By Beatrice Leong

The Myth of Monsters

The Myth of Monsters follows Beatrice, a late-diagnosed autistic woman approaching her 40th birthday—a milestone she never thought she’d reach. Her life has been marked by misdiagnoses, wrongful psychiatric institutionalisation and trauma. As an activist, Beatrice fights for systemic change, but beneath her public persona, she grapples with personal pain and isolation. With no access to legal justice for the trauma she endured, this film is her way of imagining her own justice.Turning her own camera lens on herself, she explores the duality between her public advocacy and private struggles, as she seeks answers and truth. Beatrice reflects on whether her activism has truly helped or if it has cost her more than it has given.In her own voice, she gifts a raw, unflinching look at empowerment, survival, and the sacrifices women like her make to belong.

Section : Impact Days

Country : Malaysia, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, United States

Original languages : Chinese, English, Malay

Director

Beatrice Leong (Malaysia / Malaysia)

Producers

Panuksmi Hardjowirogo (Indonesia / Singapore)
M’GO FILMS

Completion

July 2026

Impact Statement

When I was first suggested for an autism assessment at the late age of 34, I was left to navigate the complexities alone. Like me, many others are left to face a world where autism in females is misunderstood and often misdiagnosed. Societal biases further complicate this, leaving women and girls like me to live like ghosts. Our struggles and disability are dismissed or misunderstood and come at great personal cost. Disabled women are the most vulnerable to sexual violence and abuse and we live 20 years less than those without a disability. As an Asian woman, my experiences are further coloured by cultural and societal expectations. This film is for another girl to know that she is not alone, that she is seen, and that she belongs just as she is.

Trailer and full impact information will be published in February 2025.