San Diego County has the nation's second-largest Filipino American population, so it is more than fitting that the South Bay hosts the San Diego Filipino Film Festival (SDFFF). The festival kicks off its fourth year on Thursday with its Magic Hour Meet and Greet Reception at Speakeasy X at Lime in the Coconut, and will screen films through Sunday at AMC Plaza Bonita.
Filipino flavor
Every festival in San Diego has a personality. The San Diego Italian Film Festival, which overlaps with SDFFF this weekend, is not just about an Italian perspective but about providing a piazza for conversations about film. The San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF), which follows SDFFF, has the boldest programming thanks to its adventurous artistic director, Brian Hu.
SDFFF has the most warmly inviting spirit, as founder Benito Bautista welcomes every attendee into the festival fold, sometimes with a literal embrace. And the films themselves often tackle themes of family and community in a way that dovetails beautifully off the festival's vibes.
And the films...
This year the event has been condensed to just four intense days of celebration, networking and, most importantly, film.
The centerpiece film, "Sunshine," had its San Diego premiere last year at SDAFF's Spring Showcase. Fortunately for filmgoers, it will have an encore screening at SDFFF.
"'Sunshine' was actually, in the beginning, banned in the Philippines because it talks about abortion. We don't have abortion in the Philippines," Bautista said. "But now it's accepted. It's a story of a young woman who is now going to compete in the Olympics for ballet and ribbon dance. And she has a dilemma because she's going to have a baby. That is actually the conflict — having a baby. And that's really amazing in the film. Maris Racal, the lead actress, really did an amazing job. And we are so fortunate to have her coming."
The film will close out the festival on Sunday.
On Saturday, Bautista will screen his own film, the documentary "The Road to Sydney." The night will also include SDFFF Shorts Awards, followed by Baryo Rising: Queer After Party.
"'The Road to Sydney' is a feature documentary and follows the Philippine dance master and choreographer, Sydney Loyola, who found refuge in dance after a childhood of bullying in Palawan — one of the islands in the Philippines," Bautista explained. "That's where she grew up. Now based in San Francisco, Sydney faces discrimination and struggles with the realities of job loss and eviction following her gender affirmation. That's her journey. And through her courage and artistry in dance, she embarks on a journey of healing and identity."
Sami Andico, serving for the second year as programmer, had tough choices to make when selecting films to show.
"This year was quite difficult," Andico recalled. "We had over 100 submissions to the festival this year. And what I noticed is that, obviously, all art reflects the time that they were created in. And I felt like this year was no exception. I feel like we have a lot of films covering things like climate change, familial relations, LGBTQIA identity and things like that. So it was a tough decision, but I believe we have a very strong set of films."
In addition to "The Road to Sydney" tackling queer themes, there are two short films offering LGBTQIA topics.
"'Lip Sync Assassin' and 'Zendaida' are about individuals in the LGBTQ community, especially drag queens. So they're two really interesting ones," Andico added. "Honestly, all of the films this year showcase how nuanced and diverse our stories are within the community. It's a testament of art as a way to heal and bring people together."
Visions and Voices
In addition to films, SDFFF provides filmmakers a chance to network and learn about navigating the film industry through Visions and Voices. Bautista, along with his creative and life partner, Emma Francisco, wanted to share the knowledge they have gained over the years.
"We wanted to bring this experience and the insights within this experience to the community of emerging filmmakers and also beginning filmmakers, or just the community, trying to figure out what actually happens in a film market or in an international or premier film festival," Bautista said. "The international film market is an experience that, if you don't know how to navigate, you will get lost. It's a place for your film to be seen, to be distributed, to be licensed, to be picked up, to be bought. We have incubation and mentoring, and discussion of development of films."
SDFFF is short and sweet this year, so add it to you busy film festival to-do list.
