The Fourth Annual San Diego Filipino Film Festival (SDFFF) returns with a bang this fall from October 1-6, 2024. Held during Filipino American History Month in October, SDFFF is San Diego Filipino Cinema's (SDFC) annual centerpiece event that aims to raise awareness for Filipino cinema as an important art form and a powerful tool for representation, education, and entertainment.
This year's festival theme is "play," highlighting the crucial role of creativity and exploration in storytelling and healing, and reminding us of the power these narratives have to foster connection and understanding across cultures. Welcoming filmmakers with a commitment to creativity and storytelling, SDFFF's roster includes films that enrich understanding of the diverse Filipino/a/x experience and explore complex issues through a playful lens.
SDFFF currently hosts the largest curation and exhibition of global Filipino films in North America spread between in-person and virtual screening opportunities.
This year's selection includes 53 shorts and 6 feature films spread across six days of in-person theater screenings at the AMC Theatres Plaza Bonita, Westfield in San Diego's South Bay. An additional 20+ films will be available through SDFFF's Virtual Cinema Selects programming, screening October 16-20 online via sdfff.org. Throughout the six-day in-person event, SDFFF will also hold filmmaker Q&As, networking events, a live mural painting by renowned muralist Venazir Martinez, and the San Diego-Philippine Film Trade Fair across multiple San Diego sites.
"SDFFF proudly and boldly brings Filipino stories and cultural representation to the forefront, sparking curiosity about diverse perspectives and fostering meaningful dialogue. Our festival is a platform for exploring our shared humanity amidst diversity and overcoming racial animosity, aiming to build a more inclusive and empathetic community. SDFFF serves as a powerful reminder that we are not defined by stereotypes or limited to conventional roles like nurses and military personnel. Instead, we are remarkable artists, athletes, musicians, chefs, leaders, educators, storytellers, and so much more," notes Benito Bautista, Executive Director and Cofounder of SDFC/SDFFF. "SDFFF takes great pride in bringing to light perspectives that often go unnoticed, both within our community and globally. We are committed to being a platform for bold, compelling, and inclusive stories and storytellers. From the powerful voice and vision of filmmaker Sonny Calvento, whose award-winning short 'Primetime Mother' has captivated audiences, to the internationally acclaimed filmmaker Pepe Diokno's poignant historical drama, GOMBURZA, we are excited for our San Diego community to experience these remarkable films on the big screen," says SDFC/SDFFF Programming Director and Cofounder, Emma Francisco Bautista.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
SDFFF opens with Kevin Mayuga's debut feature, When This is All Over, featuring Juan Karlos Labajo and Jorrybell Agoto. Set against the backdrop of the pandemic in the Philippines, the film explores the sharp social class divide through the story of a middle-class young man, dubbed "The Guy" (Labajo), who forms an unexpected bond with a young woman (Agoto) working in his condominium building Mayuga reflects, "I was never acutely aware of my privilege more so than when the pandemic hit While I was fortunate enough to be comfortable, countless others were struggling and literally fighting for their lives. That awakened feeling has turned into some sort of guilt of having privilege in this exaggerated class divide." The film made its world premiere at the prestigious Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival in 2023 and garnered awards for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Musical Score.
At the heart of the Festival is this year's Centerpiece Feature Where is the Lie? (MARUPOK AF) by Quark Henares starring Maris Racal, EJ Jallorina, and Royce Cabrera. Based on true events, the film centers on an online catfishing controversy that happened between a TV commercial director and a transphobe named Beanie Landridos (Racal) and her unsuspecting victim - a hopeless romantic trans woman named Janzen (Jallorina). The story unfolds as Beanie entangles Janzen in a web of deceit with a jaw-dropping conclusion. Henares's most acclaimed work to date,
Where is the Lie? Premiered at Slamdance in 2023 to widespread critical acclaim.
One day before the festival concludes,
SDFFF will host the San Diego Philippine Film Trade Fair Scheduled for October 5th, from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Liberty Station Conference Center, this all day film expo, supported by the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, will feature film and media exhibitors, panel discussions, and a breakout room aimed at fostering potential collaborations.
Attendees can look forward to presentations on
independent film distribution in the Philippines by EdukSine founder Karen Salutan Krukover and
strategies for intellectual property management and protection by SIKAP President Marla Rausch. The expo will also include a panel on
California and Philippine film production incentives with guest panelists Leah Medrano of the California Film Commission, Genesis Raenani Gaffud-Reños of the Philippine Department of Tourism Los Angeles, and Eric C. Elnar of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Los Angeles.
Headlining the film expo is SDFFF's Visions & Voices Panel Discussion Series: In the Realm of Animation, where notable Filipino illustration and animation pioneers While Portacio, Ronnie del Carmen, Ricky Nierva, and Bobby Rubio will share their experiences and discuss the future of animation in Hollywood.
To close out the Festival. SDFFF showcases the historical dramatic feature GOMBURZA, by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Jose Lorenzo "Pepe" Diokno. The film depicts the poignant story of three martyr priests-_Mariano Gomes (portrayed by Dante Rivero), Jose Burgos (played by Cedrick Juan), and Jacinto Zamora (played by Enchong Dee) who were falsely accused of sedition and treason and executed by garrote in 1872. The story accounts their struggle which began with the secularization movement led by Padre Pedro Pelaez (played by Polo Pascual). The execution of these priests galvanized others to continue the fight for reform, ultimately inspiring Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, who honored the priests by dedicating his novel El Filibusterismo to their memory. GomBurZa is a stirring heroic drama filled with intrigue, battle scenes, and love of country, serving as an epic tribute to the figures who helped shape Filipin0 consciousness.
Additional Features include
Gian Arre's Tether (starring Jorrybell Agoto and Mikoy Morales)
J.E. Tiglao's Her Locket (starring Rebecca Chaununsu, Boo Gabunada, and Elora Espano), and
Blue Room by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagnalan (starring Juan Karlos Labajo, Elijah Canlas, Harvey Bautista, Nourijune Hooshmand, Keoni Jin, and Soliman Cruz).
Interspersed among these six features are seven equally compelling Shorts Programs: Connect the Dot, Scenes From Home, Divergent Tales, Outside the Box, Finding Elsewhere, Larger Than Life, and DIASPORA. Each program presents up to eight short films, offering a rich tapestry of narratives from innovative filmmakers that promise to resonate with every SDFFF attendee.
This year's shorts selection includes Sonny Calvento's bold satire Primetime Mother (starring Meryll Soriano), Zeinabu irene Davis's poignant drama Pandemic Bread (featuring Princess Punzalan), and Alexandra Qin's gripping short Thirstygirl, which has been nominated for a Sundance 2024 Best Short Film award and stars Samantha Ahn.
SDFFF aims not only to be a platform to amplify Filipino stories and perspectives, but also to foster new interest in filmmaking and cinema as art throughout the local and global Filipino community. SDFC strives to have the Festival accessible to everyone and welcomes audiences from all backgrounds.
Tickets to the Fourth Annual SDFFF are exclusively available online at
sdfff.org.