UPDATE 3/3/13: Showtimes are now up for the Friday screening at AMC River East 21. Be sure to find the theater and the opening date (Friday, March 8). Online ticket sales now available. Showtimes are 10:20 AM, 1:05 PM, 4:05 PM, 6:50 PM, and 9:45 PM. FAN and CFAFF will try to target the 6:50 and 9:45 PM shows. Look for us in the Lucky Strike bar in the same building before or after the shows.
The film follows the real life rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale of Filipino Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from YouTube to become the front man for iconic American rock band Journey. In this Cinderella story for the ages, Arnel, having overcome a lifetime’s worth of hardships, must now navigate the immense pressures of replacing a legendary singer and leading a world-renowned band on their most extensive world tour in years.
“One of the most remarkable rock stories of recent years.”
-New York Magazine
“Winning enough to woo even the staunchest Journey foe.” -New York Daily News
“Even in the age of YouTube discoveries and ‘American Idol’-fueled fame, Pineda’s tale stands out.” -The Los Angeles Times
@JourneyMOVIE
We’d like to get everyone out to see this film opening weekend. Look for updates at the official CFAFF site and our FAN Meetup group for news about the opening night screening, and keep checking back at AMC River East 21 for tickets and showtimes.
Chicago Filipino American Film Festival 2012 Schedule
At the PORTAGE THEATER 4050 N MILWAUKEE, CHICAGO, IL 60641
SUNDAY
RISE AND DREAM
Sunday, November 4, 1:00 PM $10
UPDATE: Filmmakers Paul Pearce and Barclay Martin in attendance!
Directed by Judy-Anne Goldman. This inspirational documentary follows the story of thirteen students in a volatile region of the southern Philippines who endeavor to learn the indigenous music of the Philippines in an effort to put on an unprecedented concert for their community. The students and their families, along with a number of notable Filipino folk musicians rally to see the concert through, and the result is uplifting and magical. Presented with the short documentary “Manila Road” by Fernando Dalayoan.
CFAFF Shorts Program
Sunday, November 4, 3:30 PM $10
”Terra Cotta”: Directed by Yasmine Gomez and written by Samantha Chanse. A young woman moves into a new apartment; but can she live up to her roommates’ high standards?
“Cain”: A stylishly filmed tale of revenge directed by Filipino American director Enzo Williams.
“Beauty & Deceased”: From Chicago-based Fil-Am director Andrew Hempfling, comes the story of a lonely zombie who enlists the aid of a dating expert.
“The Launch”: Fil-Am performer Arlo Sarinas portrays a man who must journey across parallel universes in order to save the woman he loves.
“Mother and Child”: Jocelyn Lenhardt directs a film about a young mother’s anxiety when her estranged husband announces that he’ll be visiting from overseas.
“Jolly B. Fierce”: A drag performer returns home to visit his ailing mother, and must come to terms with the disapproval of his older brother. Directed by Allison Arachea.
“Drifters”: Adrian Alarilla directs a drama about a young woman who struggles to balance her mother’s needs against her own desire to have a life of her own.
“Ang Balut Ni Mang Roger (Mang Roger’s Balut)”: A balut vendor locks horns with a willful young student. Directed by Thop Nazareno.
Closing Night Presentation:
THE BLADED HAND
Sunday, November 4, 6:00 PM $10
Jay Ignacio directs an eye-opening exploration of one of the greatest cultural traditions of the Philippines: the Filipino martial arts systems known as Kali, Eskrima, and Arnis. An unprecedented look at the martial arts of the Philippines, THE BLADED HAND includes a wealth of archival photography and footage, along with interviews with the most authoritative figures in martial arts, including Dan Inosanto (THE GAME OF DEATH, RED BELT); Mumbakki Foronda, an instructor whose students include Russia’s elite Spetsnaz special forces, and Jeff Imada, one of Hollywood’s most respected stunt coordinators. Filmmaker Jay Ignacio will be in attendance at this screening.
Chicago Filipino American Film Festival 2012 Schedule
At the PORTAGE THEATER 4050 N MILWAUKEE, CHICAGO, IL 60641
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS Saturday, November 3, 1:30 PM $10
Directed by Donald Plata and narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips. FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS looks back at the Philippine Scouts of World War II, a regiment of U.S. and Filipino soldiers based in the Philippines during the start of the war in the Pacific. With extensive archival footage, re-enactments, and interviews with the few remaining survivors, FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS recounts the conflict at Bataan and the captivity that followed.
