THE CAST
who transformed words and ideas into life
 Perry EscañoBorn in Ilo-Ilo, Perry is an actor based in Manila, the Philippines. He attended a theater acting workshop facilitated by Bodjie Pascua at the Bulwagang Gantimpala Theater and received his film and TV advanced and intensive acting trainings from Gina Alajar at the Mowelfund. He has appeared in more than fifty TV shows and in more than thirty films and plays. His filmography includes appearances in Redd Ochoa’s BALIW (2007), Paul Soriano’s THELMA (2011), and Brillante Mendoza's CAPTIVE (2012). |  Hemang SharmaHemang is an Indian-born, New York-actor. He studied acting at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York and has done three plays and a few shorts in the New York region. He's currently rehearsing for his first Shakespearean role, for 'Romeo and Juliet' which opens in NYC in 2015. Prior to that he acted while at college at the University of Minnesota. He also did theatre in India where he went to high school. |  Shannen RaeShannen is an actress and a singer and has been in numerous stage productions including EVITA, LES MISERABLES, GIGI, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. She formally trained in vocal performance and acting at the Hartt School. She also played a principal role in the short film THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST (2012). |
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 Catherine Coady ChristonCatherine received her BA in Theater from Muhlenberg College. She also received numerous trainings in acting from renowned institutions such as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Accademia dell’Arte: Arezzo, and Stella Adler. Recently. she appeared in the full feature film THE OTHERWORLD (2013). |  Kimberley SimpsonKimberley hails from Florida but is currently living in New York. She loves both fashion and film. She is involved in acting as well as in behind the scenes production work. |  Matthew Cheirs IIMatthew is a resident of Flushing, Queens who describes himself as sometimes poet, sometimes artist, and always just Matt. He studied Criminal Justice at CUNY John Jay. He is currently an outreach worker at APICHA community. He was a former member of the now defunct KAPPA PI and among the ones who were featured in the documentary THE BROTHERS OF KAPPA PI (2009). |
 Kashfi FahimKashfi studied English Literature at York College, City University of New York. He loves both acting and film production. |  Ramon Prado MappalaRamon is an independent producer based in New York and has helped produce a number of movies, both of film students and of professionals. He also enjoys acting and occasionally appears on screen. He played parts in BATANG WESTSIDE (2001), THE BROTHERS OF KAPPA PI (2009), THE ENCOUNTER (2010), CENTURY OF BIRTHING (2011), and THE BOURNE LEGACY (2012). He attended the University of the Philippines in Baguio and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. |  Anneberyl Corotan NaguitAnneberyl (aka Cling) is a revolutionary artist who creates and supports socially-relevant projects. She is a national staff of the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, a not for profit alliance that upholds the rights and welfare of Filipinos overseas. She is a nursing graduate from Stony Brook University, currently working for the New York Stare Nurses Association, a group dedicated to fighting for the rights of nurses. She also received her BA in Theater Arts from the same university. |
 Ged MerinoGed is a painter and a printmaker who occasionally appears in films to support his fellow-artists. He appeared in Lav Diaz’s BATANG WESTSIDE (2001). He is also the founder and owner of Bliss and Bliss Art Projects in Sunnyside, a venue that opens its doors both to beginning and established painters, photographers, singers, writers, poets, live performers, filmmakers, and other artistic projects. |  Richard TranRichard is a California-based Vietnamese-American actor. He took acting classes at the HB Studio. He received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his masters from NYU. Over the past couple of years, he worked on numerous television and film sets in New York City. |  Joel QuiñonesBorn in Puerto Rico, Dominican-American actor Joel Quinones grew up between the streets of New York City and Santo Domingo. Raised by his mother, Joel learned the importance of hard work and independence from a young age. While studying at Brooklyn College and LaGuardia College, he discovered acting as an artistic and emotional outlet. He has since gone on to work in a variety of television, film, webisode and theatre projects as a bilingual Spanish & English artist. |
 Jason SolJason is originally from a small town in Central Pennsylvania. He had always dreamed of acting, but never felt it was in his cards to pursue. As an Asian, Jason had to abide by the traditional wishes of his parents. He finished college and entered the corporate world. After eight years, Jason realized that his dream to become an actor remained alive. Jason took the biggest gamble of his life in 2012; he left every hard-earned comfort behind in Pennsylvania and moved to NYC. |  Michael John DionMichael John is an actor, musician, and teacher who lives in NYC. His work in indie features and shorts has been seen in film festivals from Los Angeles to New York to Berlin. He spends his summers leading a music program for young scholars in Manhattan, and the rest of the year in pursuit of ever-interesting roles to play. Classically trained in acting, voice, dance and piano, Michael John embraces the freelance movement, and is always excited for what will happen next. |  Dominique LiwanagDominique attended De LaSalle University College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts. He also attended the University of Santo Tomas. He enjoys both being in front and behind the camera. He currently lives in Queens, New York. |
