“A Filipino in America” starring Doroteo B. Ines & “The Debut” starring Dante Basco, Tirso Cruz III & Eddie Garcia

Director: James Love

Starring: Doroteo B. Ines, Vincent Calzado, Dorothy Dahl, Jose Bandolino, Amador Gonong, Jose Sumabat, Casiano Coloma, James Love, Boris Morkovin, and Ellis Yarnell

Logline: “A Filipino in America” is the one of the earliest films about Filipinos in the United States. Filmed in 1938, “A Filipino in America” was the thesis project of Dr. Doroteo B. Ines who received his Master’s in Cinematography from the University of Southern California (USC). 

The film depicts the experiences of Filipino Americans during the 1930s – a time when mostly young Filipino males labored in the agricultural fields of the West coast, frequented taxi dance halls, and faced much racial hostility and segregation.  An avid member of the Filipino-American Christian Fellowship, Dr. Ines argued in the film that religion and fellowship could save Filipinos from a life of debauchery and destitute.  He ultimately suggested that life in the United States was not fit for Filipinos and they should move back the Philippines and help develop their homeland.

Director: Gene Cajayon

Starring: Dante Basco, Tirso Cruz III, Eddie Garcia, Gina Alajar, Darion Basco, Dion Basco, Derek Basco, Bernadette Balagtas, Joy Bisco

Logline: A young man struggles with his desire to study art when his family thinks he’s headed for premedical studies. Conflicts between Filipino traditions and expectations vs. personal dreams in the contemporary world erupt at his sister’s debut.