San Diego Asian Film Festival is the premiere event of the San Diego Asian Film Foundation (SDAFF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to upholding and sharing the diverse legacy of Asian Pacific Islanders through the media arts. Thousands of patrons will experience films from around the world and connect with the artists who created them. In addition, SDAFF offers a quarterly film series, a membership program, and documentary training for local high school students. Please visit www.sdaff.org for more information and the latest festival upsdates!

Directed by Ron Bryant
92 minutes; Not Rated (est. R)

In a sketchy city intersection, a marked thousand-peso bill journeys from one offbeat Tarentino-esque character to another: a disillusioned tabloid reporter planning to commit suicide; a nightclub dancer/ prostitute vowing to give her kid sister a better life; a disgraced henchman scheming for a big time score; a runaway teen held captive as a cop's sex slave; and a long-suffering son suffering his brutish, half-paralyzed father's abuse. Like a ticking time bomb, the story unravels with unforgiving immediacy, exploding in a stunning, full-circle ending...

MARK GIL (Abel) A member of a storied acting family, Mark was born Raphael John Gil Eigenmann, the son of "the Elvis of the Philippines," musical comedy star Eddie Mesa and actress Rosemarie Gil. Mark's siblings Michael de Mesa and Cherie Gil are also actors. In fact, Mark, Cherie, and Mark's son Sid Lucero (a stage name given by Mark to his son born Timothy Eigenmann, after Mark's character in the movie Batch '81) all appeared in Adolfo Alix, Jr.'s Donsol [which launched the Philippine Cinema Showcase] for which Sid was co-nominated with his father for the 2007 Gawad Urian Best Actor Award.

Winning that award from Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, the Philippines society of respected film critics, Mark was named Best Actor for the first time in his long career for Rotonda. "I am happy to be sharing this best actor trophy with my co-winner, Rustom Padilla. Lahat naman kami sa category na iyon did very well. First time ko nga to be nominated along with my son, Sid Lucero. I’m happy because unang best actor trophy ko ito. I've been winning supporting actor trophies in the past. This is a great night for me and I dedicate it to all my children and to the people behind the independent films, mabuhay kayo!"

MERYLL SORIANO (Raquel) Twenty-six year-old Meryll bears quite an entertainment pedigree: she is the daughter of singer and comedian Willie Revillame, host of ABS-CBN's blockbuster television show Wowowee; her mother, Bec-Bec Soriano, is the sister of acclaimed actress Maricel Soriano. (PCS-goers saw Maricel last week in her multiple Best Actress Award winning role in Inang Yaya, itself a Best Picture Awardee.) Meryll was formerly married to film and television actor Bernard Palanca, who with Piolo Pascual, Jericho Rosales, Diether Ocampo, and Carlos Agassi constituted "The Hunks" in the film Kahit Isang Saglit. Bernard and Meryl welcomed their first child, son Elijah Pineda in 2007.

Meryll proclaimed her passion for independent Philippine film in PEP magazine: "I really choose to do independent films because of the principles and the meanings. I really believe in it. I don't do naman [projects] that I don't believe in... Hindi naman sa hindi ako gumagawa ng commercial [movies] but I want to do movies that I really believe in," says the young actress. "I want my job to be an advocacy... I want my talent to be a tool. Ayokong pagkakitaan lang." Meryll was rewarded for her passion, winning the 2007 Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actress Award for Rotonda!

JEFFREY "EPY" QUIZON (Chito) Jeffrey is the son of Rodolfo Quizon, best-known and beloved as Dolphy, the Philippines' "King of Comedy" who has starred in motion pictures since the early 1950s. Shying away from being designated "the Next Dolphy," Jeffrey has demonstrated his comedic talent in both film and television as writer, producer, and actor; and co-founded the band Makatha. His acting turn in Rotonda, for which he also served as co-producer, is intensely dramatic and accomplished, earned him nomination for the 2007 Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actor Award.

CELSO AD CASTILLO (Col. Matias de Dios) A multi-talented legend in Philppine cinema, Celso's father Dominador Ad Castillo was a lawyer, komiks novelist, and producer for another giant, Larry Santiago. Getting his start as a komiks illustrator, Celso transitioned to writing, creating James Bond spoofs James Bandong, Secret Agent 02-10 for comic film star Chiquito, and Dr. Yes for Dolphy. After getting the chance to direct, his seventh feature and first real financial and critical success came with the bomba (softcore sex film) Nympha starring Rizza.  Decades of work both controversial and maintstream have followed with stars including "King of Philippine movies" Fernando Poe, Jr., Susan Roces, Ramon Zamora, Miss Universe Gloria Diaz, and Vilma Santos, whose turn in Celso's Burlesk Queen stunned audiences but is regarded today as a classic.

Semi-retired on his chestnut farm in Siniloan, Laguna, Celso is the recipient of an award for Lifetime Achievement from the Film Academy of the Philippines.  Quoted in the Philippines Daily Inquirer about Rotonda director Ron Bryant, "Ron was my student in the Celso Ad. Castillo Filmmaking Institute in 1999," said Celso. In turn, Ron said "He’s a very professional actor.  He never meddled in my directing and remained focus [sic] on his acting."  Filmmaking for over 40 years now, Celso has begun to use digital filmmaking techniques for his latest projects.

 
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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

AUTHOR EVENT! The House of the Phlippines presents Mae Respicio, author of Images of America: Filipinos in Los Angeles, published by Arcadia. Her book includes research, with the help of community members and organizations, that highlights more than 200 Filipinos, their challenges and achievements. The House of the Philippines, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, seeks to increase awareness about the history, culture, and people of the Philippines. It operates one of the dozens of cottages that make up the House of Pacific Relations in Balboa Park, an organization itself dedicated to furthering cooperation and understanding between national groups in the U.S. www.houseofthephilippines.org.