NANAY_EXCERPT

NANAY (which means Mother) is a personal short documentary about my mom, created to celebrate her and her immigration story. I started working on it in late 2020, when I began thinking about what intergenerational relationships, storytelling, and healing might look like for me. I decided to use film as a way to have deeper conversations with her and also as a tool for healing—for both of us and for others who might connect with our journey.

As Jose Rizal said:
"Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinagmulan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan."
("Those who do not know how to look back at where they came from will never get to their destination.")

This film is my way of looking back, honoring where we came from, and understanding how that shapes where we're headed.