Five Pinoy Feature Films to be screened at the 30th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

The 30th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival will be held on May 1, 2014 to May 11, 2014. This annual film festival is a vehicle to promote Asian Pacific American and Asian international cinema. The festival fulfills a unique mission in illuminating the visions and voices of Asian Pacific peoples and heritage. And this year, five full-length feature films from the Philippines will be featured in the festival. [hit the jump to continue]


These films, featured in the section New Face of Philippine Cinema, are as follows:

“Debosyon" is written and directed by Alvin B. Yapan. Starring Paulo Avelino & Mara Lopez, it tells the story of Mando (Paulo Avelino), a Bikolano devotee of Ina, Virgin of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bikolandia. Mando injures himself in the middle of the forest at the foot of the Mayon Volcano. He is nursed back to health by a mysterious woman, Salome (Mara Lopez) living there. They eventually fall in love with each other. But when Mando invites her to come with him to the plains, Salome refuses, saying a curse prohibits her from leaving the forest. Salome holds a secret that will devastate Mando’s love for her. Mando relies on his devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia to lift the curse, making him realize just how inextricably linked are the virtues of love and faith.

"Kabisera" is written and directed by Borgy Torre, who won Best Director at the CinemaOne Originals for this film, is about a man who is drawn into the world of drug trafficking in the Philippines. Kabisera stars Joel Torre (On The Job), Arthur Acuña, Ketchup Eusebio and Bernard Palanca.

"Shift" is written and directed by Siege Ledesma, and stars Yeng Constantino and Felix Roco. Its story centers on Estela, an idealistic, call center slacker is mentored by Trevor, a pragmatic, senior agent. Their interaction develops into an unconventional relationship. This film has won the Osaka Asian Film Festival Grand Prize last March.

"Blue Bustamante" is written and directed by Miko Livelo. It's a family drama-comedy that focuses on the story of a jobless OFW who becomes a double for Blue Force, a superhero character in an upcoming Japanese show.

"Rekorder" is written and directed by Mikhail Red. REKORDER tells the story of Maven, a former film cameraman of the 1980’s. In present day Manila, he operates as a movie pirate, routinely smuggling an obsolete camcorder into movie theaters in order to illegally record films. One night he records something else... And the footage goes viral.

Aside from these films, the festival will also include Filipino films in the shorts and documentary sections.