Diana Paez

“Australia has allowed me to make a living out of what I sincerely choose to do, and most importantly find the strength to do it.”

Diana Paez

Country of origin: Colombia.

Occupation: Videographer and editor for a range of organisations. State of residency: VIC. Favourite place in Australia: I feel it’ll be in the tropics up in Queensland when I get to experience it. For now, Brunswick has always been a suburb I love. Upon arrival: Surprised by how multicultural Australia is; especially seeing people with Asian backgrounds with thick Aussie accents. Seeing that was very cool.

Edited by Zoe Gleeson and Trini Abascal.

Arriving in Australia in 2014 as a 19-year-old with a desire to connect and tell stories, Diana Paez studied film at Deakin University as a scholarship recipient. Today, Diana is the Director of “Nuestras Voces” documentary film, as part of a Latin Stories cross media project. She also part of Refugee Migrant Children Centre’s (RMCC) marketing team as a videographer and editor and is directing a film made with Sister Works and United Nations Women that will be ready this year. She has volunteered at Filmoteca and the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF).

TELL US YOUR STORY

Diana with her brothers on her first day in Australia.

My parents always encouraged me to choose and follow what I resonated with, regardless of what this was. Finishing school, I had the idea of studying film. I thought it was a medium that merged my interests and could be used as a powerful tool in social projects which I’ve always been attracted to. My two brothers (22 and 25 at the time) had come to Australia years before. All of the above motivated me to do a film degree in Australia; however it was one of the most expensive options I could choose. After some research I decided to apply for a scholarship in Melbourne. The year I graduated from school, while working in a call centre to save some money, I got the email: I was granted a scholarship to study in Deakin University. In May 2014 I was in Melbourne to start my degree. Melbourne just seemed so diverse... I read a lot about the festivals and events, and I could see myself enjoying that scene. I was really young when I came to Australia (19 years old) and all I wanted was an interesting experience in a new place.

I found my first job two weeks after arriving through a guy I met at Uni, it was at an Indian fine dining restaurant as a waiter and picking up the phone for bookings. It was so hard to understand people over the phone, but after some stress and getting used to it I ended up really enjoying this job. I don't know if it was the age or what, but for me EVERYTHING was exciting. Getting paid (very low by the way) and travelling nearly 3 hours daily to get some cash in hand was pretty cool for me at the time. The simple fact of being able to be in a train at 11pm, at that age, and feeling safe, that was all for me. My brothers always encouraged me to look for opportunities and take them to create my own experience. We have an amazing relationship and they’ve always been a reference for me on how to see solutions and opportunities rather than problems. I lived at my brother's place for 2 months and then decided to move out with a friend. I was excited to be a ‘grown up’.

Diana with her boyfriend Dany.

While I was doing my degree, I left my job in the faraway Indian restaurant and started working in cafes in the city, I ended up having more confidence in myself and started working as a Barista, which lasted for my whole degree. It helped me support myself economically and travel. In the cafe, I found very warm local Australian colleagues, and with them I explored a different side of Melbourne and felt more connected to the city. Hospitality also helped me with developing soft skills and I can see that now. Going through my last semester and nearly a year after graduating, my life was very convenient and exciting for a 23-year-old. I was already working casually as a freelancer, as well as doing volunteer work that I loved at Filmoteca and Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). I also kept my Barista job which gave me that economic stability. However, after a while I felt I was not growing within my industry any further. It was easy to stay comfortable. 

Then, the universe (that’s what I think) made me take a change I wanted but wasn’t brave enough to take at the time. I had a serious back injury that left me in severe pain for a few months and made me stop all hospitality jobs, which significantly impacted my finances. I was afraid but took it as an opportunity and decided to focus only on jobs that would resonate with me and develop my professional career. After a long search and many applications, I started editing wedding films for a studio. From here, everything started changing in terms of networking. I even met the producer of one of the films I directed this year. This experience made me understand that, when you are out of your comfort zone but need to make things work, there’s an inner strength that will always come out. Later on, I joined RMCC, a beautiful organization that has programs supporting kids from refugee and migrant backgrounds, working with them as part of the marketing team producing videos and photography. It is a truly inspiring workplace and reminds me all the time to continue creating with purpose. I have seen how communication can drive change and action. 

In mid-2020 I moved to Ballarat where I live with my boyfriend Dany and my cat Bambuco. We moved with the hope of finally getting our Australian Permanent Residency (PR). Here, I’ve worked on projects for organisations such Centre for Multicultural Youth and ‘A pot of Courage’. The year 2020 was challenging, most of my projects if not all had to be cancelled or delayed (including the process of getting the PR). The pandemic reinforced what I previously learned about being more resourceful and creative. I needed to find sources of income. I even found a job doing research for a filmmaker in Japan. I also used my travel photographs to create a product, and started selling my brand of ‘Photographic Jigsaw Puzzles’.

Diana and Trini (Latin Stories Australia) editing ‘Nuestras Voces’.

I recently finished editing the documentary Nuestras Voces, a beautiful project with Latin Stories, the first film in Australia about the Latin American Migrants of the 60’s-80. I’m also currently working on the postproduction of a documentary supported by United Nations Women.

