Vanna Seang was born in Cambodia on 7 August 1983 Passed away on 5 September 2018, Aged 35 years.
Vanna touched countless lives. He was a funny, spiritual, passionate generous, compassionate, kind, loving soul. Vanna passed away in the early hours of last Wednesday morning (5th of September 2018). His life was quickly taken after only very recently being diagnosed with a rare blood condition. Vanna will be dearly
missed.
Since childhood, Vanna was a storyteller, creator and inventor with a curious mind, experimental nature and passion for capturing people’s stories.
At the age of 17, he picked up his first video camera and developed a lifelong love of film making, which blossomed into a successful 15-year professional career. Vanna was an award-winning film director, cinematographer and producer. He was proud of his Cambodian heritage and it was his life’s work to retrace his family’s history through the art of film, leaving behind a legacy.
In 2006, Vanna met the love of his life and long-time 11-year companion, Krystal. Following their marriage on March 5, 2016, they became a family unit of three with the birth of Jade Elsie-Rose on January 7, 2017. He was a devoted, loving and selfless husband and father. Vanna and Jade loved exploring ‘Daddy’s garage’ to play with toy aeroplanes and excavators, and sharing Disney’s Frozen and Peppa Pig bedtime stories.
Vanna loved the simple things in life. His favourite past times were writing films, jam sessions singing on the guitar with friends, backyard BBQs, putting on accents, being politically incorrect, lazy-day outings with his wife and daughter, eating out Asian food any time of the day, snorkelling at Clovelly beach, flying his drone, watching Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, secretly filming people in their most embarrassing moments and living each day to the fullest.
Vanna’s favourite saying was ‘Are you infected?’. Yes, we are all infected! His beautiful soul has infected us with his passion for life, wild sense of humour, human connection and pure heart.
Vanna will forever be loved by: his wife, Krystal Kovacs; daughter Jade Elsie-Rose Seang; father Norn Seang; mother, Ly Heang Seang; sister Vanessa; brothers Vannak, Somnang and Kanan; eight nieces and nephews William, Victoria, Branden, Kara, Sierra, Eli, Valerie and Jasmine; the Hunt family and a huge community of relatives and friends.
“Dada, home” – Jade (20-month-old daughter)
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
Vanna’s total commitment toWandering Souls: aka A Requiem for Cambodia was not just a wonderful bonus to the film but awakened in him a very special connection to his own Cambodian story.
His sensitive cinematic work gives an insight into his great talent and is a window into the heights he might have achieved had he lived beyond his 35 short years. ~ Aviva Ziegler.
“What a lovely young man and his cinematography just got better and better.” ~ Martha Ansara
“Vanna was a very talented warm hearted guy that I’ve known for over 10 years – A great loss.” ~ Fadia Abboud
“I worked with Vanna a few times. Lovely guy. We had some interesting conversations about the Hmong people and ClintEastwood’s Gran Torino. Had a lot of get up and go. Tragedy.” ~ Colin Bromley
Who Speaks For Me? ~ National Theatre of Parramatta
Performed at the Lennox Theatre 12 — 15 Oct 2016
Who Speaks For Me?
Included the story of Cambodian mother, Ly Heang Seang, who was so desperate to get her driver’s license that she sat for the written test a total of 31 times before succeeding.
Throughout her story, Ly Heang Seang comes to rely on her son, Vanna, for communicating in English including facilitating meetings with his school principal and at a later stage, providing the words to assist Ly Heang Seang to triumph over workplace bullying.
Information & Cultural Exchange
Resident Voices
In 2014 and 2015 ICE ran participatory film and photography programs for residents of the Urana Street Villawood East Social Housing Estate (most of whom were CALD and/or living with Disability). The project saw residents working with Western Sydney based screen artists (including cinematographer/director Vanna Seang and dramaturge Nico Lathouris) in storytelling, script development, performance workshops, photography and film production.
“Our hearts are heavy. Missing our much loved friend.
Vanna Seang” ~ I.C.E.
In honour of Vanna Seang, a Memorial Fund has been established to provide support for his beautiful wife Krystal and baby daughter Jade.
https://youtu.be/yD-J60dn4tA
CINEMATOGRAPHER’s Credits
2017 Wandering Souls: aka A Requiem for Cambodia directed by Aviva Ziegler. (Feature Length documentary)
2017 After 20 Years (Short)
2012 Its About Survival (Short)
2016 Little Towns Big Voices (Video documentary short)
2015 Men Don’t Cry (Video short)
2015 Over the Edge: Where Are They Now? (Documentary short)
2015 School Zone (Short)
2015 Cyber Squad (Short)
2015 Alvin’s Harmonious World of Opposites
2014 Broken Time (Short)
2014 Lost in the Woods: A Fiction (Short)
2013 Seeing the Elephant
2012 Kids’ Games (Video short)
2012 Chatterbox (TV Series)
2011 Adman (Short)
2011 Inheritance (Short)
2011 Mother’s Day (Short)
2011 Equilateral
2011 Mariam’s Late (Short)
2010 Die (Short)
2010 War (Short)
2009 Mary (Short)
2009 This Woman’s World (Short)
DIRECTOR’s Credits
2018 1979: Australia Version (Short)
2014 Lost in the Woods: A Fiction (Short)
2013-2014 Chatterbox (TV Series, 2 eps)
– Finale (2014)
– Taboo Part 2 (2013)
2010/I Die (Short)
