Rhian Ramos' New Film "Empty By Design" Premiered In Hollywood At A Sold-Out Screening!
Now this is the kind of attention that Philippine filmmakers and on-screen stars who dare step away from the tried-and-tested have always deserved!
Empty by Design, the debut full-length feature of Filipina-British director, producer, and cinematographer Andrea Walter, proved to be a hit at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) where it premiered on its closing night and to a sold-out audience at that.
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Portraying the experience of two twenty-something balikbayan schoolmates who return to the Philippines after some time abroad, the film is a quiet, melancholic portrait of the unfamiliarity of home and difficulty in rediscovering one's cultural identity—or in this case, the difficulty, and perhaps the impossibility of doing so.
There to bring the poignant story to life are lead stars Rhian Ramos (who plays Samantha) and Osric Chau (who plays Eric), and a handful of Hollywood's recognizable Asian-American actors like Dante Basco, Yoshi Sudarso, and Chris Pang.
Together, they bring a story that many Filipinos (and even more migrants from other parts of the world) know all too well to a much larger audience, hoping to bring a sense of connection to those who'll relate to it the most.
Empty by Design was incredibly well-received by its international audience with Rhian feeling an extra dose of pride for shining the spotlight on homegrown Filipino talent on the big screen.
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The actress posted a series of images on Instagram to document the events leading up to LAPFF's closing night, expressing both disbelief and gratefulness for the life-changing opportunity.
Checked in at downtown LA's Hotel Indigo for the big day, Rhian shared photos of herself getting dolled up, posing for photos with the film's cast and crew and participating in a panel Q&A session with their audience.
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However, despite its success overseas and its use of Manila's urban landscape that Filipino audiences will recognize in an instant, Empty by Design has yet to announce a Philippine screening date.
In the meantime, Rhian's Pinoy fans will simply have to be content with the film's one-minute-and-10-second trailer for now and the waves of emotions it distills in a compact but powerful teaser.
Watch the trailer below, and, like us, keep your fingers crossed for a Philippine premiere to be announced sooner than later!
Photos from @whianramos @sthanlee
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