Fil-Am Films Shine at LAAPFF
From documentaries to narrative shorts, a number of Filipino and Fil-Am filmmakers participated in this year's LA Asian Pacific Film Festival
This year marked the 39th edition of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) formerly known as VC Filmfest. The annual film festival presented by Visual Communications was established in 1983 by the late Linda Mabalot, Executive Director of Visual Communications, as a way to promote Asian and Pacific American and Asian international cinema. Here's an excerpt from their website: “We begin a new Festival season by rededicating our upcoming work to Linda’s regenerative impact and cultural abundance to VC and our communities. We are called to be in closer community with Artists and Allies in order to build a Festival that fosters wellness and joy.
Recent social, political, and cultural movements gave us the opportunity to pause and reflect. These challenging moments necessitated us to think about who and what is essential, and amplified the changes that needed to happen to renew our collective work towards equity and justice.”
The following Filipino/ Filipinx and Filipino-American films were selected to participate in the festival and though the festival is over, we’re sure that many of these works will make the rounds on the festival circuit. Please support these Filipino American and Filipino, Filipinx filmmakers.
DOCUMENTARY
KAPWA TEXAS
KAPWA TEXAS is a documentary by PJ Raval, a queer, first-generation US-born Filipino American, and award‐winning filmmaker. The cast includes: Jenah Maravilla, Lauren Yap, and Monica Silverio.
The film follows three young Filipino women as they engage in much-needed courageous conversations with their family – informed by the current political and social climate KAPWA TEXAS is a time capsule during turbulent times, that captures the unbreakable bond between Filipino family and community.
NURSE UNSEEN
NURSE UNSEEN, explores the little-known history and humanity of the unsung Filipino nurses risking their lives on the frontlines of a pandemic, thousands of miles from home. The film unearths the colonial ties between the Philippines and the United States that have led to Filipino-American nurses becoming the unknown backbone of the United States health industry. NURSE UNSEEN is directed by Emmy award-winning Filipino-American director, Michele Josue. Michele directed “Happy Jail” on Netflix.
PROFITS ENSLAVE THE WORLD: A SONG ACROSS GENERATIONS
PROFITS ENSLAVE THE WORLD directed by Emilio J. Virata, Jr.
Synopsis: In 1973, Philip Vera Cruz’ poem “Profits Enslave the World” was put to music by Chris Bautista, a young Bay Area musician. The song became an anthem amongst many Filipinos of the time, connecting them with the generations of organizers who came before.
THE FALL OF THE I-HOTEL directed by Curtis Choy
Synopsis: A San Francisco Manilatown community of elder Chinese and Filipino Manongs tenants were inhumanely evicted for urban renewal in the dead of night by 300 cops. A restored and optimized version of his 1983 film, groundbreaking director Curtis Choy documents the fight and last hold of a community being erased, unknown to many, but just as relevant as ever today.
SHORTS
There were quite a few Filipino and Fil-Am short films at the festival. Note: Most descriptions below were taken from the LAAPFF program.
INHERITANCE, a short film from the UK, is directed by Quin Sotelo. The cast is composed of: Anjello Sotelo, Christine Sotelo, Flor Sotelo, Jeffry Boch, Kate Sotelo, Liza Sotelo, Quin Sotelo, Rhonnel Sotelo, and Salve Sotelo. It is about two Filipina American sisters preparing to make their first pilgrimage to the Philippines, bringing up questions about what their family left behind.
WHEN YOU LEFT ME ON THAT BOULEVARD, a US entry, is directed by Kayla Abuda Galang The cast includes Allan Anderson, Elle Rodriguez, Gina Gimongala, Kailyn Dulay, Melissa Arcaya, and Whitney Agustin.
Here’s what the movie is about: Thanksgiving 2006 in Paradise Hills, Southeast San Diego. 15-year-old Ly and her cousins get high before a boisterous Thanksgiving at their auntie’s house. Stoned and harboring a naive romance with a maybe-boyfriend, Ly moves through the gossip, nosiness, and loudness of her family’s holiday celebration until the day ends.
