A look at generational trauma and triumph through poetry and pictures. Director Biography -&nbsp;Giovannie Espiritu<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/059/052/original/f6a4d400a1-headshot.jpg?1650309954" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/059/052/thumb/f6a4d400a1-headshot.jpg?1650309954" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="124"></a>Giovannie Espiritu's identity is inherently political: A bisexual, once-undocumented immigrant Filipina mom who spent time in a Biblical doomsday cult as a teen. Her first short film, “Ultra-Feminist,” got an Honorable Mention at Outfest:Fusion, and her second film, “ALLY 3000,” won over 12 awards at film festivals in scriptwriting, social justice, and women in film. Most of her work has taken aim at dismantling the patriarchy, healing generational trauma, and exposing systems of bias with humor. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors and the Producers Guild of America.

Legacy

nanitic / adjective: "The first brood of worker ants produced by a queen ant using only the reserved nutrition in her body. Nanitics shoulder the initial fate of the colony and are often underfed due to the conditions in colony building. Thus, nanitics may be smaller in size from later workers ants to optimize the survival of the group..." - But what happens to the colony when the queen dies? Had the nanitics done enough? Director Biography -&nbsp;Carol Nguyen<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/042/254/original/0a35fcaafd-headshot.jpg?1682620146" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/042/254/thumb/0a35fcaafd-headshot.jpg?1682620146" width="165" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;"></a>Carol Nguyen is a Vietnamese Canadian filmmaker, born and raised in Toronto, now based in Montreal. Her films often explore the subjects of cultural identity, family and memory. Her last film “No Crying at the Dinner Table” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and had its international premiere at IDFA 2019, where she was additionally invited as the Opening Night speaker. In 2020, “No Crying” also received the Jury Prize for Short Documentary at SXSW. Carol is a 2018 Sundance Ignite fellow, Adobe Creativity Scholar and a TIFF Share Her Journey ambassador, where she strives to empower diverse voices and women through her own stories and personal experiences in the film industry. Today, Carol is working towards developing her first documentary feature as well as an animated short.

English, Vietnamese

Nanitic

A Filipino-American woman grapples with going behind her strict Catholic sister's back to buy condoms for her 14-year-old niece. Director Biography -&nbsp;Yasmine Gomez<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/164/073/original/dc0b925043-headshot.jpg?1662345181" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/164/073/thumb/dc0b925043-headshot.jpg?1662345181" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="200"></a>Yasmine Gomez is a Filipino American writer and director of multiple award-winning short films, including TERRA COTTA, ASIAN AMERICAN JESUS, CONSUMED, and LEA SALONGA: WHO I AM INSIDE. In feature films, she helped produce SPLIT AT THE ROOT, A PICTURE OF YOU, and ADVANTAGEOUS. Recently, she produced for Vox, THE ELLEN SHOW, and Beyonce's BLACK IS KING. Yasmine recently debuted her latest play FIRST FILIPINO for Bindlestiff Studio's Stories High.

Party Favor

A second-generation Vietnamese-American teen must navigate the familial challenges of coming out despite being unable to speak the same language as her grandma. Director Biography -&nbsp;May-Lynn Le<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/334/358/original/37f22421fe-headshot.jpg?1684729783" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/334/358/thumb/37f22421fe-headshot.jpg?1684729783" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="164"></a>I’m a second-generation Vietnamese-American student studying film production and screenwriting, aspiring to direct the type of shows and movies that make the audience laugh, wonder, and cry in the span of an hour. I want to shed a spotlight and uplift the stories of people who are often overlooked by giving them a platform to amplify their voices. My favorite movies are The Farewell, Inside Out, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I’ve worked on short films, music videos, tv pilots, documentaries, and most recently a commercial. My favorite of those being a commercial I directed that subverts classic film genres with diverse stories. I want to work on projects that push me out of my comfort zone, help me grow as a storyteller, and expose me to different perspectives.

Hyphen

What happens when your family's survival is threatened by uncertainty and unrest? For some, the best answer was to separate the family and send their children away to another country. This is the Fong family's American story. Director Biography -&nbsp;Patty Fong<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/375/304/original/55695052c1-headshot.jpg?1688183881" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/375/304/thumb/55695052c1-headshot.jpg?1688183881" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="95"></a>Patty Fong is a native Southern Californian interested in learning about family history. Film making provides her an opportunity to shine light on stories that impact our families and communities. She is a Digital Histories fellow at Visual Communications, Los Angeles.

