women kicking
not many Asian Australian women kicking ass on primetime TV so I was going to
ass on primetime TV so I was going to
ass on primetime TV so I was going to have to fight that one too but in 2009 I
have to fight that one too but in 2009 I
have to fight that one too but in 2009 I decided to do something pretty random
decided to do something pretty random
decided to do something pretty random I made a public declaration that I was
I made a public declaration that I was
I made a public declaration that I was on the quest to find Jackie Chan I mean
on the quest to find Jackie Chan I mean
on the quest to find Jackie Chan I mean Jackie Chan is like the biggest Asian
Jackie Chan is like the biggest Asian
Jackie Chan is like the biggest Asian superstar in the whole wide world and I
superstar in the whole wide world and I
superstar in the whole wide world and I was the biggest strange kid from Western
was the biggest strange kid from Western
was the biggest strange kid from Western Sydney and you know what to be honest
Sydney and you know what to be honest
Sydney and you know what to be honest with you Jackie Chan he’s not like a
with you Jackie Chan he’s not like a
with you Jackie Chan he’s not like a relative from China or anything I had no
relative from China or anything I had no
relative from China or anything I had no connection to him but that dream it was
connection to him but that dream it was
connection to him but that dream it was something bigger that I thought would
something bigger that I thought would
something bigger that I thought would ever be possible and as a screenwriter
ever be possible and as a screenwriter
ever be possible and as a screenwriter of my own life it was the most biggest
of my own life it was the most biggest
of my own life it was the most biggest ridiculous idea that could come from a
ridiculous idea that could come from a
ridiculous idea that could come from a bullied kid from Western Sydney and I
bullied kid from Western Sydney and I
bullied kid from Western Sydney and I persisted in this quest my movie
persisted in this quest my movie
persisted in this quest my movie campaigning every Australian capital
campaigning every Australian capital
campaigning every Australian capital city and Hong Kong and then I was
city and Hong Kong and then I was
city and Hong Kong and then I was stranded in China broke left there’s
stranded in China broke left there’s
stranded in China broke left there’s only $20 and still no Jackie Chan’s
only $20 and still no Jackie Chan’s
only $20 and still no Jackie Chan’s but here’s a bit of a twist in my story
but here’s a bit of a twist in my story
but here’s a bit of a twist in my story and if you imagine the next eight years
and if you imagine the next eight years
and if you imagine the next eight years as the kind of montage I kept on working
as the kind of montage I kept on working
as the kind of montage I kept on working hard martial arts had taught me to be a
hard martial arts had taught me to be a
hard martial arts had taught me to be a warrior you must commit to your
warrior you must commit to your
warrior you must commit to your objective without shame
objective without shame
objective without shame or doubt I had failed to meet Jackie my
or doubt I had failed to meet Jackie my
or doubt I had failed to meet Jackie my quest but I wasn’t going to give up
quest but I wasn’t going to give up
quest but I wasn’t going to give up every warrior must commit to the the
every warrior must commit to the the
every warrior must commit to the the objective regardless of what people say
objective regardless of what people say
objective regardless of what people say we often to afraid that what we publicly
we often to afraid that what we publicly
we often to afraid that what we publicly declare to people we were seen as taken
declare to people we were seen as taken
declare to people we were seen as taken too seriously or what if we fail I
adopted a warrior’s mindset and
adopted a warrior’s mindset and continued training making my own movies
continued training making my own movies
continued training making my own movies in Western Sydney I got roles in China
in Western Sydney I got roles in China
in Western Sydney I got roles in China and Vietnam but there I had to deal with
and Vietnam but there I had to deal with
and Vietnam but there I had to deal with a new set of challenges in the martial
a new set of challenges in the martial
a new set of challenges in the martial arts action genre less than 1% of
arts action genre less than 1% of
arts action genre less than 1% of directors are females who get to work
directors are females who get to work
directors are females who get to work with action hence as a female action
with action hence as a female action
with action hence as a female action director it was rare now in martial arts
director it was rare now in martial arts
director it was rare now in martial arts every move comes with a risk whether you
every move comes with a risk whether you
every move comes with a risk whether you take sexism in ignore it or draw a line
