Ground Breaker - Debbie Formoso
An award-winning writer/director/cinematographer, Debbie Formoso's short films have screened at several international film festivals including Tribeca and Hawaiian International Film Festivals. She earned her BA in English from Loyola Marymount University in 2000, then returned to obtain her MFA in Film Production in 2006. In 2005, she was chosen by Film Independent to be a Project:Involve Fellow. Upon graduation, LMU awarded her a Sony TAG (Transition after Graduation) Fellowship. Nagpapanggap also won Best Screenplay at the LMU’s "Film Outside the Frame" Student Film Festival. Formoso has been mentored by cinematographers Jeff Cutter (Gridiron Gang) and Matthew Libatique, ASC (Requiem for a Dream, Inside Man).
Ground Breaker Film - Nagpapanggap
In the 1960’s, a post-war Philippines was the richest the country had ever been; run by a soon-to-be declared dictator and overrun by a greedy American presence in the government. Against this backdrop, Nagpapanggap portrays one woman’s struggle with not only the deeply restrictive social mores of the day, but the inevitable compromises she must face to salvage her own sense of worth as well as her relationship with her daughter.
Lourdes is a mother first, a wife second and a teacher by avocation. A nurturing woman, Lourdes is always placing others first; herself last. Her only child, a daughter, is on the verge of leaving for college. Lourdes’ husband is spending increasingly long hours at work, and her weekly mahjong game with the ‘girls’ leaves her with a nagging sense of doubt. But it’s these very conversations that serve as a catalyst for Lourdes when she is finally forced to see what is right in front of her.
Ground Breaker Questionnaire
How did you hear about HATCH?
I heard about HATCH through Kathleen McInnis, Film Festival Specialist from the Office of External Affairs at Loyola Marymount University. She highly recommended the festival and suggested that I apply.
Why did you submit your film to HATCH?
HATCH's strong emphasis on mentorship. I believed HATCH could provide me with an opportunity to receive professional advice on a personal level, which is often difficult to find within the chaotic realm of the entertainment industry. Filmmaking is mostly a collective effort to realize a singular vision. HATCH seemed to emphasize the collective spirit of filmmaking by bringing together multiple artistic disciplines and, as a director, that effort appealed greatly to me. HATCH emboldened and celebrated the notion of collaboration.
If you are aware of our mentorship program, how do you feel about it?
My only knowledge of the mentorship program is what is available on the website. I am eager to learn more about it at the festival.
What was your inspiration in making the film?
The setting is inspired by the stories that my father would tell me about my grandfather. It's a part of my history that I know only through those stories, and the film was a great way to learn more about my heritage. The actual subject matter of the film is inspired by countless stories that I heard growing up about betrayal. I was given the excuse that this is a part of life, but that excuse wasn't good enough for me. I needed to make this film for my people and for all women.
Why did you choose to pursue film?
I did not want to settle into a routine career. I had studied writing during my undergraduate years in college and enjoyed it, but it did not offer the physical freedom that I needed in my life. I believed that I could not completely articulate certain impressions, and felt that often there are specific subtleties which are more purely expressed visually than linguistically. I also needed more socially rewarding experiences. The camaraderie that develops among a focused and hardworking film crew was exciting. I saw filmmaking as an opportunity for personal growth while maintaining the possibility for effectual change in people's perceptions.