ABOUT ME
ABOUT ME
Blackouts, military rule, and a childhood in a funeral home under martial law taught me two things: imagination and resourcefulness.
​
I’ve built an international career that spans film, TV (Paramount, HBO, Discovery, Bravo, NatGeo), women's and LGBTQ rights, and media education. In New Zealand, I was a lecturer and Head of Department for the Screen Programme in Auckland.
​
I studied Broadcast Communications on a scholarship at the University of the Philippines, then received a grant for filmmaking in New York. I also hold a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York City, focusing on international media, human rights, and the Middle East/North Africa.
​
As a storyteller, my work has won awards in Asia, North America, and Europe, screening at festivals like Austin Film Fest, BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica, and IDFA. I’ve lived and worked in Germany, Australia, Manila, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, Cairo, and New Zealand.
I’ve managed remote post-production teams in Berlin and work in post-production while designing an interactive fiction/RPG based on Philippine history and folklore.
FILMOGRAPHY
TRAFFICKERS: INSIDE THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
HBO Originals
Three countries, three drugs, three traffickers. A trilogy of true crime stories from the most notorious drug hotspot in Asia - the Golden Triangle.
This is a story of three incredible crimes and the international manhunt that followed.
ANAK (CHILD)
Feature Film
The Child (Anak) is a Filipino family drama film directed by Rory Quintos starring Vilma Santos and Claudine Barretto.The film was critically acclaimed by film critics. It was the Philippines' submission to the 73rd Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
MILK - A NZ Short Film
Austin Film Festival, Aesthetica, etc.
January 1945: on a lonely farm in coastal New Zealand, a young widow confronts two crewmen from a German submarine who have come ashore on a secret mission – to get fresh milk.
PET DAY SHORT FILM
Someday Stories
Pet Day, a short film written and directed by Ruby Harris and produced by Stephanie Escalante tells the story of two best friends living in a small rural community in Aotearoa. This film tells the story of a friendship between two 12-year-olds, their horse riding adventures and a complex relationship between a step-parent and child.
CROSSINGS | JOHN WOO
Discovery
Crossings: John Woo starts with Woo’s emotional homecoming to Hong Kong in 2004 to promote his latest blockbuster Paycheck. It leads you through his teen years where he made avant garde films, his apprenticeship with Shaw Brothers’ martial arts director Chang Che, his coming of age as a director directing slapstick Hong Kong comedies through the 70s and 80s.
OUTBACK TRUCKERS
Various Seasons
Outback Truckers is an Australian factual television series which looks at the Australian road-transport industry. It focuses on selected drivers and interesting personalities and shows the problems tackled by some sectors.
​
DISCOVERY+QUEST EUROPE
ASTRA AWARDS 2014
MOST OUTSTANDING FACTUAL PROGRAM
Discovery Channel: "Abalone Wars"
ASIAN TV AWARDS 2002
BEST SPORTS PROGRAM
World Sports TV: "Football Asia"
CMMA 2000
BEST FILM
Star Cinema: "Anak" (Child)