Each Day R/Evolution

Ang Pamana: The Inheritance at VC Film Festival

Our film, Ang Pamana: the Inheritance, had its world debut at the Louis Vuitton Hawaiian International Film Festival, has since been screened on the film festival circuit in Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago and had 2 sold out shows at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, and had its theatrical in theatres across the Philippines.

We've been selected to screen for one-night only, a midnight showing (11.55pm ), at the Sunset Laemmle 5 cinema, in the heart of clubland, on Friday, May 4th.

Despite the fact that I'm 29 weeks pregnant, I will be extending my waking hours to represent this film that evening. I know it's a "late night" and believe me, I was kinda bummed that they slated us so late, but I think that perhaps the "supernatural horror" aspect of the film's content led the program directors to give us a "spooky midnight" screening time. So I apologize in advance, understand if that's too late to make it out, and I'm sorry I can't do anything about it.

But if you have youth, vitality and energy within you yet, and can still find it within you to "rage against the dying of the light" - come out on Friday night and please support my first film - and the first (hopefully not last) time my name flashes across the screen in the opening credits as "Screenplay by."

Thank you for your continued inspiration and support!

Carmen

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Sunset Blvd and Crescent Heights is the heart of Hollywood’s clubland.  On Friday, May 4th, a midnight screening of the film that’s been called ". . . a step forward for Filipino horror," (Richard Kuipers, Variety) will transport an audience back to the Philippines – where all of grandma’s stories of magic, mythological creatures and ghost stories come to life.

Ang Pamana: The Inheritance
When the De Jesus-Reyes family get word that their family matriarch, Lola (Grandma) Nena has died, Johnny and his sister Anna must represent their parents in Manila for the reading of the will. Dark family secrets, shocking revelations, and a world of supernatural forces await. .

Representing the experience of North/American born young Filipinos, this is a story about going back to the "homeland" and discovering a legacy of culture, family secrets and mythological folklore come to life. Ghosts, Filipino "elementals" - mythological creatures, refreshing original music by writer/director/songwriter Romeo Candido and award-winning Dolby 5.1 sound design create an audio-visual landscape of haunting visual storytelling.

One night only screening in Los Angeles, as an official selection of the Visual Communications Film Festival.
Nominated for a Grand Jury Award

FRI, MAY 04 - 11:55 PM | Laemmle's Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood
(corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights)

Advance Tickets available here: http://www.vconline.org/festival/program.cfm?program_id=66

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about Ang Pamana: The Inheritance

Q: Just how scary is the movie?
A: It's not "The Ring" or "The Grudge." It's spooky, but in a classy, inferential way that's not always popping up in your face. There are no giant spiders, psychotic clowns or hellspawn in this movie. A kind reviewer put us in the genre of a "Pan's Labryinth" supernatural folklore rather than the Japanese horror genre.

Q: Since the film title is half in Tagalog - does this mean that non-Filipinos won't understand the movie?
A: The film is mostly in English. Whenever there is Tagalog spoken, it's subtitled. In addition, we've had so many non-Filipinos in every audience in all the different festivals we've screened at, and they have enjoyed the film and the music too!

Q. I love the music in the film. Can you tell me about it, or where I can get a soundtrack?
A: There are a few original songs in the movie composed and performed by the writer/director, Romeo Candido. The score was composed by Gerard Salonga (brother of Lea Salonga). Romeo's music has been compared to something kind of "Death Cab For Cutie-esque. Soundtrack albums will be available for sale at the screening, and can also be ordered through our production company's website - The Digital Sweatshop, Inc. at www.thedigitalsweatshop.com

Official film website: http://www.angpamana-theinheritance-movie.com/

Ang Pamana screening in Los Angeles

Breaking news: Ang Pamana: The Inheritance will be screening in Los Angeles as part of this year's VC Fest! Screening dates have not yet been set.

Brownskinlady

This World is Yours. Beautiful, delicate jewelry by the Brownskinlady aka Caroline Mangosing.

San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival - Recap

What can I tell you about my experience at the SF Asian American film festival this year?

