Guest: Chloe Victory — Trans autistic writer, filmmaker, performer, and black belt martial artist (Silat). Director of the documentary A Far Green Country, creator of the solo show Elementaller, and advocate for accessible martial arts and creative expression.

Host: Al Bellamy Producer: Ian Lawton

Episode summary

Chloe Victory joins Al Bellamy for a vibrant conversation about martial arts, filmmaking, hypermobility, intrusive thoughts, and creative survival. Chloe shares her journey from black belt to feature filmmaker, reflecting on how Silat helped regulate her nervous system, sharpen spatial awareness, and offer a language for navigating overwhelming mental health moments. From meditating on Narnia battlefields to dreaming up a telepathic autistic film script, Chloe charts a bold, body-led path toward sensory agency, queer joy, and cinematic empathy.

Key takeaways

• Silat, a fast, fluid martial art from Southeast Asia, can be especially beneficial for neurodivergent and hypermobile bodies.

• Martial arts can improve motor coordination, sensory regulation, and executive function, as shown in recent autism studies.

• Training solo during lockdown gave Chloe the space to unmask and deepen her learning—highlighting the importance of sensory-friendly alternatives.

• Chloe's black belt journey included trauma, creativity, and intrusive thoughts; her show Elementaller channeled these themes through art.

• Martial arts teaches restraint, not aggression—and supports self-trust for navigating the world, especially as a trans woman.

• A Far Green Country, her feature doc, uses travel to explore autistic experience without reductionism—offering immersion instead of explanation.

• Autistic and trans representation in film needs to expand—not just youth stories, but nuanced, adult narratives across genres.

• Chloe advocates for sensory-safe, inclusive martial arts classes and hopes to collaborate on academic research into Silat and neurodivergence.

Topics & timestamps

• 00:00–04:32 — Martial arts journey; Silat vs. Taekwondo; origins, style, and becoming a guru

• 04:32–09:48 — Nine years of training; unlearning rigidity; autistic access barriers and lockdown breakthroughs

• 09:48–13:30 — Sensory regulation, inclusive clubs, and the power of solo study

• 13:30–19:37 — Mental health impact; intrusive thoughts; Elementaller and creative processing

• 19:37–23:32 — Studies on martial arts & autism; executive function, sensory tolerance, spatial awareness

• 23:32–28:30 — Falling safely; hypermobility; martial arts as a tool of confidence and restraint

• 28:30–30:03 — Vision for inclusive, mixed-pace classes; call for academic collaborators

• 30:03–37:27 — Why Chloe makes films; A Far Green Country as lived documentary; empathy through cinema

• 37:27–43:45 — Representation beyond diagnosis; trans visibility in film; ambitions for future features

• 43:45–46:00 — Next projects (hinted); industry learning from Screen Ireland; long road ahead

• 46:00–47:50 — Where to follow Chloe's work; outro and gratitude

Resources mentioned

• 🎥 A Far Green Country – Watch in Ireland (IFI Home) – Watch Internationally (IFI International)

• 🧠 Healthy Gamer Foundation – Meditation resources – Meditation guide

• 🥋 Silat classes in Dublin – Guruliam.com

• 📚 Martial arts & autism research: – 2025 study (Frontiers Psychology) – 2025 meta-analysis (Frontiers Pediatrics) – 2024 meta-analysis (IJSHS) – 2021 study (Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders) – 2019 study (Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders)

Pull quotes

• "A black belt is just the start—you've only scratched the surface."

• "Silat helped me understand how my body moves in space—for the first time."

• "If you know how to fall, you know how to recover."

• "I wanted to show autistic life in motion, not in diagnosis."

• "Every bad film has a good film trying to get out."

• "Martial arts gave me strength without aggression—power with purpose."

• "I don't just want to make films about being autistic or trans—I want to make good films."

Contact Chloe Victory

• Instagram: @thechloevictory

• Martial Arts Email: [email protected]

• Film Projects Email: [email protected]