Although they left BYUH in 2006, Patty Srisuwan and her husband Chris Cowden’s legacy of filmmaking is still felt by students and faculty as the Cowdens prepare for their directorial and theatrical debut “Moments in Spacetime.”
“Moments in Spacetime” takes place in a military community in rural Canada. It features Macie (Srisuwan), a Thai orphan who is adopted by an infertile couple after a tsunami in 2004. The film flashes forward to present day with Macie in her late 20s living at home. The film explores Macie’s struggle with her identity and navigates her relationship with her grandfather Mason. The grandfather character is portrayed by actor John Rhys-Davies, famous for his role in “The Lord of the Rings” and other films.
Cowden said the film investigates the inadvertent racism experienced by immigrants. “Patty wanted to create an opportunity for non-immigrants to experience the life of an immigrant for two hours.” Cowden hopes the movie will change perspectives on immigration into a much more positive light.
Srisuwan said the experiences of Macie are based on her own life. According to her, “I wish [racism] was a dated topic and there would be no racism in society anymore. It’s a work in progress.” She said being a filmmaker allows her to bring the topic to life.
BYUH's effect on Srisuwan and Cowden
Cowden said Laie and BYUH are amazing places because of the international population. He said it was inspiring to see people from different countries “in harmony and working to understand each other and each other’s cultures.”
Srisuwan loved how the university and her former professors inspired her to be more outgoing. She said, “Two things that I got from BYUH are discipline and determination. I like how my teachers always told me to compete with myself and not compete with other people. As long as you are better than yesterday, that’s what it is all about.”
Srisuwan and Cowden had respective experiences in acting and filmmaking prior, but it was at BYUH where they began to be recognized. Cowden directed and Srisuwan acted in movies he made on campus. One of these movies was “Johnny Unicross,” a post-apocalyptic comedy and the other was “Max Caliber Hawaii PI,” which won an MTV Movie Award. Cowden said his college movies were shown on the BYUH television channel. He sent the DVD to the former BYUH TV channel and it was played on a loop throughout the weekend. “When we were in line at Foodland, the checkout people were quoting the movie.”
Professors remember the couple
Professors at Brigham Young University–Hawaii remember Srisuwan and Cowden, Dr. Yifen Beus, Dean of Arts & Letters at BYU–Hawaii, said she remembers how “both of them were enthusiastic about film and acting.”
Phillip MacArthur, the past dean over the arts and humanities, called Srisuwan a conscientious and enthusiastic student. MacArthur said he hoped his classes had an impact on her career in the present day.
Filmmaking
“It takes a lot of effort to make a good film,” said Spencer Hauata, a sophomore from Tahiti majoring in marketing with a minor in film. According to him, it is hard to deliver a message through the medium of film. “It’s very hard and you have to work hard to do it. I do love it though. Even though it’s a lot of work, it’s worth it.”
Film culture at BYUH is small, and filmmaking culture is even smaller, Hauata said. “Most people here just make short films or are studying film to get into advertising. Most people are studying film here for commercials and business, not because they are passionate about film,” he said.
The Cowdens' film shows their commitment to their craft, according to Hauata. He said it is hard to get a movie released in theaters, especially if it is an independent film. Hauata said he is happy to see someone come out of BYUH who is having success in the film industry.
Of inspiring students, Beus said, “It is all about planting that seed. As long as we can spark a little interest in our students, they will find the right time and opportunity to realize their dreams and goals.”