Announcement by Edwin A. Santos
Thursday, February 8, 2018
: @Edwin_A_Santos | 
: Edwin A. Santos
The slow months leading towards the two back-to-back film awards presentations: the Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards are spent with audiences catching their nominated films. These months are also spent with audiences watching other films that may not receive such grand attention and accolade compared to the higher tiered films. However, as what we learned from participating in 2017’s FilAm Creations Filmmaker Challenges, they are much applauded, embraced and appreciated nevertheless.
(1) UNLOVABLE
Cast: Charlene deGuzman, John Hawkes, Melissa Leo, Paul James, Ellen Geer
A bit of backstory in relation to UNLOVABLE. In July, 2015, the film’s lead actress and screenwriter Charlene deGuzman contacted me thru my official site to refer her to Filipino talent who are good in acting and improv to play her parents. However, I could not tell anyone about the film. After a few names I sent her, Abe Pagtama (Lolo Pepe, Kamera obskura, The Flip Side, The Debut) was selected to play her father.
UNLOVABLE is about a sex and love addicted woman who learns what real intimacy is when she starts making music with a reclusive man. The film will make its World Premiere at South By Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas on the weeks of March 9-18. https://schedule.sxsw.com/2018/films/119424
(2) DRIVING WHILE BLACK
DRIVING WHILE BLACK is a dark comedy, rooted deeply in reality… but not a reality that everybody is familiar with. The film has played across the U.S. and you can also host your own screening. Details here: http://drivingwhileblackmovie.com/host-a-screening/
(3) BERNARD & HUEY
Based on a screenplay by legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jules Feiffer, BERNARD AND HUEY is a comedy about two old friends who reconnect after 30 years apart, and the women who complicate their lives. Freestyle Digital Media has acquired the North American rights to the film which premiered at Slamdance this year and it is being scheduled to debut in May, 2018.
At this year’s Seattle Asian American Film Festival, a handful of Filipino American films – a few include our own FilAm Creative members – are as follows:
(4) ASWANG NEXT DOOR – screening Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 11:30 am at Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 – http://seattleaaff.org/2018/films/aswang-next-door/
A friendly neighbor has unwelcome news for an expectant mother.
(5) BICULTURAL – screening Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 11:00 am at Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 – http://seattleaaff.org/2018/films/bicultural/
Torn between the ‘perfect’ daughter that her strict traditional family believes her to be and the open-minded free spirit that she is, a second-generation Filipino-American must make a move to declare her identity.
(6) FLIP THE RECORD – screening Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 11:30 am at Northwest Film Forum Screen 1 – http://seattleaaff.org/2018/films/flip-the-record/
In this coming-of-age story set in the 1980s, the film follows 14-year-old Filipina American Vanessa who is sick of the constraints of her conservative family and the boring piano lessons she takes. On the sly Vanessa teaches herself how to scratch on her older brother’s turntables, and discovers her talents and place in the local music scene.
(7) THE SECOND PROVINCE – screening Friday, February 23, 2018 at 5:30 am at Northwest Film Forum Screen 2 – http://seattleaaff.org/2018/films/second-province/
Two estranged Filipino-American siblings are forced to reunite when their offbeat mother chooses death with dignity.
And, created solely for Film Creative’s FilAm Creations Filmmakers Movement, Rommel Andaya’s WHAT YOU DON’T SAY premiered in its entirety on YouTube on January 31, 2018.
(8) WHAT YOU DON’T SAY
Ted attempts to overcome the obstacles that prevent him from expressing his love to the birthday girl.
