 2018 is the first year the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Hollywood became a proud Community Partner with Visual Communications’ annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival from May 3-12. Personally, it is my twentieth year attending this festival. With its continuing effort in presenting, showcasing and elevating our stories while banishing crab mentality and antiquated stereotypes, its 34th year was no exception. Especially during a time of representation, change and accountability in mainstream media today. While both mainstream television and New Media continue to push and highlight Filipino American talent both in front of, and behind the camera, mainstream cinema is falling behind. Despite a couple of exceptions such as Dave Bautista, Jacob Batalon and Ethan Dizon in the Marvel Comics Universe's film franchises as well as the upcoming "Crazy Rich Asians" starring Nico Santos, film festivals come into play showcasing the next generations of Filipino, and Filipino American talent.  First off, I attended the invitation-only, private screening of H.P. Mendoza’s new film, BITTER MELON starring Patrick Epino ("Awesome Asian Bad Guys," National Film Society) at the AMC Dine-In Theater in Hollywood (above).  Then, I joined up with FACCHO President Craig Obligacion-Wilson for Marie Jamora’s Cinema Sala X LAAPFF: Writers Night to hear new original scripts held at Matsumura in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles (above). Readers include Dante Basco (WeOwnThe8th, Steven Spielberg’s "Hook," Gene Cajoyan's "The Debut").  Prior to the Los Angeles Premiere Screening of the documentary film, THE CLEANERS on May 8th, FACCHO Co-Vice Presidents Paul Mirador and I co-presented the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Hollywood and our FilAm Chamber of Commerce Hollywood Film Challenge to the audience of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (above).  The filmmakers of "The Cleaners" were unable to attend, but the people featured in this fascinating doc, United Nations Special Rapporteur/University of California, Irvine Law Professor David A. Kaye and Artist Illma Gore were present for audience Q&A after the screening held at the Regal L.A. Live Cinemas in Downtown Los Angeles (above).  Two nights later, FACCHO returned to the Regal L.A. Live Cinemas to co-present back-to-back screenings, the West Coast Premiere of THE FEVER AND THE FRET and the North American Premiere of NEOMANILA.  Joining co-presenting duties with FACCHO President Craig Obligacion Wilson and I were This Filipino American Life (TFAL) and FilAm Creative (FAC) for Mikhail Red’s "Neomanila" (above).
For Edwin, he attended the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival since 1998 (twenty years ago this week). And thereafter, the work-in-progress film, "Mercado Family Debut" was screened. It was later released as "The Debut" making it the first Filipino American film released theatrically nationwide. And, many a time as a frequent attendee, and at one point, a yearly VC Member — last year as an actor having three short films — "Lolo Pepe", "What You Don’t Say" and "Uncle Eddy" as well as other films premiered at LAAPFF to a sold out show. Thank you to Janna Wang, Lailanie Gadia and Melanie Ramos for guiding us along the way. And, much thanks to the Executive Director of Visual Communications Francis Cullado for another successful film festival! Until next year.
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 Filipinos and the Philippines were well represented in Marvel Studios’ new feature film, Avengers: Infinity War which opened worldwide last week, and in the U.S. last Friday, April 27. Three Filipino American actors (above), Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds of "Spider-Man: Homecoming"), Ethan Dizon (Tiny McKeever of "Spider-Man: Homecoming") and Dave Bautista (Drax The Destroyer of "Guardians of the Galaxy") have officially appeared in the highest-grossing opening weekend film in the history of cinema! http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/  Near the end of the movie, Thanos (played by James Brolin) teleports to a random planet that turned out to have been inspired by the Philippines. A spokesperson from Disney have reported that the filmmakers, Anthony Russo and Joe Russo at Marvel Studios selected the Ifugao Province — specifically the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Cordillera Region of the Philippines.   We are proud to announce that the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Hollywood is a Community Partner with the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, May 3 – May 12, 2018.
And, we are co-presenting three films this year: THE CLEANERS, THE FEVER AND THE FRET and NEOMANILA. FACCHO Co-Presenters: Paul Mirador and Edwin A. Santos THE CLEANERS – Premiere Screening at Regal L.A. Live Theater #13 on May 7th at 6:30pm The documentary is about censorship on social media and internet technology in this day and age. Content cleaning is an outsourced job to the Philippines and this documentary shows their point of view. Filmmakers and cast in attendance. TICKETS: http://festival.vconline.org/2018/films/cleaners/ FACCHO Co-Presenters: Craig Obligacion-Wilson and Edwin A. Santos THE FEVER AND THE FRET – Premiere Screening at Regal L.A. Live Theater #14 on May 9th at 7:00pm An experimental film, shot in black and white, about a Filipina artist in New York, escaping trauma of being bullied through fantasies. Filmmakers and cast in attendance. TICKETS: http://festival.vconline.org/2018/films/fever-and-the-fret/ FACCHO Co-Presenters: Craig Obligacion-Wilson and Edwin A. Santos NEOMANILA – Premiere Screening at Regal L.A. Live Theater #14 on May 9th at 9:15pm Since President Duterte’s election, the Philippines has been in the grip of the “war on drugs,” where police use bounty hunters to kill gangsters. Toto, a street orphan, is caught in the crossfire when he’s recruited by a notorious death squad in this noir-infused explosive thriller by one of the most exciting young voices in Filipino cinema. Filmmaker in attendance. TICKETS: http://festival.vconline.org/2018/films/neomanila/ *** Sign up for our newsletter and we will send you our discount code before you purchase your tickets for this film at:facchollywood@gmail.com *** After the screening, meet NEOMANILA filmmaker Mikhail Red at our casual meet and greet in Downtown Los Angeles, Wednesday, May 9th, 11pm at Angel City Brewery presented by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Hollywood: Business and Entertainment. http://bit.ly/MikhailRedMeetnGreet |
AuthorEdwin Santos began blogging in 1995 when he was hired as Editor for the award-winning fansite, The Towne Cryer News on Renée Zellweger. He wrote about the entertainment business and film reviews of Zellweger's films until 2000. Archives
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