Presented with the short documentary, “Barracuda Lake,” describing one of the many unique underwater landscapes of the Philippines, directed by Silke De Vos.
DEATH OF A CEMETERY Saturday, November 3, 4:00 PM $10
A fascinating and vivid documentary by Jeanie Duque Di-zon at the North Manila Cemetery, and the caretakers, merchants, and artisans who work and live there each day. Narrated by acclaimed novelist Miguel Syjuco. Presented with the short documentary “The Sugar Bowl,” directed by Shashia Nakhai.
SUNSET STORIES Saturday, November 3, 7:00 PM $10
Directed by Silas Howard and Ernesto Foronda. Assigned to retrieve a precious medical shipment, a nurse finds herself on a modern-day adventure with the boyfriend she left behind. Starring Monique Gabriela Curnen (THE DARK KNIGHT, CONTAGION) and Sung Kang (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, FAST AND THE FURIOUS), and a long list of surprising celebrity cameos. SUNSET STORIES marks the feature directing debut of Foronda, who co-wrote Justin Lin’s groundbreaking film BETTER LUCK TOMORROW.
GRACELAND Saturday, November 3, 9:00 PM $10
Ron Morales, who made his directorial debut with SANTA MESA (CFAFF 2008), returns with GRACELAND, a bold new thriller that tells the story of Marlon Villar (Arnold Reyes), the chauffeur of a wealthy politician who struggles to care for his ailing wife and pre-teen daughter. Marlon looks the other way in the face of his employer’s corruption, but is forced to take matters into his own hands when a botched kidnapping attempt on the politician’s daughter goes horribly wrong, and Marlon’s own daughter is taken instead. Morales based this look at the gritty underworld of kidnapping and sex-trafficking in the Philippines on extensive research, and the result is a harrowing example of the moral compromises a man must make to survive. GRACELAND premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.
SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER PARTY SATURDAY, November 3, 10:00 PM at THIRTEEN
Join us at THIRTEEN ASIAN TAPAS BAR at 4202 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60641.
SUNDAY
RISE AND DREAM
Sunday, November 4, 1:00 PM $10
Directed by Judy-Anne Goldman. This inspirational documentary follows the story of thirteen students in a volatile region of the southern Philippines who endeavor to learn the indigenous music of the Philippines in an effort to put on an unprecedented concert for their community. The students and their families, along with a number of notable Filipino folk musicians rally to see the concert through, and the result is uplifting and magical. Presented with the short documentary “Manila Road” by Fernando Dalayoan.
CFAFF Shorts Program
Sunday, November 4, 3:30 PM $10
“Terra Cotta”: Directed by Yasmine Gomez and written by Samantha Chanse. A young woman moves into a new apartment; but can she live up to her roommates’ high standards?
“Cain”: A stylishly filmed tale of revenge directed by Filipino American director Enzo Williams.
“Beauty & Deceased”: From Chicago-based Fil-Am director Andrew Hempfling, comes the story of a lonely zombie who enlists the aid of a dating expert.
“The Launch”: Fil-Am performer Arlo Sarinas portrays a man who must journey across parallel universes in order to save the woman he loves.
“Mother and Child”: Jocelyn Lenhardt directs a film about a young mother’s anxiety when her estranged husband announces that he’ll be visiting from overseas.
“Jolly B. Fierce”: A drag performer returns home to visit his ailing mother, and must come to terms with the disapproval of his older brother. Directed by Allison Arachea.
“Drifters”: Adrian Alarilla directs a drama about a young woman who struggles to balance her mother’s needs against her own desire to have a life of her own.
“Ang Balut Ni Mang Roger (Mang Roger’s Balut)”: A balut vendor locks horns with a willful young student. Directed by Thop Nazareno.
Closing Night Presentation:
THE BLADED HAND
Sunday, November 4, 6:00 PM $10
Jay Ignacio directs an eye-opening exploration of one of the greatest cultural traditions of the Philippines: the Filipino martial arts systems known as Kali, Eskrima, and Arnis. An unprecedented look at the martial arts of the Philippines, THE BLADED HAND includes a wealth of archival photography and footage, along with interviews with the most authoritative figures in martial arts, including Dan Inosanto (THE GAME OF DEATH, RED BELT); Mumbakki Foronda, an instructor whose students include Russia’s elite Spetsnaz special forces, and Jeff Imada, one of Hollywood’s most respected stunt coordinators. Filmmaker Jay Ignacio will be in attendance at this screening.
