New this week to UniPro's list of community building events and initiatives is "UniSpotlight." UniSpotlight is an online series of video interviews that showcases notable Filipino Americans in the community here on the East Coast. They will be sharing their stories and discussing their current or upcoming projects. The new project allows us to inform our network of young professionals and students to connect with interesting leaders and organizations.
UniSpotlight #01 - Ron Morales is the writer and director of the independent film, Graceland. The film was a featured selection in the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, Fantasia 2012, Fantastic Fest 2012 and is the winner of Best Narrative Feature in the San Diego Asian Film Festival 2012. The film will be premiering nationwide in 20+ cities on April 26th and staying in theaters until May 2nd.
(They have a screening in lower east side at the Village East Cinema and will be holding a Q&A session on Sunday 4/28 and 4/30 at the 7:50pm screening)
Graceland is about a family man named Marlon Villar - a longtime chauffeur to corrupt Filipino politician Manuel Chango - is faced with an unthinkable predicament when he is ambushed while driving both his boss's and his own daughter home from school one afternoon. In the chaos of the kidnapping attempt, things go horribly awry and Marlon's daughter is taken and held for ransom instead. Desperate to save his daughter, Marlon must navigate the conflicting motives between the ruthless kidnappers, untrustworthy Chango and determined detectives eager to name him a suspect without letting on the wrong girl was taken hostage. As events spin wildly out of control, Marlon, Chango and their families are forced into a rapid downward spiral of deceit and betrayal that will leave no one innocent.
For inquires or interested in being on UniSpotlight, email meriden.villanueva@unipronow.