DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY​ - Juhaidah Joemin, Sandra Khoo

As a child growing up in a small farming village in Borneo - Sabah, East Malaysia; Juhaidah Joemin had no idea that her fascination for storytelling and her peculiar imagination will pave her steps into the animation industry, a male-dominated field with known glass ceiling for women, particularly in South East Asia. Fast-forward several years later, she is the proud founder of Giggle Garage, an animation studio established in 2010 and has since won several prestigious awards in the animation production for television. Her passion continues to drive her further as even at the height of the pandemic, she founded Tickle Pod in 2020, a company that is dedicated to idea creation and content development. The first generation of filmmaker in her native Borneo family, she draws inspirations from her rich cultural heritage and the vast natural surroundings where she grew up. Beaming with ideas, she has now put forth her short film debut 'Footprints in the Forest' as Director and Producer. The movie that will captivate the audience with its endearing characters and a paramount message weave into the story, bringing the viewers on an emotional journey.