About

Zachary Berkenkotter

23. Born in the Philippines, raised in Hong Kong. Currently on my second gap year from university, having just wrapped up my time at a tutoring company I spent four years building. Now, I'm pursuing documentary filmmaking — drawn to underrepresented communities and the people, initiatives, and politics reshaping them. This interest traces back to growing up in Hong Kong, exposed to different cultures in school, and engaging with local NGOs. Particularly, I was struck by the number of migrant domestic workers who came from the Philippines and the social and legal discrimination they faced. Seeing my nanny as a second mother, I was driven to engage with organizations that supported them — fundraising, organizing community events, and raising awareness through film — realizing this was something I wanted to carry forward.

In my free time, I enjoy a whole bunch of sports and exercise — running, lifting, tennis, soccer, and climbing. This year, I'm hoping to get into surfing and BJJ alongside a few documentary projects around South America and Asia.