Inaugural FilAm Creative Film Festival Announces Fil-Am Director’s West Coast Premiere Of Mahal, Award-winning VR Animated Experience

Los Angeles, CA, October 2, 2023: The inaugural FilAm Creative Film Festival (FACFF), sponsored and co-hosted by Occidental College's Media Arts & Culture Department (MAC) and OXY Arts, is proud to feature the west coast premiere of MAHAL, part of REIMAGINED, an award-winning immersive animated virtual reality (VR) series created in partnership with Meta and produced by Very Cavaliere Productions. Directed by Michaela Ternasky-Holland, a queer Filipina creative storyteller, the exhibition is available to the public on Saturday, November 4th at OXY Arts in Eagle Rock, CA.

Michaela Ternasky- Holland is an Emmy, Webby, and Sheffield Doc/Fest award-winning XR/metaverse storyteller. Recently named as one of the 100 Original Voices of XR, she creates non-fiction and socially impactful stories by using immersive and interactive technology. She focuses on the impact of the projects to move beyond the project itself. When she isn't creating her own original projects, she consults for socially conscious companies and non-profit organizations on creative strategy and impact production. Her work has been featured by TIME, Forbes, The Guardian, Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and The New York Public Library.

REIMAGINED VOLUME II: MAHAL is slated as a Special Program in FilAm Creative Film Festival’s already exciting lineup, promising unique experiences which mirror FACFF’s efforts to support and uplift the Filipino/ AAPI creative community.

“We are so excited and honored to host Michaela and her mindblowing work in Los Angeles. Not only is she on the forefront of tech in film and media, but she has created a magical world in MAHAL that highlights Filipino culture and raises awareness to its triumphs and struggles,” said Jennielyn Abrot, Head of FilAm Creative Film Festival.

The inaugural FilAm Creative Film Festival will be held November 3-5, 2023, and is produced by FilAm Creative (FAC), a Los Angeles-based 501(c)3 nonprofit supporting Filipino American and AAPI artists.

To learn more about the inaugural FilAm Creative Film Festival including ticketing info, visit http://facff.com.
For Press and Media inquiries regarding FACFF, please reach out ATTN: Joel Handler, Director of Communications at info@facff.com.

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About FilAm Creative:
FilAm Creative (FAC), a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, is the premiere Filipino-American creative organization promoting a more culturally integrated and diverse entertainment industry. By providing educational and community-oriented programming and resources, FAC aims to encourage and create leaders who share our vision. Based in Los Angeles, this community organization is dedicated to the advancement and empowerment of Filipino-Americans and AAPI in media and entertainment.

About Occidental’s Media Arts & Culture (MAC):
Occidental’s Media Arts & Culture (MAC) Department integrates media theory and production, helping its students to develop critical and creative skills for engaging in an increasingly participatory media culture. MAC fosters graduates who are technically savvy, creatively innovative, critically questioning, and socially engaged on local and global registers. Alumni often enter straight into the entertainment industry, working on a wide array of film, television, streaming, and emergent media forms. Others are making their mark in independent fictional and documentary media, and many are charting career paths as media analysts, scholars, museum exhibition designers, curators, and community-engaged activists.

About OXY Arts:
OXY ARTS is a vital public space bringing together the Occidental College community, the Northeast Los Angeles community, and local and regional artists in socially conscious dialogue and engagement. They seek to share, connect and hold space for ideas and curiosity. About Reimagined Volume II: Mahal: Inspired by Philippine mythology, the story focuses on Apolaki, Mayari, Tala, and Hanan, the four immortal children of the recently passed creator god, Bathala. As each of these deities wrestles with the grief of losing Bathala, their all-powerful actions create ripples throughout the universe. Dedicated to Director Michaela Ternasky-Holland's late father, MAHAL is a story of how love comes at a cost.