The YOMYOMF Archives of Lauren Lola
POI E and WINDOW HORSES are very different works that are connected by the shared experience of re-connecting with one’s roots through the arts; whether that be through music like in the former or poetry with the latter. It’s for this reason, along with all that make these two films the individual works they are, that I will be recommending them both to anyone and everyone whenever I can.
“I now believe that the song was aptly named – this song is not about me, this video is not just for the artists in the song, this entire process and project was for all of us – everyone involved and everyone who watched it and was impacted by it.” -Ruby Ibarra
I can’t imagine ALLEGIANCE to have been the easiest musical to craft, but I feel that in the long-run, the cast, crew, and creators did it justice. It’s a powerful reminder of what happened, and how in our current political climate, we cannot let that happen to anyone ever again.
[Darren] Criss, who is Filipino through his mom, has played a wide variety of roles both for stage and screen; such as Harry Potter in A VERY POTTER MUSICAL, Blaine Anderson in GLEE, and Hedwig in HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. This will be his first role where he’ll actually be playing someone who is part Asian like him.
Being of Filipino, Puerto Rican, and Jewish descent and growing up in Hawaii, a lot of people often mistook him for being black and white. Living life in the “gray zone” was especially difficult when he was attempting to break out into the music industry, for music executives more often than not were unsure of how to label him.
“I had originally conceived a music video with both generations where it starts off in 1936, then it slowly becomes 2006, to showcase how Filipinos in America still know how to party after a full day of work.” -Patricio Ginelsa
The story of WHALE RIDER does a beautiful job of highlighting how we can exceed any doubts and restrictions placed upon us. Despite the story deriving from the Maori legend of Paikea the whale rider, and features a young brown girl from a remote community in the North Island of New Zealand, both the novel and the film have appealed to readers and viewers alike all over the world.
Despite my original intention of writing AN ABSOLUTE MIND as an interesting story where the past is reflected in a variety of ways, the book is now also my protest against the pride and egos of the demagogues.
The co-founder of the famed Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki is the mastermind behind a number of beloved animated films; such as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, CASTLE IN THE SKY, PRINCESS MONONOKE, SPIRITED AWAY, HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE, and more.
“I’ve always been interested in LA and Filipino history, and so I think at some point, I’ll do something more specific to that. Overtime, I started to realize that there’s a need to tell really thoughtful stories about the Filipino American community, specifically in the audio space, because those don’t really exist.” -Paola Mardo
Drifting Back Around 