An award-winning Filipino-American narrative film will premiere at ArtCenter College of Design’s Ahmanson Auditorium, 1700 Lida Street in Pasadena, on Friday, Feb. 28 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
The screening of “Lolo Batman,” created by Madonna Diaz-Refugia, marks a significant achievement for the Savage 23 Vol. II filmmaking movement, said an announcement from ArtCenter.
Diaz-Refugia, who began her career writing comedy for Philadelphia drag performers, trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and has work featured on Reductress and WFMU.
Now based in Los Angeles focusing on coming-of-age narratives, Diaz-Refugia emerged from the Mentorship Matters Fellowship and Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program in 2023.
The screening event, hosted by ArtCenter’s Film Department, brings together alumnus Jon Jon Augustavo and his creative collective, A Bunch of Savages.
The collective, based in Los Angeles, identifies itself as “unapologetically Filipino-American” and specializes in premium multifaceted storytelling.
Their name originates from a phrase used by then Gov. Theodore Roosevelt to describe Filipinos in 1899.
On their website, the group says they’re “a collective of dreamers, filmmakers, writers, and creatives” with a commitment to empowering the next generation of artists.
The film stands out for “its heart, humor, and one-of-a-kind approach to a wild Filipino-American story,” according to the organizers.
To RSVP for the event, visit https://partiful.com/e/
