SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE

SNH LIVE REMIX @ UC RIVERSIDE

2011-02-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

If you didn't make it to Little Tokyo this past August, see SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE like you've never seen it before...

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE is a documentary film about the life of Filipino-American MC Kiwi and the growing use of hip-hop as an organizing tool in the people's movement for national liberation and democracy in the Philippines.

Filmmaker Eric Tandoc (DJ ET) is going to be remixing the film live using VIDEO DJing while scratching in new never-before-seen scenes that take you deeper into the life of Kiwi and the people's movement in the Philippines.

There will also be LIVE PERFORMANCES incorporated INTO the film, featuring Power Struggle, Krystle Tugadi, Shining Sons, Vicoy Bagongsigaw, and more... plus a special performance by Kiwi!

Presented by:
Anakbayan LA
Asian Pacific Student Programs
UCR Katipunan
Pilipino Studies Collective
New Skies Media

Co-sponsored by:
Bayan USA
Filipino Migrant Center

Vendors:
Beatrock Music

SNH @ CSULB featured on Bakitwhy.com

2010-10-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

Much love to the good folks at Bakitwhy.com for coming out and covering the SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE event at Cal State Long Beach! Extra special thanks to Zeta Phi Rho for hosting as well as Krystle Tugadi, PAC Modern, Shining Sons, and Vicoy BagongSigaw for rocking the stage before the film!

And a big thanks to the students and audience for such an lively Q&A after the screening. It was fulfilling to see that they were so engaged with the film and had a lot of questions to ask. The last question, "Can you rap?" was the funniest. If you want to see the impromptu answer to that question click here. (Excuse the fumble on one of the lines, still working on it!)

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE @ CSULB

2010-10-07T14:10:00.001-07:00

In celebration of Pilipino American History Month, ZETA PHI RHO presents:

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE. a documentary film about the life of Filipino-American MC Kiwi and the growing use of hip-hop as an organizing tool in the people's movement for national liberation and democracy in the Philippines.

Live performances by:
PAC Modern
Krystle Tugadi
Shining Sons
Vicoy BagongSigaw

Plus a Q&A Session with:
Eric Tandoc
Director of SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE

BEATROCK MUSIC will be in the house so you can purchase CDs, vinyl, and t-shirts from their entire catalogue! (Bambu, Power Struggle, The CounterParts, Fatgums, and more)

http://beatrockmusic.com
http://soundsofanewhope.blogspot.com

ET on TV! Interview on Kababayan LA

2010-10-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

Host Jannelle So interviews Sounds of a New Hope director Eric Tandoc on Kababayan LA.

September 10, 2010

SHINING SONS "SERVE THE PEOPLE" at the Live Remix

2010-10-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Shining Sons' performance of "Serve The People" at the SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE Live Remix on August 27, 2010

POWER STRUGGLE "THREE BASIC PROBLEMS" at the Live Remix

2010-09-01T11:20:00.001-07:00

Power Struggle's performance of "Three Basic Problems" featuring Kiwi and Vicoy Bagongsigaw at the SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE Live Remix Concert in Little Tokyo last Friday.

New POWER STRUGGLE documentary

2010-08-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Check out the new documentary I directed on the life and music of Nomi from the hip-hop group POWER STRUGGLE. From Africa to the Midwest to the Philippines, this film chronicles Nomi's life journey and personal transformation through political awakening.

Catch him live at the SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE Live Remix Concert this Friday!

Shot and edited by Eric Tandoc
Interviewed by Tadashi Nakamura

You can purchase POWER STRUGGLE's new album "REMITTANCES" at:
beatrockmusic.com
iTunes
CD Baby

LIVE REMIX performer line-up

2010-08-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

Eric Tandoc (ET) is a cultural worker from Anakbayan LA who creates art to educate, inspire, and motivate people to take action in changing today's society. As a filmmaker and video DJ from the Mass Movement crew, ET fuses his passion for music and film towards advancing the movement for genuine freedom and democracy in the Philippines and worldwide. "We live only one life and for how long is unknown, so we must do as much as we can to push forward our people's struggle in the time that we have - now."

http://flavors.me/erictandoc

Kiwi Coming to you from the Bay Area (by way of Los Angeles), Kiwi has been holding it down in the independent hip hop scene for nearly a decade, rocking shows from California to New York to the Philippines. Representing one-third of Filipino hip hop group Native Guns, he was recently featured as the lead subject of documentary "Sounds of a New Hope," and is currently working on his upcoming full-length album, "Love and Justice."
http://illafonte.com

Power Struggle is rapper Nomi accompanied by producers Mister REY and Fatgums. Spitting raw insight with a grimy Midwest flow, Nomi represents hard for those who live under the fingernails of society, yet celebrate life with every breath. Power Struggle reflects the life and times of workers, students, hustlers, artists, immigrants, revolutionaries, rejects, failures, redeemers and dreamers.
http://artofficialfreedom.wordpress.com
http://beatrockmusic.com

Gingee is the solo project of Marjorie Light, a DJ, educator and organizer from Los Angeles. Her music blends electronic, hip hop, and world beats with poetic lyrics and instruments such as the Filipino Kulintang and Vietnamese Dan Bao. Her songs are vital reflections of her travels, emotional journeys and her experiences as a woman of color.
http://soundcloud.com/gingee

Shining Sons is an up and coming group from the Eastside of Long Beach. Intellect and Jedi are twin brothers who have turned their lives around from gang banging through learning about people's struggles in the U.S. and back home in the Phillipines. Now they spread awareness through hip-hop and community organizing with Anakbayan LA to create social change in communities worldwide.
http://shiningsons.tumblr.com

"Beatrock Sweater" free download

Krystle Tugadi Southern California Native, Krystle Tugadi, is an up and coming vocalist to definitely watch out for. Growing up, she discovered that music was her safe haven and her true calling in life. She grew up learning the piano and focused on harnessing her vocal ability. With a plethora of different artists that influenced her music, Krystle has found her niche in the music scene as an R&B/Soul/Folk artist. With Krystle's soulful stylings and drive for music, we expect big things for this amazing performer - so make sure to keep an eye on this girl.
http://krystletugadi.tumblr.com

http://youtube.com/krystofu

Menchie Caliboso is the guitarist and vocalist of rock band Feed The Feeble. After living in Long Beach, San Francisco and Seattle, Menchie is currently settled in Boston to study music therapy at Berklee College of Music. Wherever she is, she always finds a way to connect with the community through art and activism. She plans on returning to Long Beach when the breakwater is taken down. Restore the shore!
http://feedthefeeble.bandcamp.com

Feed The Feeble EP free download

Vicoy Bagongsigaw was born and raised in the Philippines and is now residing in the U.S. He became an MC to share the knowledge and experiences that he has gained by being able to witness the lives of FIlipinos and Fil-Ams. "With the help of my kasamas, hopefully people would even take time to ask themselves why they have to leave our homeland, the Philippines."
http://flavors.me/vicoybagongsigaw

Bagong Sigaw EP free download

k.see hails from Queens, NY; picked up nine years of North Jersey love; and now lives in Long Beach, CA. She lives for the people, loves the people, writes poems and songs for the people. She is inspired by the people, serves, and fights on a daily basis for the people.

http://krystlesee.tumblr.com

PHATRICK vs KIWI DJ BATTLE @ LIVE REMIX

2010-08-20T04:15:00.000-07:00

Two Native Guns battle each other for turntable supremacy..
Who you think is gonna win?

Witness it for the first time ever at the SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE Live Remix Concert next Friday, August 27th 2010 at JACCC Plaza in Downtown LA!

Check out that STACKS DJ Abel video that Phatty learned from here!

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE Live Remix Concert
Friday, August 27, 2010
6:30pm-10pm

JACCC Plaza
Little Tokyo, Downtown LA
244 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

LIVE REMIX Teaser

2010-08-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

"Bayan Bayan Ko" is a revolutionary reggae song from the Philippines that will be performed live by Krystle Tugadi, Kayla DLR, k.see, and Menchie Caliboso (of Feed the Feeble) at the SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE LIVE REMIX Concert on August 27th .

The original song is written by youth from a cultural group called Tabak-Baguio.
You can download "Bayan Bayan Ko" here.

You can download a FREE EP from Feed The Feeble at feedthefeeble.bandcamp.com

LIVE REMIX CONCERT AUG 27TH

2010-07-27T02:56:00.000-07:00

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE
Live Remix Concert
Friday, August 27th, 2010
7-10pm

JACCC Plaza
244 S. San Pedro Street
Downtown Los Angeles, CA 90012

The film will be re-mixed and re-edited LIVE on two turntables (using video DJ technology) with new, never-before-seen scenes.

The evening will feature a FREE outdoor screening & concert in beautiful Downtown LA, with live performances that are integrated INTO the film.

Performing live:
Kiwi
Power Struggle
Gingee
Krystle Tugadi
Shining Sons
Vicoy Bagongsigaw
k.see

Food trucks provided by:
Manila Machine
Buttermilk

Sponsored by:
Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
Visual Communications
Fil Am Arts
Pilipino Artist Network
Beatrock Music
Bayan USA
Anakbayan-Los Angeles
Filipino Migrant Center

SAVE THE DATE! SNH LIVE REMIX CONCERT! AUG 27, 2010

2010-06-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars everybody!!!

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE Live Remix Concert
JACCC Plaza, Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2010, 7pm

See SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE like you've never seen it before...

I'm going to be remixing the film live using VIDEO DJing and scratching in new never-before-seen scenes that take you deeper into the life of Kiwi and the people's movement in the Philippines.

There will also be LIVE PERFORMANCES integrated INTO the film, featuring Power Struggle, Krystle Tugadi, Shining Sons, Vicoy Bagongsigaw, Gingee, and more... plus a special performance by Kiwi with video projection in the background!

Spread the word!!!

-ET

photo by Jay Davis

FIST UP Film Festival TONIGHT!

2010-06-10T01:07:00.000-07:00

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE is playing tonight at 8pm in one my favorite towns on this earth, Berkeley, CA!

WHAT: Fist Up Film Festival

WHERE: La Peña, 3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA

WHEN: Thursday, June 10, 2010 (8-10pm)

WHO: Panel w/ Kiwi Illafonte - MC, Activist (lead subject) & Anthony (Pele) Navarro - Organizer/Activist (In film) + special guests and Skype interview with Sounds of a New Hope director Eric Tandoc

http://fistup.tv

ETHNO LA: TONIGHT @ UCLA HAMMER MUSEUM!

2010-05-10T13:10:00.001-07:00

A rare opportunity to catch some classic LA short documentaries, all made by students in the UCLA Ethnocommunications class taught by Robert Nakamura.

810LOGY (2004), my first documentary to ever make it into a film festival, is about the history and growth of my multi-ethnic skateboard crew from Westside Long Beach, 810 CREW!

There will be a special appearance by Ralph Santos, a.k.a. Shark!

You also don't want to miss the documentary film that was most influential to me when I first started out, BEATS, RHYMES, & RESISTANCE (1997). It's the first film I ever saw about Filipinos in Hip-Hop, specifically in LA. It was at this film's community premiere at SIPA in Historic Filipinotown that I first saw KIWI perform.

So in reality, this is the origin of my film, SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE (2009).

ETHNO LA: A retrospective of films from the UCLA Center for EthnoCommunications.

Monday, May 10, 7 pm
Hammer Museum, Billy Wilder Theater
10899 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024

This is a FREE event! Reception to follow program at Westwood Brewing Company.

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE TRAILER

2010-03-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

Finally a trailer! To see the full version, you can peep the upcoming screenings in the LA / Long Beach area..

March 31, 2010 @ 9pm
PUKA BAR, Long Beach | ET's 30th BIRTHDAY BASH

April 22, 2010 @ 8pm
UCLA, Moore 100 | POWER IN NUMBERS concert tour

gyeah!

-ET

SNH @ ANAKBAYAN-EAST BAY ANNIVERSARY

2009-11-25T02:41:00.000-08:00

The Bay Area is really giving a lot of love to Sounds of a New Hope! But this time it's playing on the east side of the Bay Bridge to celebrate Andres Bonifacio's birthday and the anniversary AnakBayan-East Bay.

AB-East Bay is an organization that engages, organizes, and mobilizes youth and students in the East Bay around the collective interests of poor and working-class Filipino communities living in the United States and links these struggles to the popular campaigns for jobs, land, education, civil, and political rights, and social services waged by youth in the Philippines.

Bay Area youth!! Y'all should check out this dope event and get involved with AB! Live performances by POWER STRUGGLE and more.. with DJ PSANI (Something Fresh x Mass Movement) spinning jams all night!

WHAT: "I Hella Love the People" AnakBayan East Bay's Anniversary
WHEN: Saturday, Dec 5th, 2009 (7-10pm)
WHERE: East Side Cultural Center, 2277 International Blvd, Oakland, CA

Rebolusyon ni Bonifacio! Isulong Mo! Isulong Mo!

-ET

SNH @ FACINE in the SFC!!

2009-11-17T00:49:00.000-08:00

For those in the Bay Area who haven't had a chance to catch it yet, Sounds of a New Hope will be playing once again in The City this Friday for FREE at the 16th Annual Filipino American Cine Festival. It's part of the "Our Stories from the 'Hood" program.

WHERE: San Francisco Main Library, Lower Level,

Koret Auditorium

WHEN: Friday, November 20, 2009, 1pm

For more info, check out the Facebook event page HERE.

The FACINE festival is the longest-running festival of its kind in North America that features films by and/or about Filipino/a and Filipino/a Americans. Now on its 16th year, the festival runs for two days, November 20-21, 2009 at the San Francisco Main Library.

Artistic Director/Film programmer: Mauro Feria Tumbocon, Jr.

Schedule of screenings:

Friday, November 20, 1-5 pm

PROGRAM 1
Our stories from the 'hood
1:00-2:00 p.m.

Legend (Mark Villegas, dir & prod; 5 min, 2009)

Got Book? Auntie Helen’s Gift of Books (Florante Pete Ibanez, dir; UCLA Department of World Arts & Culture/Center for EthnoCommunications, prod; 8:45 min, 2005) - short documentary on Helen Brown, the founder of Pilipino American Reading Room & Library

Sounds of a New Hope (Eric Tandoc, dir; Mass Movement & Sine Patriyotiko, prods; 41 min, 2009) - Tandoc follows Filipino American rap artist, Kiwi, through his work with youth both in the US and the Philippines where he uses music to raise political consciousness.

PROGRAM 2
In a weird, crazy world of my neighbors:
Hilarity ensues when Filipinos celebrate reunion;
imagination soars through moments of craziness and mayhem.
2:00-3:00 p.m.

The Reunion (Pio Candelaria, dir/prod; 3 min, 2009)
The San Miguel Family Reunion (Theophilus Jamal & Joel Rosal, dirs; MojaStudio & PhlipFLIX Productions, prods; 14:23 min, 2008)
Alice, Interrupted (Theophilus Jamal, dir; MojaStudio LLC, prod; 10 min, 2009) – A special preview screening
Bunot/Husk (Ivy Universe Baldoza, dir/prod; 7:08 min, 2008)
Nekro (Crisostomo Juan Andaluz, dir; Carl and Carl Productions, prod; 19:01 min, 2008)

PROGRAM 3
Special Premiere US screening
3:00-5:00 p.m.
Handumanan/Remembrance (Seymour Barros-Sanchez, dir; Red Room Productions, prod; 85 min, 2009)
Filipina model/actress ChinChin Gutierrez stars as romance novelist faces the difficult changes in her career and life.

All films are either in English or in different Filipino languages (Tagalog, Bisaya, Pangasinan, etc.) with English subtitles.
A short Q&A with filmmakers in attendance follows after all screenings.
All screenings are FREE to public.

SNH @ CHICAGO FIL AM FILM FEST!

2009-10-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

Calling all Chicago Bulls fans! Sounds of a New Hope has officially been selected for the Chicago Filipino American Film Festival!

It will be screened alongside Manilatown is in the Heart, Curtis Choy's documentary on the late legendary community activist Al Robles.

Chicago Filipino American Film Festival

Saturday, November 7, 2009, 11am

Portage Theater

for more info:

http://cfaff.org

SNH @ UC SANTA BARBARA THIS WEDNESDAY!!

2009-10-20T00:46:00.000-07:00

Sounds of a New Hope will be screening at UC Santa Barbara's Multi-Cultural Center Theater this Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 6pm.

The event will feature a live performance by the up-and-coming hip-hop group from Eastside Long Beach, SHINING SONS.

Come thru and peep the future! For more event info click HERE

-ET

SNH @ SAN DIEGO ASIAN FILM FEST THIS WEEKEND!

2009-10-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Sounds of a New Hope begins its run at the San Diego Asian Film Festival this weekend!!

You can catch it on:

Friday, October 16th, 2009 - 7:20pm (w/ filmmaker Q&A)

Saturday, October 24th, 2009 - 10:10pm

It will be part of a program called

"Sights and Sounds of a New Hope":

COTABATO CITY
Director: Karen Lin | 5 min | Video | 2009
A young boy’s imaginary journey to the music of the Electric Kulintang.

30 DAY PROMISE
Director: Shawn Lee | 9 min | Video | 2009
Vincent comes to terms with painful memories of heartbreak one autumn evening.

THE OTHER WAY ROUND
Director: Geoffrey Quan | 14 min | Video | 2008
Tomorrow morning, Lucia Grace Buenaflor will be deported from the only country she has ever known.

TATANG
Director: Jean Paolo “Nico” Hernandez | 17 min | Video | 2009
A homeless thief trains his granddaughter to steal in order to survive their impoverished life.

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE
Director: Eric Tandoc | 40 min | Video |2008
Sharing life experiences, beats, and rhymes, Kiwi makes connections in the Philippines, inspiring the next generation to continue the ongoing struggle for freedom.

The program is sponsored by ANAKBAYAN-San Diego, Filipino American National Historical Society (FAHNS) San Diego, and Kamalayan Alliance - CSU San Marcos

Tickets are available at the Hazard Center UltraStar Cinemas box office. Discounted tickets available through contacting ANAKBAYAN-San Diego.

**If you live in SD and want to get more involved in making positive change for the Filipino community in the US as well as back home in the Philippines, holla at ANAKBAYAN-San Diego!

-ET

SNH @ PHILLY ASIAN AM FILM FEST!

2009-10-10T00:36:00.000-07:00

Sounds of a New Hope plays at the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival on Sunday, October 11th, 2009 at 1pm alongside the homie Tadashi Nakamura's A Song For Ourselves.

Mass Movement representin' to the fullest in Philly y'all!

BUY TICKETS HERE!

-ET

SNH THIS SUNDAY IN SF!!

2009-10-02T01:24:00.000-07:00

For all the Bay Area fam, Sounds of a New Hope is playing this Sunday, October 4th, 2009, at 5pm in San Francisco at the PeliKULa! Pin@y Film Series organized by Kularts!

Come thru!

Bayanihan Community Center

1010 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

(corner of Mission & 6th St)

-ET

PeliKULa! Pin@y Film Series
First Sundays of the Month
Dim the lights, silence your cell phones, butter your popcorn, sit back and relax as Kularts presents its first Pin@y Film series featuring works by today's leaders in cutting-edge Pin@y cinema.

5pm, Sun OCT 4
Art for Social Change (Documentaries)
Admission: $7
Tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/79743

*Add $3 to your admission at the door, and we will donate that $3 directly to relief efforts in the Philippines*

Featuring:

Hip Hip Mestizaje: Racialization,
Resonance, and Filipino American
Knowledge of Self
Director: Mark Villegas
Why Filipinos, why hip hop? A coast-to-coast exploration of Filipinos immersion into the hip hop movement, highlighting the cultural and racial impact of colonization on Filipino artists.

Sounds of a New Hope
Director: Eric Tandoc
Co-presented by ALAY
Growing up around LAs neighborhood gangs in the 90s, a young Filipino-American named Kiwi (Jack DeJesus) became an MC and community organizer, using hip-hop to raise consciousness for genuine democracy. Through sharing life experiences, beats, and rhymes, youth from San Mateo to Metro Manila make connections across oceans that inspire the next generation to continue the ongoing struggle for freedom.

Showman Shaman
Director: Egay Navarro
Free-thinking independent artists catapulted Baguio into a vital art center of the Philippines in the late 80s such as Roberto Villanueva's art installation of his own cremation - outdoors, in the middle of Baguio City, mourners circled his funeral pyre, chanting and dancing to the beat of gangsa gongs.

Huna Huna
Director: Wilfred Galila
A haunting art film calling for environmental awareness and action in response to the largest oil spill in Philippine history.

Q&A Panel: Eric Tandoc, Suzanne Llamado (Baguio Arts Guild), Wilfred Galila, and Kiwi
Moderated by Irene Faye Duller

SNH @ SAN DIEGO ASIAN FILM FEST!

2009-09-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

Sounds of a New Hope will be screening at the 2009 San Diego Asian Film Festival on:

Friday, October 16, 2009 - 7:20pm
Saturday, October 24, 2009 - 10:10pm

BUY TICKETS HERE!

UPCOMING SCREENINGS

2009-08-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

Be sure to catch Sounds of a New Hope coming to a town near you:

Bayanihan Community Center, San Francisco
Sunday, October 4, 2009

San Diego Asian Film Festival
October 16 & 24, 2009

UC Santa Cruz
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

San Francisco State University
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

more to come...

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE @ VC THIS SATURDAY!

2009-07-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

SOUNDS OF A NEW HOPE will be playing at Visual Communications' "Best of the Fest: Global Groove" program this Saturday, July 25th at 8pm, followed by a performance by some of the youth who are part of the weekly SAMA SAMA hip-hop workshops we're holding this summer in Carson.

**FYI: We recently changed the title from SOUNDS OF THE NEW HOPE because the original intent was to reference the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and all this time I had mistaken the title for "The New Hope".

Also, "A New Hope" more accurately reflects our intentions for the meaning of the film and it also flows a little bit better off the tongue.

Come thru this Saturday and see the film with its new titles!

for more info, check VC's website

-ET

Interview with Eric Tandoc in UCLA Asia Pacific Arts Magazine

2009-05-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

LA Asian Pacific Film Festival 2009: an interview with Sounds of a New Hope director Eric Tandoc

By Clifford Hilo

Eric Tandoc's short film Sounds of a New Hope draws connections between music and politics, the Philippines and Filipino America. APA talks to the director about striking the right balance to strike the most provocative chord.

Documentary filmmakers are the underdogs of cinema. They live in poverty, struggling between intermittent stretches of grant funding. They shoot their footage in completely wild and unforeseeable conditions, and are often prone to the most cruel and unhappy kinds of accidents. Yet, for all the hard-fought footage, the countless hours of tedious editing, and of course, the lack of funding, the documentarian must always ask himself, "What is the end result of this work?"

For Eric Tandoc, all of this work and labor in documentary has an eventual point -- the creation of community and of relations between people. It is the hope that documentary as an art will have the ability to share and empower viewers, and give a voice to the unheard. With his new film Sounds of the New Hope, Tandoc wants to put the microphone to the mouths of storytellers who have not been able to tell their story before. In the film, he follows the Filipino American MC, Kiwi, as the young rapper grows from his brash youth as a gangbanger on the streets of Koreatown to radical political activism promoted throughout the slum-dwellings of the Philippines. But what makes this film so fresh, exciting, and relevant is that Kiwi wants to translate the rough material of real politics and class struggle through the word and rhyme of hip-hop. Like an improvement on Aristotle's notion that what makes a human political is his ability for speech, Kiwi transforms the flow of his rap into a tool that constructs a unity and kinship. Kiwi uses rap as a bridge for the impoverished Filipino to communicate. Rapping, it seems, is a much more immediate mechanism for saying what's on your mind. And much like Kiwi, Tandoc wants to use the tools of documentary to create these same bridges and to tell stories that are much more than stories. For Tandoc, the end result of a documentary should be action: to turn back, reflect, and serve a community.

Asia Pacific Arts: Could you tell us a little about yourself and the short film that you have playing at this year's festival?

Eric Tandoc: My name is Eric Tandoc, and I'm a 29 year-old second-generation Filipino American who was born in San Diego and grew up in Long Beach. Aside from filmmaking, I'm a community organizer and member of a youth and student organization called AnakBayan and a progressive arts organization called Habi-Arts. Both of these organizations are part of a national alliance called Bayan USA, which consists of 14 organizations across the country that support the struggle for national liberation and genuine democracy in the Philippines, as well as the struggles of Filipinos living here in the United States. In addition to that, I'm a DJ in a hip-hop crew called Mass Movement and an emcee in a live hip-hop band called The Committee.

My latest documentary, Sounds of a New Hope, chronicles the life and music of Filipino American emcee and community organizer, Kiwi, as well as the growth of hip-hop as an organizing tool in the movement for genuine freedom and democracy in the Philippines. It was created as my thesis film for the UC Santa Cruz Social Documentation M.A. program.

The film documents Kiwi's life growing up around youth gangs in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles and how he later became involved in hip-hop and community organizing in the Filipino community. Then the film fast forwards to his current organizing work through hip-hop workshops with youth in San Francisco at the Filipino Community Center. The second half of the film follows him on his political exposure trip to the Philippines in 2007, where he is hosted by AnakBayan and integrates in urban shanty communities. There, he meets youth gangsters who rap and connects with their experiences through the common language of hip-hop.

APA: Do you have any good anecdotes of working on this documentary while following Kiwi around the Philippines?

ET: Although the film focuses on Kiwi's experiences rapping with urban youth in the shanty communities of Caloocan, we were also able to connect with some of hip-hop's elite in the Philippines -- Francis M and Gloc 9. Francis M is considered the "King of Philippine Rap," since he was the first Filipino to ever release a hip-hop album back in 1990. What's great is that his songs are also very nationalistic, rapping about positivity and believing in ourselves as Filipinos. When we first met him, he told Kiwi how he'd been following his music with Native Guns since 2005 and frequently played their songs on the radio show that he hosted. Kiwi got to build a friendship with him and when Francis suddenly passed away from leukemia earlier this year, he took it really hard. We are all saddened by the loss of a legendary figure in Philippine hip-hop.

Gloc 9 is one of his talented protégés and had several songs on the radio while we were there. He's known for super-fast rhyming and talking about the struggles of growing up poor. But the ironic thing is, even though he's well known and has songs on the radio, he recently enrolled into nursing school and has aspirations of going abroad to work. I remember him saying how if he were able to financially support himself and his family through nursing, then he could be free to fully pursue rapping. I think it's a reflection of the Philippines' semi-colonial and semi-feudal economy that even a big-name rapper like Gloc 9 isn't able to make a living off his art and is forced to follow the thousands of Filipinos who leave the country every day just to survive and support their families.

APA: This is a piece about the mixture of music and politics, of hip-hop and massive political movements in the Philippines in a very literal way. Tell us more about the relation of music and politics?

ET: Kiwi and I both identify as cultural workers, meaning we create our art for the purpose of educating our communities in order to raise people's political consciousness and hopefully inspire them to take action and work towards creating systemic change.

Music, and hip-hop in particular, is a powerful and direct way of conveying messages through personal expression. Often times, it's more effective than speeches or forums as a way of sparking interest in political or social issues. Music, like other forms of cultural work, connects with people's emotions in such a way that one can really feel the humanity and beauty found in the struggle for a better world.

Music can reflect the realities of people and society, but it also shapes reality. A song can be highly influential and infectious, as it can inspire you to memorize lyrics and even cause you to behave in ways that manifest the values in those lyrics.

APA: You studied documentary here at UCLA. How has that influenced your growth as a young filmmaker and documentarian?

ET: As an undergrad at UCLA, I was introduced to documentary filmmaking through the History of Documentary Film course taught by Marina Goldovskaya. Through her Documentary Production Workshop, I made my first visual life history documentary about my grandmother, called Nanay.

Subsequently, I took the year-long UCLA EthnoCommunications course taught by Robert Nakamura and John Esaki and became grounded in the principle of creating documentaries to give a voice to underrepresented communities. Through this course, I created 810LOGY, a short documentary about the history and growth of my multi-ethnic skateboard crew from Long Beach and our struggles with gangs, discrimination, and police harassment.

Through studying documentary at UCLA, in addition to having wonderful professors as mentors, I was exposed to amazing films such as Beats, Rhymes, & Resistance: Pilipinos and Hip Hop In Los Angeles by Dawn Mabalon, Lakandiwa de Leon, and Jonathan Ramos; Koyaanisqatsi by Godfrey Reggio and Ron Fricke; Style Wars by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant; and A Rustling of Leaves: Inside the Philippine Revolution by Nettie Wild. All of these had profound influences on the style and approach of the documentary films that I make. Before then, I had only associated documentaries with boring history channel "Voice of God"-style films. But these films showed me the diverse creative possibilities of the documentary medium.

APA: What's next in store for you in terms of your documentary work in the Philippines and here in America, and also with regard to your musical interests?

ET: We plan on taking Sounds of a New Hope on a concert tour around the US later this year and intend to hold the LA community premiere at UCLA. As for future projects, this summer I plan to work with AnakBayan and Habi-Arts to conduct documentary workshops with youth and educate them on how to produce visual life history documentaries about their parents and their experiences as immigrants from the Philippines. I'm also working on an ongoing video documentary about my cousin Mark Canto, who is an artist and first-generation immigrant, called Mass Movement: Roots.

In the future, I hope to continue making films raising awareness about the people's struggle in the Philippines as well as the culture of Filipino Americans here in the United States. I'm interested in documenting the contributions of Filipino Americans to youth culture, music, and American society as a whole. One day, I also hope to be able to make a feature narrative about critical events in Philippine history.

Regarding music, I'll always continue to DJ, make mix tapes, make beats, and develop my skills as an emcee. Currently, an album is in the works and will hopefully be released by next year. All the while, I'm continuing to perform and create songs with my band, The Committee.

Date Posted: 5/22/2009

reposted from: http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/090522/article.asp?parentID=108464

BEATS, RHYMES & RESISTANCE

2009-05-14T01:32:00.000-07:00

last week at the VC film festival, i ran into one of my biggest inspirations in the documentary field, Lakandiwa de Leon.

back in Spring 1999 when i was a freshman at UCLA, i went with my big homies Ray Ribaya and Rich Bis to the community premiere of his collaborative film with Dawn Mabalon and Jonathan Ramos, Beats, Rhymes & Resistance: Pilipinos and Hip Hop in Los Angeles, at SIPA in P-Town (now known as the Historic Filipinotown community of LA). it was made through the UCLA EthnoCommunications program, taught by Robert Nakamura and John Esaki.

peep this groundbreaking film that was
an early inspiration for Sounds of the New Hope:

it was the first time i was ever exposed to the amazing talent of Filipino American community folks. i remember being blown away by Faith Santilla, DJ Kid Wik, and Kiwi.

Kiwi was the first Filipino American rapper who made me realize that Filipinos can do this shit. (Before that, I only knew about Francis M)

thank you all for changing my world..

-ET

AL ROBLES

2009-04-21T02:14:00.000-07:00

May 2nd | DGA 2 | 6:30pm

Sounds of the New Hope is playing alongside

a new documentary about the life of Al Robles.

Directors Guild of America
7920 Sunset Blvd | Los Angeles

SNH's 1ST FILM FESTIVAL ACCEPTANCE!!

2009-04-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

SOUNDS OF THE NEW HOPE at the
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 2nd!

SATURDAY, MAY 2nd at 6:30pm
Directors Guild of America (DGA 2)
7290 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90046

Sounds of the New Hope will be the opening film of the program titled "Manilatown Is In The Heart". It will be screened alongside the newest film by Curtis Choy, director of the award-winning documentary, The Fall of the I-Hotel. His documentary, Manilatown Is In The Heart, follows the life of legendary Filipino-American poet and activist, Al Robles.

For tickets and more information on the program please go to:
http://www.vconline.org/festival/program.cfm?program_id=18

SOUNDS OF THE NEW HOPE TONIGHT!

2009-03-28T02:06:00.000-07:00

the L.A. sneak preview is tonight at the Bayan USA 3rd Congress Cultural Solidarity Night from 6:30-10:30pm.

show starts exactly at 6:30. don't be late!! come and meet kasamas from all around the country!!

