Fil-Canadian film wins big in Vancouver int'l film festival

A Filipino-Canadian documentary film won Best Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

Rowena Papasin

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p75YR1H48cs?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>“Inay,” a Filipino-Canadian directed documentary film, was recently a sold-out event during its first screening at the Vancouver International Film Festival.It was also on that day that the VIFF announced that “Inay” won the Arbutus Award as Best Film in British Columbia.Directed and produced by Filipino-Canadian filmmaker Thea Loo, it was also given a special mention by the Tides Award for Best Canadian Documentary. Loo, who had some of her other works screened at Sundance and the Palm Springs ShortFest, among other film festivals, said she was surprised to receive the award. &quot;It’s really encouraging and validating,&quot; she said. &quot;I didn’t obviously think about awards at all when we were making our movie, so I’m just so thankful, and it’s just a nice cherry on top of an already sold-out screening.”Loo said she was inspired to explore the impact on mental health of the prolonged family separation as a result of one parent having to work overseas.She also wanted to help her husband, Jeremiah Reyes, overcome his depression.Loo said her husband’s story is similar to the experience of her best friend, Shirley Lagman.“We wanted to make a film that actually moved the needle in terms of reconciliation and better dialogue between generations of Filipino-Canadians,&quot; she said.&quot;I’m just so proud and happy that we actually achieved that goal. And then we can definitely say that the relationships between the people in the film have actually improved.”Reyes’ mother left him at an early age to become a caregiver in Canada. They reunited after a few years, but the separation has left him emotionally distant from his mother.His story is identical to the stories of the children of many Filipino caregivers in Canada, who were forced to leave their families behind back in the Philippines to give them a better life.“Our aim was to encourage the Filipino community, immigrants, and anyone who has a strained relationship with their parents,&quot; Reyes said. &quot;We’re hoping that they could have open and honest conversations, make meaningful relationships, and hopefully mend whatever was destroyed.”Loo’s parents, Patrick and Rowena, are proud that her work was recognized at the VIFF. Her mother Rowena hopes the film will resonate with other caregiver moms and their children.“The relationship between the children and the mothers who went through separation somehow would find some healing, and I think that was one of the reasons,&quot; said Rowena.&quot;This healing would also translate to better relations for the children of parents who’ve gone into the Live-in Caregiver program, you know, with a new family that they built as well.” For his part, Patrick said Filipinos seeking to work overseas should also be advised on the potential toll that the separation will have on their families. “It would be wise to give a warning to people who are going to go abroad that it’s not just pure material gain,&quot; he said. &quot;There are going to be a lot of costs, social costs, hurt for the family, and all of that.” Filipino-Canadian film student Nushi Sharma of UBC was invited to take part in the VIFF’s Catalyst Program for emerging filmmakers.She also did some work on “Inay” and said she is proud to have been part of this film. “It’s a really, really delicate and unspoken story that I’m just very happy that it’s being heard and recognized for its hard work and importance,&quot; said Sharma. The Arbutus Award comes with a prize of $10,000 to $15,000 in post-production service credit from the company 3.“Inay” will be shown on the Knowledge Network next year.

A Filipino-Canadian documentary film won Best Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

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Fil-Canadian film wins big in Vancouver int'l film festival

Fil-Canadian film wins big in Vancouver int'l film festival

Rowena Papasin,

TFC News

Published Oct 11, 2024 11:28 PM PHT

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