Matthew Sampawo

My roots trace back to Udon Thani, where my grandmother crafted charcoal by hand in earth mounds to support our family. That simple tradition grew when my mother and uncle expanded it into a small business, designing charcoal furnaces for local restaurants. When I took the helm, I uncovered a greater potential: our technology could convert biomass waste into biochar, a vital resource that rejuvenates soils, locks away carbon, and revives what others discard. This insight reshaped my path. Seeing Thailand’s abundant resources alongside France’s challenges with droughts and depleted lands, I co-founded Khokbawa Group to link these worlds. We deliver Thai resourcefulness and biochar innovation to European farmers, fostering land regeneration and climate resilience. As a French-Thai entrepreneur, I fuse French discipline with Thai community spirit, drawing from my varied experiences in filmmaking and the military to lead with creativity, resilience, and empathy. At Khokbawa Group, we create more than technology; we forge pathways from waste to renewal, turning global challenges into shared opportunities for sustainability. If you share a commitment to impactful change driven by heritage and innovation, let’s connect and build a thriving future together.

French Interpreter & Translator | Education Team Member | Lenotre School, Thailand I provided multilingual translation services, seamlessly converting documents and communications between Thai, French, and English to support the school’s international culinary programs. My role ensured clear, accurate, and culturally nuanced materials for students and faculty. Additionally, as part of the education team, I collaborated on preparing educational files, tools, and resources, contributing to the development and delivery of high-quality training materials for aspiring culinary professionals.

Served as Casting Director and Second Assistant Director on Accord Parfait, a promotional short film produced by the Société Française de Radiologie. The film highlights breakthroughs in neuroradiologie interventionnelle, particularly treatment of ischemic stroke, and underscores how medical advances can drastically improve outcomes for many.  Responsibilities included: - Managing the full casting process (auditions, talent selection, coordination with production) - Assisting the director in planning and scheduling shoots, organizing on-set logistics and ensuring efficient communication between cast and crew - Ensuring that both creative vision and medical/scientific accuracy were maintained throughout production

Edited video content for Viva Technology Paris, one of Europe’s leading innovation and startup events. Produced dynamic highlight reels, interviews, and promotional clips using Adobe Premiere Pro, ensuring engaging storytelling and high production quality under tight deadlines. Collaborated with the media and communications teams to deliver content aligned with the event’s creative vision.

"Les Plus Belles Années d’une Vie", Directed by Claude Lelouch (Official Selection – Cannes Film Festival) Contributed to production management and on-set coordination on a major feature film, operating at the intersection of creative vision and operational execution. Played a key role in ensuring smooth daily operations across departments on a Cannes-selected production. Key responsibilities: - Coordinated day-to-day production logistics between creative, technical, and location teams - Supported shooting schedules, call sheets, and crew organization to maintain production efficiency - Managed on-set operations, timing, and workflow during active shooting days - Assisted with location management and resolved real-time operational challenges under tight deadlines

"La Vertu des Impondérables", directed by Claude Lelouch, sponsored by Apple and shot entirely on iPhone. Worked within the grip department on a feature film production, contributing to camera movement and on-set technical execution. Played an active role in setting up and supporting mobile camera systems in a fast-paced, innovative shooting environment. Key contributions included: - Installing and operating camera support equipment, including dollies, tracks, and custom rigging systems - Collaborating closely with the Director of Photography and camera team to execute precise camera movements - Ensuring safety, stability, and efficiency of all mechanical and technical setups on set - Adapting camera and rigging configurations across multiple locations under tight production schedules

Worked part-time while attending film school, gaining hands-on experience in cinema operations. I was responsible for daily tasks such as movie programming, ticketing, and customer service. I also managed openings and closings of the cinema, handled cash flow, and ensured smooth coordination between staff and management. This role taught me a lot about teamwork, responsibility, and how a cinema really runs behind the scenes: an experience that deepened my passion for storytelling and film.

Collaborated on the 200th anniversary film of Caisse d’Épargne, creating visually striking 3D environments and animations that formed the core of the project’s visual identity. Responsible for concept design, VFX integration, and 3D animation using Autodesk Maya, Blender, and Adobe After Effects (Element 3D). Utilized photogrammetry workflows with PhotoScan Pro and ZBrush to digitize real-world objects with high accuracy. Worked in close partnership with the film director and supervised a multidisciplinary crew to ensure a seamless creative and technical execution.