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PH made films featured in Vancouver special screening

The film screening was held as part of the 75th anniversary of Philippine-Canadian relations this 2024.

Article (news)

Rowena Papasin

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Heqr_Uj0TU?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>The special screening of “Canadian Adobo,” at the Cinematheque, was the first of its kind to be organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver.Former Consul General Arlene Magno is proud that she ended her tour of duty in Vancouver with a bang, with her last formal event showcasing an important part of the journey of Filipinos in Canada.&quot;This film is about Filipinos who have come here [and] their struggles,&quot; she said. &quot;They come here and they are not able to practice their profession, or they have difficulties adjusting to a new culture. But they endure it because they want to be able to bring their family here.&quot;The documentary film by Filipino-Canadian director Kent Donguines takes a hard look at the conflicted feelings of the children of caregivers after they reunite with the parents that they barely know, and their struggle to adjust after the long years of separation.&quot;I wanted to show the impact of not only the distance but also how their relationships as parents and kids are greatly affected by one decision which is moving to Canada,&quot; he said. &quot;Canadian Adobo&quot; is Donguines’ follow-up to Kalinga, his first film about caregivers. This time, he said he wanted to turn the lens on the children of caregivers, like him.&quot;I allowed parents and kids to talk about their feelings for the first time when it comes to immigrating here in Canada,&quot; the director added. &quot;I didn’t want to hide the truth of the stories of the ordinary people I’m featuring, with extraordinary experiences.”Magno said she understood how the children felt, but is glad that despite these challenges, the family still prevailed.During the special screening, the Consulate also featured &quot;Hail Marie,&quot; a short comedy that was written and directed by another Filipino filmmaker, Harley Maranan.&quot;Hail Marie&quot; was an entry in the 2021 Mighty Asian Moviemaking Marathon.The short film, which has been screened in different festivals, is a light-hearted take on a Filipino family’s attempts to embrace Canadian culture.“It&#x27;s been great immersing myself in more Filipino culture [and] cinema,&quot; said Maranan, &quot;because it is our time to shine and I can’t wait to see more events like this in the mainstream.”Actress Sigrid Pareja, who starred in &quot;Hail Marie&quot; said the short film was a nice throwback. “We&#x27;re just glad to be here,&quot; she said. &quot;I&#x27;m so excited to see it because I know that it&#x27;s going to hit people in the feels.”Donguines used Ben &amp; Ben’s song “Leaves” in the film’s soundtrack, and said it perfectly captured the message of Canadian Adobo.

The film screening was held as part of the 75th anniversary of Philippine-Canadian relations this 2024.