Rate My Professor Chrishandra Sebastiampillai

Sebastiampillai's research focuses on film stardom and celebrity, representations of race and identity in cinema, Philippine cinema, and Southeast Asian cinema, addressing themes like independence, colonial histories, national identities, and modern traditions. Her major publications include the book Stardom, Film Couples and Love Teams in 1970s Philippine Cinema (Edinburgh University Press, 2024), the chapter “[Re]Representing the Batang Kali massacre” in The Malayan Emergency in Film, Literature and Art (2025), “One More Second Chance: Love Team Longevity and Utility in the Era of the Television Studio” in Film Stardom in South East Asia (2022), “Crazy Rich Eurasians: white enough to be acceptable, Asian enough to be an asset” in Celebrity Studies (2021), and “Nora Aunor vs Ferdinand Marcos: popular youth films of 1970s Philippine cinema” in Southeast Asia on Screen: From Independence to Financial Crisis (1945-1998) (2020). Ongoing projects examine Southeast Asian stardom, such as Henry Golding’s mixed-race identity, and representations of Malaysian heritage houses for film-induced tourism. She serves as Chief Investigator on the 2025 project “Digital Technologies as a New Agenda and Mediator of Public Diplomacy: Fostering Korea-Southeast Asia Collaboration” and contributes to public lectures and events, including the ThinkCity Institute Heritage Symposium (2022) and directing the Malaysia Video Exhibition at Seoul National University Asia Center (2023). Her work supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.