At the PORTAGE THEATER 4050 N MILWAUKEE, CHICAGO, IL 60641
Ron Morales, who made his directorial debut with SANTA MESA (CFAFF 2008), returns with GRACELAND, a bold new thriller that tells the story of Marlon Villar (Arnold Reyes), the chauffeur of a wealthy politician who struggles to care for his ailing wife and pre-teen daughter. Marlon looks the other way in the face of his employer’s corruption, but is forced to take matters into his own hands when a botched kidnapping attempt on the politician’s daughter goes horribly wrong, and Marlon’s own daughter is taken instead. Morales based this look at the gritty underworld of kidnapping and sex-trafficking in the Philippines on extensive research, and the result is a harrowing example of the moral compromises a man must make to survive. GRACELAND premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.
The Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641
Directed by Silas Howard and Ernesto Foronda. Assigned to retrieve a precious medical shipment, a nurse finds herself on a modern-day adventure with the boyfriend she left behind. Starring Monique Gabriela Curnen (THE DARK KNIGHT, CONTAGION) and Sung Kang (BETTER LUCK TOMORROW, FAST AND THE FURIOUS), and a long list of surprising celebrity cameos. SUNSET STORIES marks the feature directing debut of Foronda, who co-wrote Justin Lin’s groundbreaking film BETTER LUCK TOMORROW.
At the PORTAGE THEATER 4050 N MILWAUKEE, CHICAGO, IL 60641
FRIDAY
BOUNDARY
Friday, November 2, 8:00 PM $10
Benito Bautista, whose feature-length documentary GIFT OF BARONG first appeared at the Chicago Filipino American Film Festival in 2006, returns with a powerful new narrative feature. Veteran Filipino actor Ronnie Lazaro, whose work has been featured in MANILA SKIES (CFAFF 2009) and John Sayles’s AMIGO, stars as a cab driver who takes on a mysterious passenger and embarks on a dark journey of deception and betrayal.
Join filmgoers for a free reception beginning at 7:00 pm.
A live web Q&A with Benito Bautista will be held in the theater immediately following the screening.
Join us for the post-screening afterparty at THIRTEEN ASIAN TAPAS at 4202 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60641
FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS Saturday, November 3, 1:30 PM $10
The Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641
Directed by Donald Plata and narrated by Lou Diamond Phillips. FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS looks back at the Philippine Scouts of World War II, a regiment of U.S. and Filipino soldiers based in the Philippines during the start of the war in the Pacific. With extensive archival footage, re-enactments, and interviews with the few remaining survivors, FORGOTTEN SOLDIERS recounts the conflict at Bataan and the captivity that followed.
Presented with the short documentary, “Barracuda Lake,” describing one of the many unique underwater landscapes of the Philippines, directed by Silke De Vos.
DEATH OF A CEMETERY Saturday, November 3, 4:00 PM $10
The Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641
A fascinating and vivid documentary by Jeanie Duque Di-zon at the North Manila Cemetery, and the caretakers, merchants, and artisans who work and live there each day. Narrated by acclaimed novelist Miguel Syjuco.
THE BLADED HAND
Sunday, November 4, 6:00 PM $10 The Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60641
Jay Ignacio directs an eye-opening exploration of one of the greatest cultural traditions of the Philippines: the Filipino martial arts systems known as Kali, Eskrima, and Arnis. An unprecedented look at the martial arts of the Philippines, THE BLADED HAND includes a wealth of archival photography and footage, along with interviews with the most authoritative figures in martial arts, including Dan Inosanto (THE GAME OF DEATH, RED BELT); Mumbakki Foronda, an instructor whose students include Russia’s elite Spetsnaz special forces, and Jeff Imada, one of Hollywood’s most respected stunt coordinators. Filmmaker Jay Ignacio will be in attendance at this screening.
Sunday, November 4, 1:00 PM $10
Portage Theater 4050 N MILWAUKEE, CHICAGO, IL 60641
UPDATE: RISE AND DREAM executive producer Paul Pearce and singer/songwriter Barclay Martin will be in attendance for a Q&A after Sunday’s screening.
Directed by Judy-Anne Goldman and produced by the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. This inspirational documentary follows the story of thirteen students in a volatile region of the southern Philippines who endeavor to learn the indigenous music of the Philippines in an effort to put on an unprecedented concert for their community. The students and their families, along with a number of notable Filipino folk musicians rally to see the concert through, and the result is uplifting and magical.
Presented with the short documentary “Manila Road” by Fernando Dalayoan.
For information about the Chicago Filipino American Film Festival, visit (www.cfaff.org).
