Dialogue: Select filmmakers in attendance.
Friday, May 8, 5:45 p.m. | By exploring cultural preservation and identity, the immigrant experience, and diaspora resilience, these shorts preserve overlooked histories, strengthen intergenerational bonds, and highlight the emotional, often absurd, complexities of familial care and survival. Dialogue: Select filmmakers in attendance.
Program:
THE LITTLE FARMERS OF REYNOLDSBURG, OHIO
1936, dir. Nicholas Galutera Viernes, USA, 15 mins.
Archivist Ashley Dequilla of The Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago weaves together home-movie footage of an interracial couple on a farm in 1930s rural Ohio. Will be screened in the lobby prior to the program.
AWIT NATIN (OUR SONG)
2025, dir. Pacqui Pascual, USA, 11 min., In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
A family takes extreme measures to hide their ailing mother from some even worse news.
VETERANO
2026, dir. Patrick Epino, USA, 10 min., In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
A down-and-out World War II veteran in 1981 San Francisco resorts to crime, with chaotic results.
SANDS STREET
2025, dir. Claro de los Reyes, USA, 19 min., In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
A steward and a welder from different backgrounds forget an unexpected bond in 1940s Brooklyn.
BRIDGING OUR STORIES
2026, dir. Rafael Bitanga, USA, Philippines, 25 min, In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
A 50-year-old Filipina who spent her life resisting her heritage travels to the Philippines to rediscover her roots.
YOU COULD’VE BEEN A NURSE
2025, dir. Meg Mateo, USA, 13 min., In English
A woman finds out her mother has only days to live, but it's their mismatched expectations that creates unforeseen heartbreak.
MAYBE IT’S JUST THE RAIN
2025, dir. Reina Bonta, USA, New Zealand, Philippines, 16 min., In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
Representing the Philippines in the Women’s World Cup leads the filmmaker there on a voyage of discovery.
IN THE MORNING SUN
2026, dir. Serville Poblete, Canada, Philippines, 22 min., In English and Tagalog with English subtitles
In an apartment on the other side of the world, a woman finds ways to stay connected to her family back home.
Asian American Showcase | May 7–12, 2026
Presented as an annual collaboration with the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media and now celebrating its 29th year, the Asian American Showcase (AAS) provides a platform for new work by established and emerging Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander filmmakers and stories. Synopses provided by AAS.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu