DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
(June 2004)

My career as a filmmaker took off when I became one of the producers of the award-winning Filipino American film, "the Debut" (Columbia Tri-Star). I drove cross-country with the crew from city to city to self-distribute the film in theaters. Along the way, I was exposed to different pockets of the Filipino community, while urging them to empower themselves by supporting the movie. Many long hours and many miles later, our efforts resulted in the emergence of an often 'invisible' Filipino community at the box office--a community that is over 2 million strong and growing in the U.S.

Nevertheless, it is a constant struggle for me to find that cultural voice in mainstream American society. But when I discovered that the Black Eyed Peas came out with a hit album that included a track featuring a Tagalog-hook, I immediately took notice and was pleasantly surprised to find the Filipino-centric focus of "The Apl Song". This song alone carries all the elements of what makes our community so beautiful: a dedication to the past and our rich history, unconditional love for family and country, resilience as a community, and a proud connection to the U.S. And now, it has inspired me to create this music video to further enhance the song's powerful ode to its people. As an artist, I feel a certain responsibility to continue this movement of inspiring my community and "the Apl Song" music video is a great outlet to promote that.

As you can see from "the making of..." featurette, we were blessed with a supportive cast and crew. The video features cameos from Filipino Americans in the music and movie industry such as Chad Hugo (of the ultra-talented Neptunes and N.E.R.D.), D.J. Rhettmatic (of the world famous Beat Junkies), Dante Basco ("The Debut", "Biker Boyz", "Hook"), Joy Bisco ("Port Charles", "Not Another Teen Movie")... and much more! It is my hope in including them here that it goes to show that there are indeed proud Filipinos in the industry!

What is the video about? The plot is simple. An elderly Filipino named Manong reflects back on his homeland in the same manner Apl.de.Ap raps about in his song. If the Filipino culture embodies "family", what is the most "un-Filipino" thing you can do to a family member?

The video also brings to light a big socio-political issue in the community: the plight of the Filipino war veteran. On December 8th of 1941, thousands of Filipino men and women responded to President Roosevelt's call for help and fought side by side with American soldiers to preserve peace and democracy in the Philippines. Decades later, these men and women of Filipino-American national heritage were denied the promises of benefits and privileges provided to their American compatriots. Today, the surviving Filipino veterans are still fighting for their equity. And though the video only grazes upon that issue, I pray that the youth today can understand and join us in paying our "unforgotten heroes" tribute.

Hip Hop is a genre that embodies all cultures and has given many small voices the opportunity to be heard. Filipinos and Filipino Americans make up a huge part of this community and yet, they are practically invisible in record company sales and marketing demographics. "The Apl Song" music video is a step in the right direction in bringing it to the next level. It's proud. It's powerful. It's positive. It's Filipino.

-Patricio Ginelsa
Writer/Director "The Apl Song"
June 2004