Paper Son

Meeting Amy is a story about two half-siblings who meet for the first time. Ray and Amy, both children from two separate failed marriages, share the same enigmatic father who is an absent figure in both of their lives. Their eight-year age gap and prolonged detachment lead them to believe the other had it better with their dad. When Ray reveals a shocking development in dad's life, Amy finally weighs in on her experiences with their father. The siblings both begin to realize that they are not that different. This story shows what it feels like to finally find someone in the world that understands and shares a deeply vulnerable part of you; how strangers can become siblings. Director Biography -&nbsp;Richard Chen<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/197/734/original/3dbc120bdd-headshot.jpg?1666314455" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/197/734/thumb/3dbc120bdd-headshot.jpg?1666314455" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="159"></a>Richard Chen is a filmmaker and photographer from Vancouver, Canada. His upbringing, split between Shanghai and Vancouver, serves as a strong inspiration for his writing. Between high school and university, he spent a gap year exploring the world, traveling alone to 20 countries, Argentina being his favorite. He graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts Film and Television program in 2022 and is currently based out of New York.

Meeting Amy

Yearning for companionship but unable to connect with her daughter, a middle-aged Chinese immigrant turns to the unlikely world of online dating. Director Biography -&nbsp;Ricky Qi<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/063/272/original/14195ed789-headshot.jpg?1650765262" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/063/272/thumb/14195ed789-headshot.jpg?1650765262" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="154"></a>Ricky is an award-winning Chinese-American writer, director and National Geographic Explorer. Deeply attentive to how heritage and tradition respond to the pressures of an increasingly interconnected world, Ricky’s work is known for his humanistic portrayals of individuals caught in the larger currents of the times. Having worked and lived in China for much of the last decade, Ricky draws from the deep well of his own dual-culture background in order to tell stories that help us to understand the stranger across from us in a new light.Ricky is currently in development for his feature, GUILT TRIP, an Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition 2nd Rounder and Page Screenwriting Awards Semi-finalist. Follow Ricky on Instagram @supplythelight

Year of the Rat

A closed off Ramona struggles with her life-threatening past instead of being excited for her 30th birthday Director Biography -&nbsp;Rommel Andaya<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/267/356/original/e3439a9d6d-headshot.jpg?1675229218" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/267/356/thumb/e3439a9d6d-headshot.jpg?1675229218" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="108"></a>Rommel Andaya is a filmmaker known for his comedic dramas and time travel stories.With his production company, RAWMIX Productions, Rommel has been providing a platform for actors and creatives for a decade.As a proficient contributor to the 48 Hour Film Project in San Diego/Los Angeles and 72 Hour Film Shootout, hehas garnered a couple of award-winning films that have been featured in many film festivals across the nation.Rommel immerses himself in all aspects of production and continues to create and have a foothold in both film and new media platforms.

30 & 3

A short film set on the North Shore of O'ahu based on the true story of a Korean-American farming family tormented by loss and addiction. Director Biography -&nbsp;Keli'i Grace<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/239/814/original/102e652cd9-headshot.jpg?1672173544" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/239/814/thumb/102e652cd9-headshot.jpg?1672173544" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="241"></a>Keli'i Grace - Often called a visual translator for his innate ability to bring to life the soul of a story, Grace imparts a feeling to each moment in a raw and authentic way. His prior client work includes Kamehameha schools, Honda, Nissan, Island Air and the Hawaii Army National Guard, and his short film "Reverence" premiered at the Hawai'i International Film Festival in 2019. His film "Ala Moana Boys" premiered at the Hawai'i International Film Festival and screened as an Official Selection at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and many other international fests. He recently completed filming "My Partner," a feature film set in rural Maui featuring Hawaiian and Filipino actors speaking 'ōlelo and Tagalog. His work on Project Kuleana, Hōkūleʻa and Ala Kukui reveal his resonant understanding of Hawaiian culture, and he is most proud of the work he has done that shares his culture with those outside the state of Hawai'i.

APPA

A first-generation college senior confronts the realities of generational trauma, while preparing an original piece for an upcoming violin audition. Director Biography -&nbsp;Harsimran Sandhu<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/371/402/original/6b2bc798b5-headshot.jpg?1685159282" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/371/402/thumb/6b2bc798b5-headshot.jpg?1685159282" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="218"></a>Born and raised in San Jose, California, Harsimran Sandhu is a recent graduate from SDSU. He believes in the power of stories to make us feel less alone, and hopes that his films are able to help people with the same struggles. He hopes to utilize his skills to bring diverse and fresh perspectives wherever he goes!

