I wanted to make sure that multiple points of view were covered to help make the film feel less like “this is what it means to be FilAm” and more like “this is one interpretation of many.” This is where the main character’s sister, mother, and best friend come in; they all have different experiences of what being Filipino-American means, and how to express those experiences. In the end, JP (our hero) has to decide for himself which parts of his identity he wants to express and how.

I created the characters and plot based on my research and my interviews with Tony, then had him hone it and fill in the personal touches that make the dialogue and characters feel authentic. Since most of our cast was Filipino, it was incredibly helpful to have their feedback on the script and adjust things to align with their own experiences too.