Founder of Filipino Arts and Cinema International in San Francisco celebrates 30 years
SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco man is marking 30 years of celebrating Filipino community arts and culture in the Bay Area.
When he immigrated to the U.S. 31 years ago, movie critic Mauro Tumbocon said he discovered that films outside of his native Philippines were just plain miserable.
"We depict the people as miserable, desperate, very poor. I would like to correct that misconception," he recalled.
So, the writer and journalist decided to change the narrative.
Tumbocon founded and directed FACINE, or Filipino Arts and Cinema International. He organized the annual film festival in San Francisco 30 years ago for and about the Filipino community.
"We are a very diverse group of people with a history, culture, traditions, and we have our own dreams and aspirations," Tumbocon said.
His FACINE media arts festival and competition started as a part of a monthlong exhibition of 60 films at the first-ever Filipino-American Arts Exposition.
Three decades later, FACINE is now held over several days at the Roxie Theater. It draws hundreds of people and Filipino filmmakers from around the world.
Featured works range from documentaries to animation and music videos.
Adrian Alarilla of Seattle has introduced several of his own films over the years including a reflection on the Filipino American author Carlos Bulosan. Alarilla finds it empowering having the space to share his work on the immigrant experience.
"It sort of validates me as well. Like these stories do matter — My story matters to people," Alarilla said.
He even started a Filipino Film Festival in Seattle ten years ago and credits Tumbocon as his inspiration.
"He's very unassuming, very humble, but welcoming," Alarilla said of Tumbocon.
That welcoming spirit serves him well: Outside the theater, Tumbocon's day job is to help the unsheltered find housing.
But he's also succeeded in finding a home for sharing Filipino stories.
"It brings me joy we survived these 30 years," he smiled.
So, for creating a film festival to celebrate the Filipino community outside of the Philippines, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Mauro Tumbocon.