take sexism in ignore it or draw a line
take sexism in ignore it or draw a line every single action that you make can
every single action that you make can
every single action that you make can invite the unknown into your life I was
invite the unknown into your life I was
invite the unknown into your life I was made fun of on set I was called weak a
made fun of on set I was called weak a
made fun of on set I was called weak a silly girl some of my co actors would
silly girl some of my co actors would
silly girl some of my co actors would even ask me are you going to show me how
even ask me are you going to show me how
even ask me are you going to show me how to punch like a girl and I did I embrace
to punch like a girl and I did I embrace
to punch like a girl and I did I embrace conflict
conflict
conflict I understood that conflict is always
I understood that conflict is always
I understood that conflict is always around us and that success can come at
around us and that success can come at
around us and that success can come at the price of someone else but failure
the price of someone else but failure
the price of someone else but failure can rock your whole entire life that’s a
can rock your whole entire life that’s a
can rock your whole entire life that’s a battle that’s a war and I learned
battle that’s a war and I learned
battle that’s a war and I learned something else people became drawn
something else people became drawn
something else people became drawn towards me stood beside me when they saw
towards me stood beside me when they saw
towards me stood beside me when they saw me take a stance against sexism I got a
me take a stance against sexism I got a
me take a stance against sexism I got a chance to try
chance to try
chance to try not to do my own stunts to choreograph
not to do my own stunts to choreograph
not to do my own stunts to choreograph fight scenes and I think it reminded
fight scenes and I think it reminded
fight scenes and I think it reminded them of their own strength
them of their own strength
them of their own strength the potential warrior from within last
the potential warrior from within last
the potential warrior from within last year
year
year I was hired by someone from the action
I was hired by someone from the action
I was hired by someone from the action film industry this time it was a long
film industry this time it was a long
film industry this time it was a long side of wait for it Jackie Chan
side of wait for it Jackie Chan
side of wait for it Jackie Chan [Applause]
after eight years my own personal movie
after eight years my own personal movie has come to a resolution I got a chance
has come to a resolution I got a chance
has come to a resolution I got a chance to work with Jackie on his film and
to work with Jackie on his film and
to work with Jackie on his film and after that I got a chance to go on a
after that I got a chance to go on a
after that I got a chance to go on a road trip with him to camera to visit
road trip with him to camera to visit
road trip with him to camera to visit his parents home and then right before
his parents home and then right before
his parents home and then right before he flew back to China
he flew back to China
he flew back to China I shared a moment with Jackie and this
I shared a moment with Jackie and this
I shared a moment with Jackie and this is what I said Jackie you like my dad
is what I said Jackie you like my dad
is what I said Jackie you like my dad no seriously that’s exactly what I said
no seriously that’s exactly what I said
no seriously that’s exactly what I said out of all things but I guess things
out of all things but I guess things
out of all things but I guess things have come full circle for me and my
have come full circle for me and my
have come full circle for me and my family and living kick-ass comes in all
family and living kick-ass comes in all
family and living kick-ass comes in all shapes and sizes but you can’t do it
shapes and sizes but you can’t do it
shapes and sizes but you can’t do it afraid you have to find ways to publicly
afraid you have to find ways to publicly
afraid you have to find ways to publicly declare your dreams be ready to meet the
declare your dreams be ready to meet the
declare your dreams be ready to meet the challenges in conflicts that comes up
challenges in conflicts that comes up
challenges in conflicts that comes up along the way with powerful fluid
along the way with powerful fluid
along the way with powerful fluid strength my parents had finally come
strength my parents had finally come
strength my parents had finally come around to creativity in the arts my dad
around to creativity in the arts my dad
around to creativity in the arts my dad is now into competitive karaoke and mum
is now into competitive karaoke and mum
is now into competitive karaoke and mum she’s passionate about Friday night
she’s passionate about Friday night
she’s passionate about Friday night disco dancing thank you
disco dancing thank you
disco dancing thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment