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Under the American Sun (Camp Roxas, Agat, Guam)

Preliminary funding for Under the American Sun, an independently produced 60-minute film documentary, was provided through the Guam Humanities Council by the National Endowment for Humanities for a photo exhibit, discussion series and a short 10-minute introductory Sizzle Reel film.

With the recent notification by the Guam Humanities Council (see letter) that funding is no longer available, the Camp Roxas team continues to pursue alternate grant funding for an independently produced 60-minute documentary film.

Under the American Sun (Camp Roxas, Agat, Guam)

Preliminary funding for Under the American Sun, an independently produced 60-minute film documentary, was provided through the Guam Humanities Council by the National Endowment for Humanities for a photo exhibit, discussion series and a short 10-minute introductory Sizzle Reel film.

With the recent notification by the Guam Humanities Council (see letter) that funding is no longer available, the Camp Roxas team continues to pursue alternate grant funding for an independently produced 60-minute documentary film.

PHOTO CAPTION: Burt Sardoma Jr., director, Under the American Sun, and Bernie Provido Schumann, producer, are joined by a special group of Camp Roxas descendants, Ilonggo families and friends from Guam, California and throughout the United States for the 12:30 p.m. May 2 screening. Due to popular demand, high ticket sales and overwhelming public support, a second screening was held the same day at 5:30 p.m. Both screenings were filled to capacity. A Q&A session and post-screening reception followed. (Camp Roxas Film Project photo)

LA Film Festival Holds Second Screening for Under The American Sun

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Due to popular demand, two back-to-back screenings were held May 2 for the extended 20-minute version of Under the American Sun (Camp Roxas Film Project) at the 25th annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

The last-minute extra screening was granted by the Visual Communications Film Festival Committee at the special request of Burt Sardoma Jr., director of Under the American Sun, and Bernie Provido Schumann, producer, in response to numerous ticket requests for the sold-out first screening. Both screenings, which were filled to audience capacity, included a special group of Camp Roxas descendants, Ilonggo families and friends from Guam, California and throughout the United States.

A question-and-answer session and post-screening reception followed. “The power of film reconnects us with our Camp Roxas families and friends," said Sardoma. " This amazing story reconnection is a reminder of the importance of completing the 60-minute documentary, which is halfway completed. I want to thank the Guam and Filipino communities at home and abroad for their continued support in our film project.” To view more photos, please visit the Camp Roxas website at: camproxas.com

Sardoma remained in Los Angeles after the screening of Under The American Sun to work with LA-based Chamorro film director Alex C. Munoz on Munoz’s new vampire film, SPOUT. SPOUT landed star of Once Were Warriors, Rena Owen, as the lead role. Sardoma joined Director Munoz and the SPOUT production crew at the LA location shoot from May 4 to 8, 2009. The film is produced by Hapa Filmz, a new film production company that Munoz formed with Hawaii-based film maker James Sereno.

“Working with a film crew in the U.S. mainland’s film capital industry is overwhelming and exciting," Sardoma said. "This allows me to gain special knowledge and skills as director for Under The American Sun. When you are on the set with acclaimed actress Rena Owen and working with a full and experienced film crew, you can’t be afraid to learn.”

SPOUT has a strong Asian-Pacific Islander contingent comprised of Sardoma, Cory Caso (Guam), Munoz (Los Angeles, CA), Rena Owen and Karin Williams (New Zealand), James Sereno (Hawaii) and Ilonggo actress Christine Corpuz, who was cast in the film.

SPOUT follows the story of a grandmother and grandson who are driven by love to live in a bloody world that bridges the gap between the living and dead. SPOUT is written by Lawrence Rickels, whose books, "The Vampire Lectures" and "Devil's Notebooks," are considered revered occult literature. Rena Owen and Alex Munoz also are credited as writers of SPOUT.

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RELATED ARTICLE: "One step closer: Local documentary draws rave reviews at LA film festival," By Mark-Alexander Pieper • Pacific Sunday News • May 17, 2009 (http://www.guampdn.com/article/20090517/LIFESTYLE/905170317)

TAMUNING, Guam - Under the American Sun: Camp Roxas Film Project will be screened at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, May 2, at the 25th annual Los Angeles Asia Pacific Film Festival. The film is listed under Program 11: Directors Guild of America (DGA3).

The following is the festival's official description of the Camp Roxas short film:

"UNDER THE AMERICAN SUN (Guam, 2009) Dir.: Burt Sardoma, Jr.
A preview of a longer, more-incisive history tracing the undocumented migration of Filipinos to Guam during the post-World War II era, UNDER THE AMERICAN SUN foregrounds the seemingly contradictory motives of the U.S. government to rebuild Guam after World War II, and the legacy of this forced migration on the island and its people."

Director Burt Sardoma Jr. with Producers Bernie Provido Schumann and Alex C. Munoz are currently expanding the short film, Under the American Sun to a 60-minute film documentary.

The film documentary is driven by Producer Schumann's personal viewpoint as she begins to tell the story of her father's journey from Iloilo to Guam, racing against time as his mental state is diminishing.

Visual Communications is the premier Asian Pacific media arts center in the United States. One of the Asian Pacific community's most respected institutions, Visual Communications promotes intercultural understanding through the production, presentation and preservation of honest and sensitive stories about Asian Pacific people.

Tickets may be purchased online for the Los Angeles screening of Under the American Sun at: www.vconline.org/festival/program.cfm?program_id=11

For further information, visit the Camp Roxas website at www.camproxas.com or the film festival website at www.vconline.org.

Director Burt Sardoma Jr. and Producers Alex Munoz and Bernadette Provido Schumann are shown with Art Salomes, president, Iloilo International. (Photo by Camp Roxas Film Project)

Iloilo International Donates $500 to Under the American Sun

NIMITZ BEACH, Guam - Iloilo International recently donated $500 to Under the American Sun (Camp Roxas Film Project) to help fund film production costs.

Burt Sardoma, Jr., director, and Bernadette Provido Schumann, producer, accepted the donation from Art Salomes, president, at the organization’s March 29 Sunday get-together at Nimitz Beach, Agat. Also present for the presentation was Producer Alex Munoz, Los-Angeles-based filmmaker, who was on-island to work on on-going projects, Films By Youth Inside and I Fuetsan I Tao Tao, an upcoming Guam MMA feature film.

Under the American Sun, an independently produced 60-minute film documentary currently in production, will trace the history of Filipino-American immigrants to Guam who resided in Camp Roxas in Agat after World War II as part of the military reconstruction effort.

The film has been accepted at the prestigious 25th annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, to be held April 30 through May 7. For further information, please visit the Camp Roxas website at camproxas.com or Visual Communications website at vconline.org.