Vancouver, B.C.
Weaponizing ‘lumpia’ to ward off bullies
By Charmaine Janis Rodriguez
A FILIPINO-themed movie with a Filipino-American cast will have its international premiere tonight (7PM) at the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF), the longest running Asian film festival in Canada.
It will be a special live virtual premiere as part of #VAFFOnDemand in which only residents from Vancouver BC Canada can view the film exclusively online today, Saturday, November 13 at 7PM – 10PM if they purchase tickets.
Lumpia, “the ultimate home made movie,” is a comedy film which features high school students and how they stood up to bullies.
It takes you back to the late-90’s when tension is at an all-time high in Fogtown High School. James (Francis Custodio) and his misfit pack of friends do their best to stand up to Tyrone (Edward Baon) and his crew of thugs who have invented a new fad of F.O.B. bashing, the film’s Facebook page reads.
“But only one hero stands in their way… a silent avenger (Carlos Baon) who delivers justice one deep-fried lumpia at a time. With James falling for his classmate Kelly (Elizabeth Mendoza), will such a fighter be enough to ward off the one enemy that threatens to obliterate all?,” it added.
The producers promise a film where “romance, action, and comedy are all rolled up deliciously in this satire full of slapstick martial arts sequences and comic-book battles.”
“Don’t miss out on this home-made cult sensation and experience why Lumpia is the “youth project that got delightfully out of hand (Variety),” its promotional section also reads.
Lumpia is a famous Filipino dish of fried spring rolls with ground pork and chopped vegetable filling.
Directed by Patricio Ginelsa, Lumpia, the film, is an official selection of the 2021 VAFF. Ginelsa grew up in Daly City, CA and pursued a career in filmmaking in Los Angeles. He received his BA in cinema production at the University of Southern California and became the Associate Producer of the independent film “The Debut.” He wrote and directed 3 music videos for the Grammy-Award winning Black Eyed Peas. His works include The APL Song and two versions of Bebot, one of which was lauded with the California Preservation Foundation Presidents Award for its focus on Stockton’s Little Manila District.
VAFF was founded in 1995 and debuted in September 1997 and since then, thousands of film lovers have experienced a diverse selection of North American-Asian and international films.
“Each year VAFF attracts close to 5,000 audience members over its four-day festival and year round events. It also reaches many more through word of mouth, pre-festival events, and traditional and social media throughout the year.
VAFF envisions a world where North American Asian actors and filmmakers have the resources and opportunities to shape mainstream culture in a powerful and positive way,” VAFF’s website reads.
This year, VAFF is celebrating its 25th edition, with a bigger and better festival to commemorate the milestone.
For the first time ever, VAFF held a hybrid affair that took place for over 11 days, kicking off with a four-day VAFF In-Theatre events (November 4-7), followed by 6 days of VAFF On-Demand programs (November 8-13), before one final live program and the festival’s closing awards ceremony tomorrow, November 14.
The VAFF 2021 lineup features 31 film programs plus 8 industry panels, 3 special events and 88 feature-length and short films of all genres, with English language and/or English subtitles, from the local and international Asian diaspora. (End)