Most of my work today (with diverse organisations and people), has been around the refugee and migrant experience within the Australian system and ways of living. It has been a fascinating learning process that goes beyond film and photo making. I’ve met inspiring women from cultures I had little knowledge of; inspiring Australians that truly care about integration; and passionate people that work every day with their hearts in their hands. I feel grateful that my work takes me to discover new stories all the time and broadens my perspective. Australia has allowed me to make a living out of what I sincerely choose to do, and most importantly find the strength to do it. It’s not always easy but I feel it is worth it. It’s a process of continuous curiosity where I constantly need to connect to myself, my environment and others to be able to create, learn, and keep things moving. 

CHALLENGES

Meaningful relationships - Deakin University was a BIG cultural shock for me. I was the only Latin American in my whole degree. I could understand the teachers pretty well but in social environments it was very tricky to follow the young local Australian accent, the slang, the humour. I’ve always enjoyed gatherings, friends, the feeling of community, but here everyone seemed very independent and emotionally detached from each other. I felt like an outsider, I was very conscious of my accent, making presentations or doing a pitch in front of all these people, it was uncomfortable, but I was studying something that I really liked. However, life took me to other places where I learned to create the connections I was looking for. This took me to be much more comfortable socially, and at Uni I learned to embrace that we are all different and started connecting with very interesting people and stopped worrying much about those who I didn’t connect with.

Diana with her family in Australia.

Family around me - I was very lucky to have my brothers here when I first came. But I have always enjoyed the big family gatherings, the Sundays seeing grandma, sharing experiences with my parents, etc. After 7 years here and having come so young, I feel I’ve missed some beautiful moments with my family back home. Some of my little cousins have been born and grown while I’m here. My heart is now in both countries and technology has allowed me to feel much closer on special occasions.

Making a living out of the arts - Since I made the decision of working primarily in the arts industry, it has been a life of constant change. Like a rollercoaster, there’s highs and lows and lots of fears to overcome. It’s another language, another culture. But in the last few years, I’ve been learning to put my intention and attention to make things work. For me it has been vital to make genuine connections and look for opportunities. I naturally started having more freelance jobs, attracting like-minded people, got involved with organisations that I truly find fascinating… and trusting. Trusting myself, trusting in my work and seeing the dedication I put into every job reflected in people wanting to work with me. Additionally, I’ve learned that a certain level of uncertainty makes me grow constantly. I am rarely on ‘auto mode’. I’ve needed to learn to be more disciplined and proactive. Today I’m very proud of the past couple of years making 2 feature documentaries while working with other organisations and people that I admire. And not feeling that I’m ‘making a living’ to live, but I’m living while making a living. I feel I am finding my own way, mixing my professional knowledge with my passions and personal interests, and it’s exciting to think about the different possibilities and projects that are yet to come. What you put out, comes back, always!

CONTRASTS

Honesty and Trust - There’s a culture of trust. There is not that ‘taking advantage of’ which we have a lot in Latin America and sometimes feel proud of. Yes, that might make us more creative in certain scenarios, but I truly appreciate these qualities in the Australian lifestyle.

Safety - In Latin America we live in fear of being robbed in the streets. Most people I’ve known have had these experiences including myself, and we learnt to live with it and to ‘no dar papaya’ (do not tempt fate). The feeling of feeling safe, especially being a woman and moving alone at nights is priceless and has allowed me to keep my independence.

Sense of community - Culturally we grow up ‘belonging’ to something and being proud of that. Having our group, our people. Here that sense of community is not that strong, it’s something I miss sometimes. However, it is fascinating to live in a country where cultures organically mix, and that sense of community takes a different meaning. At the end everyone has come from ‘somewhere else’ and we are part of that story of Australia becoming what it is today. I’ve learned to enjoy the differences and similarities that make interactions so special. Having that strong sense of community in Latin America does not make us better or worse. In fact, learning a bit from the individualism of Australians has allowed me to grow and find myself.

PIECE OF ADVICE

Curiosity, interaction and empathy - Leave the judgements behind. We can easily fall into comparing and feeling comfort in saying ‘this is better than that’. The migrant experience is fascinating and it’s all about perspective, even in the hard moments, only you decide how you feel every moment. Interact with people around you, at work, study, or even in the street. In a tram, in a train, in a restaurant. Ask questions, you never know what kind of connection can come from it. And even if nothing occurs from it, talking to a stranger can make you feel grounded and present when you’re far from home.

Diana filming a short film.

Keep creating - You don’t need to be ‘arty’ to be creative. Creativity is all about being present and staying curious with the environment and people around you. Curiosity allows us to look at our lives in a different way and make decisions that might take us to new places, spontaneous conversations, and wonderful opportunities. Creativity is a reminder that we are here and that that’s all there is. Looking around with attention and intention will take us to act towards the life we want to live constantly.

Explore on your own - Find moments just for yourself. Learn to understand what moves you, what makes you feel good and what doesn’t. Be patient and kind with your own process and keep your attention on what is going to nurture you and not the opposite.

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS…

Diana feels so many things can happen in 5-10 years! In the near future she sees herself with the Australian citizenship and living with Dany and Bambu somewhere warmer, Queensland perhaps. She would also like to experience living in a different country for 1-2 years and continue learning from other cultures firsthand. She sees herself working with people that help her learn about the human condition through their stories. Learning more from migration and the refugee experience. Perhaps having a media entrepreneurship focused on social impact. She also wants to experience more life in South America. She wants to connect with what’s happening there, the passion of our land and stories. She wants to continue working on projects with women from different countries, using film to give voice to things they want to say.