The Las Vegas Short Film Festival 2023
The 2023 Awards Night Gala
The Awards Night for the inaugural Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival was a glamorous affair held on October 20, 2023, at the Orleans’ Mardi Gras ballroom. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner and a stylish fashion show by FilAm designer David Tupaz. The evening second part began with an impressive performance by FilAm performing artist Ehrlich Ocampo doing a wand levitation act. Presenters included Las Vegas Consulate Honorary Consul Amie Belmonte, political figure Christian Bishop, first FilAm Assemblywoman Erica Mosca, President and CEO at Parkway Media Johann Sayson, reigning Ms. Regency Nevada Cirimille Faye Paglinawan, Philippine Times of Southern Nevada Editor-in-chief Liezel Trinidad, and Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom, among other community celebrities.
For a musical intermission, Sheela Kunishige performed a stunning version of the Filipino classic "Anak Dalita" arranged by Dennis Quila on piano, earning her an enthusiastic standing ovation.
Awards were given to filmmakers, including Terrence Jeffrey Santos, who won the Audience Choice Award for "AFTER INANG." Giovannie Espiritu received Best Screenplay for "ALLY 3000." Best Film Editing went to Raymond Planas, for a documentary about FilAm boxer “JERICK PADSING”. "FATHER FIGURE" by Richard E. Haywood took home Best Cinematography, while "WHO ARE YOU" a film by Salvador Carrasco won Best Short Film, and "THE HOUSEGUEST" earned Best Director for Francis Abbey. Winners received a custom trophy featuring an artistic drawing of Crisostomo Ibarra, the main protagonist at Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel NOLI ME TANGERE.
The Spark of Vision: 2023, the First Year
The Story Behind the Las Vegas Short Film Festival
“ The journey began unexpectedly with a chance meeting with filmmaker Shawn Rosen. It was during a casual conversation that Beverly, a friend, suggested exploring short films, leading us to discover powerful stories on YouTube, including Larry Itliong's film. But it was the full length film QUEZON’S GAME that truly ignited a passion within us.
Months later, I reconnected with Shawn, who by then had become a teacher. We bonded over our mutual love for films. He shared one of his projects, seeking my opinion. After watching it, I gave him candid feedback: “It’s not Filipino enough!” This comment challenged Shawn and drove him to create his first Tagalog short film.
When I saw Shawn’s film, I knew we were onto something special. It was more than just a movie—it was a catalyst that sparked the idea of a Filipino short film festival. We wanted to showcase the talent and stories of Filipino filmmakers, both emerging and established.
With my event planning background, I took on the challenge of turning this vision into reality. We started reaching out, planning, and connecting with like-minded individuals who shared our passion for Filipino cinema. That’s when Felipe, a trusted friend and head of Filipino American Scholarship Foundation and Outreach Services (FASFOS) , came into the picture. He understood our vision and agreed to take the festival under his wing, ensuring its legacy would continue.
And just like that, we were all in. The Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival was born—a celebration of our culture, our stories, and our voices.”
-Margie Llorente-Gonzales, Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival Founder
The Team Behind the Las Vegas Short Film Festival
Margie Gonzales had a vision to showcase the untapped creativity in Las Vegas, particularly within the Filipino community. Her passion for film evolved into what would become an important facet of the Filipino American community in Las Vegas.
Today, the Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival has transitioned into a creative business entity with Margie Gonzales as CEO, Manette Thomas-Roxas as Operations Director, Olive Enriquez as Creative Director and Shawn Rosen as Program Director.
The Journey.
The 2023 Crisostomo Ibarra Award Winners
AWARDS & PRIZES:
a. The festival jury will determine award categories and winners.
b. Winners of the Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival will receive the "Crisostomo Ibarra Awards" trophy, recognition certificates, and gifts from sponsors for the following categories:
Best Screenwriting
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Musical Score
Best Director
Best Female Performer
Best Male Performer
Best Short Film
Audience Choice Award. This award is determined by audience voting.
c. Winners will be announced and awarded during the festival's Awards Night.
FIL-AM SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION & OUTREACH SERVICES, INC.:
a. A portion of the proceeds from the festival will be dedicated to supporting the Fil-Am Scholarship Foundation and Outreach Services programs.
b. The festival organizers will coordinate with the beneficiaries to ensure the proper allocation and utilization of the funds.
FESTIVAL PROMOTION:
a. The festival reserves the right to use film stills, promotional materials, and excerpts from submitted films for promotional purposes.
b. Filmmakers may be requested to provide additional promotional materials, including posters and trailers, for the festival's marketing efforts.
FILMMAKERS ATTENDANCE:
a. Filmmakers with selected films are encouraged to attend the festival.
b. The festival may offer a limited number of tickets to the filmmakers for the Awards Night at no cost to them.
MISCELLANEOUS:
a. The festival organizers reserve the right to make changes to the rules and terms if necessary.
b. By submitting a film to the festival, filmmakers agree to abide by the rules and terms outlined herein.
c. A nudity scene should have a clear artistic or narrative purpose that contributes to the overall story or theme of the film. The use of nudity should not be gratuitous or exploitative. Actors involved in nudity scenes must be of legal age (18 years or older) as per the applicable jurisdiction. Proper documentation and verification of age may be required.
We kindly request all participants to carefully read and understand the rules and terms before submitting their films to the Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival. For any inquiries or clarifications, please contact the festival organizers at info@lvshortfilm.org.
AFTER INANG
When Inang passes away right before Christmas, her youngest daughter Maria, who's hostedfamily holidays year after year has decided her hosting days are over now that her mother is no longer present to help her. Maria's headstrong child, Jess, believes they can step in to keep the family together like their grandmother had done all her life. Can the family still be held together after Inang has died?
ALLY 3000
The CEO of a tech firm has to make a decision about a new product designed to alleviate white guilt. The film deals with race and privilege in an “elegant and clever way”.
FATHER FIGURE
An African-American step father tries to build a relationship with his Cambodian-American step-son through teaching him how to fish.
JERICK PADSING
A well made training docu of Jerick Padsing, a Filipino American boxer from Las Vegas, Nevada. His rigorous training is set against his humble beginngs and his desire to connect with his Filipino way of life.
WHO ARE YOU
A history professor meets with a department chair ready to accept a faculty position, but the only question remaining is how to define her identity in the application's check-box.
THE HOUSEGUEST
This Filipino-American comedy follows the Mahusay family when a mistaken identity brings about ongoing misadventures.