Pulp

After Jin meets not only his father but also unknown family members for the first time, everything becomes confused and chaotic. Director Biography -&nbsp;Sylvia Ray<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/280/015/original/e28aaea939-headshot.jpg?1677526749" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/280/015/thumb/e28aaea939-headshot.jpg?1677526749" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="86"></a>Born and raised in Barstow, CA, Sylvia Ray is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. With a Korean mother and a Chicano dad, Sylvia draws inspiration from her desert-town upbringing, travels abroad, her fashion background, and motherhood. Her focus is to tell stories that highlight women and people of color while bridging cultural and economic gaps in a truthful and entertaining way. She is a fellow of HBO’s Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today Program for Hola Mexico Film Festival in both 2019 and 2020. Sylvia has directed several award-winning short films, music videos/commercials, and web series episodes. Her latest film Preggers won the Audience Award and Best Comedy at Arizona International Film Festival and was also showcased at The Academy of Motion Pictures through New Filmmakers LA during LatinX and Hispanic Cinema Month.

Our Late Father

Liane works diligently on her Japanese cucumber farm with only the help of her husband Boun, and her grandson Aiden, who she has raised since he was a small child due to the early separation of his parents. Aiden and Liane have grown close as they both work together to continue to save up enough money for Liane to eventually return to her homeland of Laos, where she can be closer to her children after 20 years. Director Biography -&nbsp;Justin Hiromi Pascua<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/358/006/original/5f01b19c56-headshot.jpg?1683705217" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/358/006/thumb/5f01b19c56-headshot.jpg?1683705217" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;" width="237"></a>Writer/director Justin Pascua has had a passion for filmmaking since elementary school. This being one of his final productions with the University of Hawai’i (UH), Justin has grown to appreciate the finer details and nuances in writing, directing, cinematography, and editing. He hopes that this project can be a part of the culmination of his four years in the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) at UH Mānoa. His desire to tell compelling and real human stories, coupled with his passion for creating visually compelling films, drew him to filming this project. Justin is incredibly grateful for Aiden and his family for allowing him to enter their lives and tell their personal story, with hopes to share their impactful journey of asian immigration and family love through Justin’s directorial debut for his first documentary film.

Homestead

Time moves slow, fast. A Korean-American woman who chose to follow her dreams now finds herself an undecorated writer at age 32, living a life far from what she had pictured. Director Biography -&nbsp;Sara ChungSara Chung is a 21-year-old Korean-American and Los Angeles native. She made her directorial debut with the film "Inganmi," a project she co-wrote and co-produced. Currently on a festival run extending to 2024; in July of 2023, "Inganmi" will be premiering at an Oscar-Qualifying Film Festival. She is currently in production of her second film, "Burger Knight," a short drama/comedy that offers a unique perspective on the new generation of POC youth in America.

Inganmi

Stunning Hawaii backdrops frame this touching drama about a Tongan brother and sister at rugby practice. Recovering from a recent injury and rejected from another University, Alofa is ready to give up. Meanwhile, her brother Malu races against time to encourage his sister and pass on valuable life lessons before it's too late. Director Biography -&nbsp;Misa Tupou<a href="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/375/820/original/42a9cee1f0-headshot.jpg?1685424998" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img src="https://filmfreeway-production-storage-01-storage.filmfreeway.com/press_kits/headshots/002/375/820/thumb/42a9cee1f0-headshot.jpg?1685424998" width="141" style="border: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-size: 12.95px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; position: relative;"></a>Misa Tupou is a graduate from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School and the University of Auckland. In theatre, his focus is on Mask Performance and Physical Theatre. With filmmaking, he has a keen interest in limited or non-dialogue storytelling. In addition, he loves capturing pieces on sport as well as on art and cultural stories. In education, he has taught Creative Drama at the Manoa Campus of The University of Hawaiʻi and Beginning Acting at Kapiʻolani Community College. He has guest lectured on the topic of Pacific Islanders in Theatre and Film in Aotearoa New Zealand throughout the University of Hawaiʻi system. For the Department of Education he taught a mask performance component for their Art Mobile program. In the community, Misa co-founded and directed the Oʻahu Fringe Festival and was a co-founder of the Aotearoa New Zealand Film Festival in Honolulu. As a performer he has acted on various theatre and film productions in both New Zealand and Hawaiʻi.

My Brother

United States of America

Inter-Generational, Family Stories

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