• I got a badge this year, for being a screenwriter of Ang Pamana: The Inheritance - w00t!
• We had 2 SOLD OUT screenings, one of them in a 360 person capacity theatre at the AMC Van Ness 1000.
• My best friend, Romeo Candido, the director/writer, flew out from Manila, joining his wife Caroline Mangosing, the producer/actress, who flew out from Toronto. I was their joint "best man" at their wedding.
• We met up with Johann and Dorothy Camat, who live in South SF with their baby Joey, and who graciously opened their home for us to hang out (especially with 3 of my sisters who drove from all over Southern California to watch the film). Romeo, Dorothy, Johann and I have known each other for over 13(?) years, when we all performed in the Original Canadian cast of Miss Saigon together.
• Dustin Nguyen, of 21 Jumpstreet fame, still looks young and fit, but he smokes Marlboro Lights.
• I didn't see MC Hammer at the Opening Night party.

At least 30 of my friends and their friends represented by coming out to see the film, many of them joining us for food and drink at the Olive Bar prior to the Tuesday screening. Shouts out to them: Jim+Lori Sottile, Jonathan Abrams and his girlfriend Martine, Chris Baum and Mai Le, Courtenay Wilson and her friend, Josh, Philip and Jackie Conklin, Charmaine Araneta and Luis Gutierrez, Tony Tintiman and Peter Santos, Alex and Tre Weir, John Flaniken and his girlfriend, Jen, Courtney Patubo, Scott Myers and friends, Miri Nakamura, and of course my 3 beautiful sisters, Toni, Zandi and Nikki. If I forgot to add your name, call me and yell at me.

The 2nd screening was the BEST.  The audience was packed, and fully engaged from the start - loud, boisterous, screaming, laughing and making sounds in advance - totally understanding all the in-jokes, the foreshadowing and the references that audiences in Manila just couldn't relate to.

The hype is over now. When my name flashed across the screen, all I wanted was a cheer from my friends in the crowd.  I got that, and it felt good to see words I wrote coming out of actor's mouths.

The film moves on to film festivals in other cities - an independent screening in Toronto, then on to a film festival in Chicago, etc.
Hopefully we can get picked up by a distributor or sponsor who will help us release it in theatres in San Francisco or Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, we're working on our next projects . . .a kitschy original musical comedy about beauty queens, the first martial arts movie focusing on Filipino martial arts, a dark musical about a dominatrix saying goodbye to her secret life. . all coming up from the creative team at The Digital Sweatshop, Inc.

We have some pictures of the creative team and 3 of the actors: Phoemela, Darrell and Caroline, at the Filipinas magazine website.

First Screening of Ang Pamana: The Inheritance - SOLD OUT

Our first screening on Saturday March 17th is already SOLD OUT!

If you want to come, you can either get in the rush tickets line (I'd recommend getting in line around 8.30 - it's a 9.45 screening, or come to the Tuesday screening, which may also sell out as well.)

Last Screening: TUESDAY, March 20th, 9.45pm at the AMC 1000 Van Ness, on Van Ness/Geary
Click here to buy Tuesday tickets - FAST!

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Last year I co-wrote a film called Ang Pamana: The Inheritance.  It's been touring film festivals, and it's finally coming to San Francisco as part of the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival.

There will only be 2 screenings of our film during the festival. ONLY 2. And I don't know when you'll be able to see it next, or ever again, unless we get picked up by some art-house distribution.

These 2 screenings are the ONLY 2 opportunities that I may have to gather my friends so you can all validate my ego by cheering, whooping and hollering LOUDLY when my name flashes across the screen during the opening credits. I don't need much ego validation these days, but it's not every day I get to see my name on a movie screen.

I'll be in San Francisco and attending both screenings.  If you don't see my name on the online program, don't worry, it's on the printed program, which is available all over the City.

First Screening: SATURDAY, March 17th, 9.45pm at the AMC 1000 Van Ness, on Van Ness/Geary
Last Screening: TUESDAY, March 20th, 9.45pm at the AMC 1000 Van Ness, on Van Ness/Geary

Here's the series of links again:

Film Festival Listing for Ang Pamana

Online Trailer for Ang Pamana

Creative Team: The Digital Sweatshop, Inc.

In the immortal words of the Spice Girls - Say you'll be there!

Love love love,

Carmen