The truth is as a filmmaker and as a person I am naïve. What I value more than almost anything is experiencing new things, new people, and new places. I spent some time travelling throughout Mexico and I fell in love with the country. I met and observed different people from all ends of the social stratosphere: from the poor children on the streets of Mexico City to the honest street vendors of Veracruz to the seedy nightlife of La Zona Rosa. What I saw was at times ugly and at times beautiful, but always true. This is what I will document on my future travels. These people deserve to be heard.
Once you start to see my work you'll notice my main character will almost always be of asian or pacific island descent and it is most definitely on purpose. As a Filipino American it is important to me to help reshape the representation of Asians in the media. We are not your model minority. Our men are not obedient effeminite or asexual and our women are not submissive or hyper-sexual. We each come from a people that have a rich history that is generally an afterthought in American education. This is something I am passionate about: giving a voice to Asian Americans.
Just a few of my favorite things -- drag queens, tough women, dysfunction, quietness, home countries,fashion, vibrant colors, static shots, and unanswered questions. Give me any mix of these, a camera, final cut, and I'm a happy boy.