Performances by:
Kiwi
Geologic of Blue Scholars
T-Know of The CounterParts
Power Struggle
FiRE Kultural Kollective
Babae
Pinay Choir
El Dia of 1st Quarter Storm
and more..

Where:
UCLA Downtown Labor Center
675 S. Park View Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057

Cover:
$10, but nobody turned away for lack of funds
(proceeds go to fund human rights campaigns for the Philippines)

see you there!!

-ET

The Man From Manila

2009-03-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Francis,

I'm still in disbelief, man. You know, I was thinking about you recently too. Wondering how you were holding up, how your music was going, how your family was doing. I remember shooting you that text when the news of your diagnosis was first announced. I could tell you didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I kinda wish I didn't listen to you.

It's funny, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first met you, that Summer in '07. I had heard how big you were, the impact of your music as far as hip hop in the Philippines. But honestly, probably like many Filipino-Americans, I didn't really take hip hop from the Philippines that seriously. I was totally ignorant with my perception of y'all. With my arrogant American viewpoint, I didn't think hip hop from the P.I was quite up to par with what we were doing in the states.

And you proved me wrong.

There you were, this slim, handsome Pinoy in a bright pink t-shirt. I immediately knew it was you. Not that you were loud or anything, but you just had this presence. That "glow." And you were just amazingly cool and totally approachable. And when I finally got to see you hit the stage, man, I was blown away. You were the first and only rapper I've ever seen go from rapping to singing a straight-up rock song, then switching to a blues joint while playing the harmonica. You were articulate, you cracked jokes, you told your story. I remember turning to my friends who were with me like, "Okay, THIS is my new favorite rapper."

After that night, I remember going back and borrowing (okay, stealing) all of my homie's Francis M songs. It took me a minute to figure out the tagalog, but I understood. These songs were about the people. The kababayan. Our struggle. And not just on one or two songs neither. And the youth I work with, who grew up to your music, when they speak of you with reverence and respect, I understand why. I would probably speak of Chuck D or 2pac in the same way. I would probably speak of some of our local elder activists in the same way. Your stuff was not just music for music's sake. You spoke fiercely in your criticisms of the system, with real pain over our people's suffering. You sang love songs. You were a prophet, and the whole nation loved you because you spoke the truth.

There are many artists and rappers I meet that come and go, but I truly considered you my friend for life. You didn't give me that industry vibe I get from many hip hop artists; you embraced who I was, and allowed me to be a part of what you had started. You let me rock a stage with you. You hardly knew me, but you treated me like a brother, even offering your crib the next time I visited the P.I. And so, I light a candle for you, as my brother, the Man from Manila, the Master Rapper, Kiko...aka Francis Magalona. Thank you for living, for your gift of music, for your voice of reality. Your legacy will live on through your music, and the inspiration you've given to countless young people in the Philippines and beyond. Mabuhay!

Your friend always,
Kiwi

Awww yeah...

2009-03-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

(Chillin after the show w/ Philippine rap legends Gloc 9 and Francis M)

It's been almost 2 years since that trip to the P.I, and I'm itching with excitement about the completion of the film. It was such a personal journey for me, and at the same time, it's so much bigger than any one person. Eric and I have been going back and forth as far as the direction of the film, aesthetics, promotion, and so forth. And I believe what we have lined up is going to serve an unprecedented purpose as far as 1) raising the awareness among Fil-Ams of the Philippine situation (thru hip hop), 2) identifying hip hop as useful tool for organizers in the Philippines, and 3) getting folks to relate to the struggles of Filipinos in America to re-discover their roots and see their homeland as the catalyst for their political involvement. In addition, the film is dope!

So keep checking back for updates as we edge closer to the project's completion. Definitely more to come!!!

- Kiwi

L.A. SNEAK PREVIEW MARCH 28th!!

2009-03-02T00:43:00.001-08:00

what up everybody!

we're going to hold a special sneak preview of scenes from the upcoming film in LA on Saturday, March 28th.. with live performances by Kiwi and progressive Filipino artists from all over the country!

check back for more details soon!

but for now, let's take a trip back to 1998, around the time Kiwi came back from the Philippines after going on his first ever exposure trip with our folks back home who are struggling for freedom..

off the classic Vice Versa tape, here's "Take A Look"

DOWNLOAD HERE

-ET

(photo courtesy of Jay Davis)

SOUNDS OF A NEW BLOG

2009-02-22T00:24:00.000-08:00

what up y'all!

welcome to the new blog for Sounds of the New Hope! we'll be posting up-to-date info, exclusive video clips, photos, and music from the film.

Kiwi and I are planning to embark on a concert tour to premiere the film in major cities across the U.S. later this year, so check back soon for further details..

2009, here we go!

-ET