Dear person about to read this,

My name is Sté Sassen, an independent filmmaker, visual anthropologist and someone whose dreams are on the verge of being lived. I need some drum rolls for this next chapter… I’ve been accepted to join the UnionDocs CoLAB in New York! It is an 8 month collaborative residency that brings together filmmakers, artists, and researchers to question and expand what documentary can be. In my mind I’m already on the next flight out to JFK, but before I can book and arrive the first week of January, I need to take you with me first.

Let’s start bluntly to make this a little easier. I have a big ask, it’s a first for me, and it’s financial support. Writing these words feels strange because I fear the vulnerability of asking to receive. I have not so long ago begun learning to accept the vulnerability of giving (read: sharing with) the world a little bit of me and the people I encounter through my work. This feels so purposeful that I almost didn’t know where to begin asking for more. My rational side took the upper hand saying: ‘You are just starting out and you need kind, encouraging people in your corner who believe in you and your work. Plus, NYC rent is crazy, so get a grip!’ So here we are. I am not more deserving than the next person, but if you resonate with anything on this page, your help would mean the world.

My work until now delves into the complexities of representation, particularly in contexts where the psychology of power dynamics and intentions intertwine. My first film Help Me Help You (2024), a title ironic in this context, deals with this and just received distribution. It was filmed in Namibia and follows young Ju/’hoansi as they create a film about educational challenges in their community. During the CoLAB residency in Ridgewood, Queens, I hope to carry this community oriented experience forward.

Becoming part of these communities, both of peers and of neighbors would allow me to deepen my craft and continue to build work that invites reflection and connection. Looking ahead, my vision is to expand this practice into installation art, immersive works where moving images, sound, and space create shared moments of presence. One day, I hope to show such work in public spaces or museums, not for prestige, but to invite more people into spaces of connection and possible transformation. The more people I get to meet, get to know and care for, the more people I am ultimately able to caringly create for.

I would like you to know that it is this vision that will get an incredible boost at UnionDocs CoLAB which is internationally respected for its rigor, creative generosity, and commitment to collective experimentation. Your support will help cover the program fee, visa application fees, the flights Brussels – NYC, and rent as an international fellow in New York City.

By supporting me, you would be helping sustain this form of art and the telling of stories that wouldn’t be told without the grace of someone like you, near or far. Every contribution, no matter the size, becomes a part of keeping this artistic ecosystem alive. Every contribution helps sustain this next step in my journey as an independent filmmaker committed to sharing and creating thoughtful, transformative experiences. And, rest assured, every contribution is helping my wildest dreams come true.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring.

With love and gratitude,
Sté

BIO

I grew up between Belgium, the Netherlands, and Egypt, each carrying their own rhythms, expressions, and ways of being at home. Living between places taught me to listen closely to gestures, to silences, to the ways people make meaning out of the ordinary. I studied visual anthropology and journalism, disciplines that both begin with curiosity and attention. Through them, I found my way to film, a medium that allows me to look, to listen, and to translate what true connection feels like.