 Pamela KimPamela is a certified dietitian nutritionist working in public health. She lives in New York with her maltese. She enjoys acting, cooking, and watching movies. |  Kevin QKevin is an actor, film-maker and model living in NYC. He is also in the international distribution business and a real estate investor. He loves fitness, weight-training, swimming and martial arts. He is passionate about learning new skills, especially those related to film. He is a graduate of New York University. |  Andrew DobbieAndrew loves sports and is a trained fencer. While he just started in acting for film and television, he has already appeared in several projects ranging from short films to shows by the National Geographic to HBO to Amazon TV. |
 Rodrigo MúmarRodrigo was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and is now living in New York. Acting trained, he loves the show business, currently working with some of the most prominent talent agencies in the city. Although he is relatively new in the business, he has already worked for several tv shows and commercials. He also loves dancing and was trained in ballet, freestyle, flamenco, hiphop, and salsa to name a few. |  Nina GonzalesNina is a New York-based designer and photographer who lends herself to various artistic endeavors. She attended Syracuse University and the Spéos Paris Photographic Institute. |  Jhosef AmarilloJhosef Amarillo was born in Lima, Peru and came to the U.S. when he was five. He grew up in Long Island. Jhosef loves acting, dancing, and sports. He is trained in stage combat and is skilled in stunts. He also dances modern, hiphop, break, and salsa. |
 Paulo AmorimPaulo is a Brazilian native who now finds his new home in New Jersey. While Paulo is a filmmaker and a photographer, he also loves the challenges of being in front of the camera. His other interests include dancing and learning new languages. He can also play the trombone and the guitar. |
THE CREW
who wore multiple hats
Roberto Reyes Ang
producer / director / writer / editor / camera and boom mic operator / stills photographer
Roberto received his M.A. in Cinema Studies from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He also completed an Advanced Certificate Program in Culture and Media from the same university's Department of Anthropology. He was born and raised in the Philippines, but has mostly lived in the US. He received his B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of California, Los Angeles with minors in French and Spanish and his A.A. in Journalism from Chabot College. His directing, writing, and producing credits include THE SEDUCTION (2002), THE BROTHERS OF KAPPA PI (2009), LETTERS FROM ALASKA (2010), and RAGE IN FORTY FRAMES (2010). His films have been screened at various film festivals including the Asian American International Film Festival in New York, the International Film Festival Manhattan, the Chicago Filipino American Film Festival, the FACINE, the Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival, and the Vientianale.
Ify Enemuo
co-producer / director of photography / assistant director / visual effects and sound designer
Born in Warri, Nigeria, Ify is an audio-visual impressionist and filmmaker on his path to making major contributions to the Nollywood industry. His film production credits include BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT (2009), THE BROTHERS OF KAPPA PI (2009), RAGE IN FORTY FRAMES (2010), and ONE BLOOD (2012). He produces his work under RuraL ChilD Visions.
Perry Escaño
co-producer / talent coordinator /
Philippine media coordinator
While Perry is mostly known as an actor in film and television, he is also a writer, director, and producer. He also dabbled in the production side of events, theater, and film. He wrote and directed "Alibi," which placed 1st Runner-up in the Most Popular Film Competition at the International Film Festival Manhattan 2012 in New York City. He directed OVERTURE, also an official selection at the 2013 IFF Manhattan. He is the writer of TAMA (Deranged), which was an official selection at the 2011 Gawad CCP Film Festival. Most recently, he wrote and directed ANG PLATINONG BUHOK (The Platinum Hair), a documentary film on the life of the late theater thespian Ama Quiambao. Perry received his Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communication Engineering from the Lyceum University in Manila and is the founder and Executive Producer of Singkuwento Internasyonal, a touring exhibition of short films making its rounds in various cities. He is also the founder and owner of TripleMP Productions.
Arnell Pablo
musical scorer / sound effects
Arnell is a music artist, DJ, composer and producer. He is inspired by music that incorporates soul, jazz, and anything funky. Arnell was born and raised in California and is currently living in Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. His film scoring credits include THE BROTHERS OF KAPPA PI (2009) and LETTERS FROM ALASKA (2010).
Hide Inaba
featured artist / vocalist / composer
Hide is a singer and a composer who hails from Narashino, Chiba, Japan. He is the founder of the Hide Inaba Band, a New York-based group that plays indie rock, bossa, and jazz. He also performs solo in London on occasions. His musical influences include AC Jobim, Donny Hathaway, Gil Scott-Heron, Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, Lonnie Listen Smith, Sergio Mendes, Stevie Wonder, PaulWeller, Pucho, Sten Getz, and Mother Earth. Hide is also a surfing dude.
Jonna Baldres
graphic designer / marketing strategist
Jonna grew up in Pasig, Philippines. While attending college, she moved to Bulacan with her family and travelled back and forth to Antipolo and Quezon City. She now lives in Queens, New York. She is a graphic designer and a community organizer. She studied Visual Communications at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She is currently doing freelance work and serves as the Community Action Coordinator for the Philippine Forum.
Ged Merino
Yves Nibungco
Kevin Q
Randy Sapitan
Bliss and Bliss Studio
Jon Baltimore Music Company, Inc.
special participation
acknowledgments
Jonna Baldres
Photo of Adriana Mendizabal
The Overseas Filipino Worker
Ezekiel Natawan
Photo of Benjie
Adrian Quinn Costales
Voice of Benjie
Sylvie Akiel-Fu
Amaya Han
Gary Labao
Leticia Langley
Ramon Prada Mappala
Adrian Mendizabal
Anneberyl Corotan Naguit
Tristan Brand
Fruto Corre
Romeo Kabigting
Dais Kasagawa
Laura McKeeman
Mo Men
Mauro Feria Tambocon, jr.
Martin Tran
Raymond Tsang
Rudy Zapanta