WRITE HERE
This short film is directed by Jake Muñoz Consing. Bodjie Pascua and Rolando Inocencio comprise the cast. The film is about an aging gay man living alone with Alzheimer’s who struggles to hold onto his identity and onto the memory of his one true love.
ZENAIDA is a short narrative film directed by San -San Onglatco. Cast: Cornelius Jones Jr., Fe De Los Reyes, Giovanni Ortega, and Minerva Vier
Synopsis: Ibrahim, an undocumented Filipino-Muslim works as a live-in caregiver for a famous aging Filipina diva, Zenaida who suffers from dementia. He harbors aspirations of becoming a drag queen but has not quite figured out his drag persona. Living in Zenaida's mansion, he is constantly surrounded by the glamor of her glory days. Unbeknownst to Zenaida, he secretly borrows pieces from her fabulous wardrobe to add pizzazz to his new drag act. Complications arise when she doesn’t recognize him and discovers him wearing her missing jewelry.
PARTY FAVOR directed by Yasmine Gomez
Cast: Bing Agnes Magtoto, Catherine Ricafort McCreary, Donovan Monzon-Sanders, Ethan Jones, Jacques Mitchell, Jared Szafman, Kim Berrios Lin, Pierre Macaso, Sara Rahman, Yasmine Gomez
Synopsis: Jen, a 34-year-old Filipina American, visits her older conservative sister Helen for the birthday party of Helen’s 7-year-old son. When Jen is sent out to buy birthday candles, Helen’s rambunctious 14-year-old daughter Lizzie tags along and asks Jen to buy condoms for her so she can lose her virginity. As Jen wrestles with the decision, memories from the past stir up buried family secrets.
PERRY AND A PAUSE directed by Tess Paras
Cast: Jessica Elaina Eason, Joe Corzo, Lydia Gaston, Shelby Rabara
Synopsis: PERECITA “PERRY” DE GUZMAN, is a busy gig worker who wants to cut ties with her ex-husband and raise her credit score. When Perry’s mother sends her to help a Filipina elder, she meets BABES, an artsy, unpredictable, former globe-trotting dancer. She hires Perry to make a plaster cast of her butt so she can see it in all its glory. Throughout the afternoon, Perry finds herself charmed into food, drinks, and a spirited game of questions with a wise-cracking new friend. They banter about aging, women’s intuition, and identity, leaving Perry with a fresh perspective and Babes more prepared to declare her plans for the rest of her life…however many days that may be.
MEANWHILE FROM THE MOTHERLAND - These films were from the Philippines
OURS IS THE SKY (Atin ang Langit) - Philippines | Directed by Enzo Ventura
Cast: Jemuel Satumba as Bert, Joel Garcia as Earl, Lau Apostol as Castor
Synopsis: In the wake of a devastating typhoon, three highland farmers discover their crops ruined and wait to start over until they discover a hidden, futuristic farm that succeeds where they lost.
WHERE IS THE LIE - Philippines | Directed by Quark Henares
Cast: EJ Jallorina, Maris Racal, Royce Cabera
Synopsis: Ripped from the headlines, or, in this case, Twitter, Where is the Lie? is a coming-of-age story about the horrors of online dating told through the story of Janzen and the young woman, Beanie, who catfished her for months. A visceral experience, Quark Henares’ astute direction gives the film layers of nuance and, most importantly, a smartly understood empathetic perspective to showcase Janzen’s powerful journey as a trans woman navigating the dating scene.
HAYOP KA/YOU ANIMAL (animated) - Philippines | Directed by Avid Liongoren
Synopsis: Nimfa, a perfume sales feline-person, lives a humble life with mongrel boyfriend Roger. A chance meeting with Iñigo, a handsome wolf-like socialite, finds Nimfa at odds with what she really wants in her life. Avid Liondgen (Director, Saving Sally) directs this independent animated feature film from the Philippines that slays its inspired conventions with feels, intrigue, and anthropomorphic sex appeal. You animals!
NOT FOR KIDS
