Meet Diego Maia, one of the curators behind The Indie Movement - an anticipated online event, happening October 27-28 on the THU Platform. A freelance Film Director and 2D Artist, Diego explores stories rooted in the places, people and the landscapes that shaped him. We sat down with him to talk craft, independence and what's next.

Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you first get involved in the industry?

My Name is Diego Maia and I'm an independent Brazilian Film Director. I started my creative journey through comic art back in 2002. After that, I worked for several years in Brazilian animation studios as a 2D/3D artist and animator, while also taking on freelance projects for the international game, film, and animation industries.

Although I had always wanted to direct my own films, I only began pursuing that path in 2018, when I started producing animated music videos. My first short film, Barra Nova, was released in 2023. Since then, I’ve been focused on developing independent animated projects, exploring stories that are deeply connected to the places, people and landscapes that shaped me.

 Why is the Indie Movement relevant today and what do you hope people walk away thinking after the event?

Independent filmmaking is our creative laboratory. It’s where artists can experiment, take risks and discover their own voice without having to fit into existing formulas. In many ways, there would be no mainstream industry without independent creators constantly exploring new ideas, techniques and ways of telling stories.

At the same time, it’s a challenging path. Independent filmmakers often need to understand much more than just the artistic side of the process. Beyond directing and animating, we also have to think about production, financing, festival strategy, distribution and sales.

I hope people leave the event with a clearer understanding of what it actually means to create and sustain an independent project. It took me many years to learn how all these pieces fit together and I would have loved to attend an event like this earlier in my career.

I believe it will be a valuable opportunity for emerging artists to gain practical insights from professionals who have navigated these challenges firsthand.

Looking ahead to 2026–2030, where do you see things heading?

I think the coming years will challenge us to prove, once again, what makes us artists.

AI is already having a profound impact on the industry, and I believe we are only beginning to see the full extent of that transformation. Many jobs that rely primarily on replicating established styles and workflows will become increasingly difficult to sustain.

At the same time, I don’t think creativity itself is under threat. AI can only learn from what already exists. It can imitate what we created yesterday, but it cannot imagine what we will create tomorrow.

For that reason, I believe originality, artistic vision, and personal expression will become even more valuable. Competition will certainly increase, but so will the importance of authenticity. 

These will be years in which artists will need to demonstrate not only technical skills, but also their unique sensitivity, perspective, and ability to create something genuinely new.