FAITH HEALERS is an independent feature documentary about Filipino doctors who left their homeland to dedicate their lives to the health of the United States and its people. Medicine wasn’t simply a profession, it was a purpose; and migration was a leap of faith toward an unknown, hopeful future. Making history while navigating cultural differences, they helped create a vibrant new community in Prince George’s County, MD - where Filipinos are now the largest AAPI demographic. In the spirit of KAPWA, these noble doctors continue to give their time, talents, and hearts serving both America and the Philippines. From immigration in the 1960’s to 1st generation growing pains, discover the unique challenges and achievements of Filipino Americans in FAITH HEALERS.

Manggagamot

Tagalog: Doctor, Physician, Healer

Kapwa

Tagalog: Shared identity and to care for our fellow beings.

The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) created a surge of professional migrants by intentionally admitting desirable technical skills to address nationwide shortages. At the time, many American towns were lacking basic healthcare after decades of war. The government needed to find a quick way to supply the nation with doctors, so they opened the borders to Asian countries for the first time. This story is about Filipino physicians who settled in the rural suburbs outside of the nation's capital called Prince George's County.

Why This Story Now?

It is Untold History of a People Who Continue to Be Erased

Filipinos were the first Asians to land on American soil in 1587 and are currently the 3rd largest AAPI ethnicity in the US, yet the culture is still largely invisible in history books and media. The erasure of the contributions and struggles of these physicians is an example of the ongoing invisibility. As many of those doctors are now elderly or have passed, the loss of their stories creates a devastating gap in personal and societal history. This negatively impacts all future generations of both Filipinos and Americans. We must capture this knowledge and celebrate our forebears now. It is imperative that we preserve and promote our community. Know history, know self.

Trailblazers, this exemplary community of Filipino doctors in the Nation's Capital built cultural organizations, founded medical non-profits, and Catholic prayer groups in their spare time to ensure their culture persisted. All the while remitting money back to the Philippines and founding medical missions to provide free medical care and surgery to underserved Filipinos in the provinces. They became American citizens but kept the Philippines alive in their hearts. They also raised families, first generation Filipino Americans, who had the unique experience of being in between cultures and had their own experiences with invisibility, which we explore as well.

Why Are We Telling This Story?

Regina and Francis are both first generation Filipino American Prince George's County and Washington, DC natives. Regina grew up surrounded by a thriving community of Filipino physicians. So much so that she thought all doctors were Filipino except the ones she saw on TV and movies. As they grew up they saw that their community was actually a very unique but nearly invisible minority in the American landscape. Over their artistic careers, they began to ask why Filipino contributions to American history weren't documented or taught in schools despite being vast and significant. Its become their mission as artists to ensure that their time, effort, and talents serve the Filipino community through uplifting culture and history in film.

Dr. Randy Lizardo's mother is a physician who emigrated in the 60's. This documentary reflects his family's experience in America - the trials and tribulations as well as the joys and successes. He has first hand knowledge of what these physicians achieved, both as a descendent and as a practicing surgeon himself.

Representation matters and we should have ownership over our stories. Filipinos deserve accurate, loving, truthful representation and the community is so large that the need is palpable. Filipino representation is long overdue! Seeing our truth reflected back at us is something Filipino Americans rarely get to experience and we hope to change that. Affirmation can be life changing, therefore world changing!

Production, Talent, and Crew

All three Producers are Filipino American, so sourcing from our community is a cornerstone of our mission. This production employs as many Filipino film makers and creatives as possible. Current Filipino creative leaders on our production team are Neil Gerardo, Production Manger, Lens End Media; CJ Riculan, Animation and Graphics Direction; Justine Icy Moral, Social Media and Marketing. Lens End Media, a minority-owned award winning local company, manages video production and editing. WIKA Designs, a DMV Filipino owned retail brand, is creating our merch. HIRAYA, the popular Filipino cafe and fine-dining restaurant and recent RAMMY New Restaurant of the Year Nominee, served as our set on many of our shoot dates. We will be partnering with and hiring Filipino businesses and organizations every opportunity we get. We even shot on location at The Philippine Embassy!

Target Audience

FAITH HEALERS serves the Filipino community of Washington, DC/PG County, nationwide, in the Philippines, and globally. Additionally, the resilience and fortitude of the Filipino spirit in the face of adversity is a universally appealing story, especially to other marginalized and immigrant communities. But let's not forget - this is American history - and it is history most Americans of all backgrounds are entirely unfamiliar with. It just wasn't taught or documented. Its important that the general American population learn about Filipino American history as well.

Our distribution goal is to screen nationally, air on PBS and major streamers like Netflix nationwide, and to distribute it in the Philippines so motherland Filipinos better understand the struggle, sacrifices, and achievements of these immigrants and their progeny. We also will tour film festivals all across the globe. We have our sights set on Sundance, SXSW, and so many more!

Format and Style

Currently we are 1/3 of the way through post-production. We are crowdfunding to help us finish the rest of the film and to fund our extensive community building efforts.

Feature length 90 minute documentary comprised of:

• interviews of physicians
• footage of physicians treating patients
• personal video footage and photography provided by Filipino interviewees
• interviews with subject matter experts and historians
• relevant historical video and photography from Library of Congress, The Rita M. Cacas Filipino American Community Archives at the University of Maryland
• narration and animation of history, statistics, and laws
• additional location footage of the area
• on location footage of The Philippine Embassy and Chancery, featuring interviews with Ambassador Jose Romualdez and Consul General Iric Arribas, as well as emotional footage of new Filipino dual citizens swearing their oath to the Philippines and singing Bayang Magiliw, the Philippine National Anthem

Community Building

FAITH HEALERS is a film about the power of individuals who built a community. In the spirit of the film, we intend to build community to celebrate Filipino successes, to honor our shared history, and to continue to raise awareness of how Filipinos have been contributing to American history for over a century. We will host screenings in different cities across the US, gathering in Filipino restaurants and businesses in partnership with local Filipino organizations. This film is also intended to bridge knowledge gaps between Fil Ams and Filipinos in the motherland. We will host a premiere in Manila and screen the film across the Philippines. We have committed partnership with business and theater owners in Manila to ensure it has a wide reach.

Advocate for Collaboration with the Motherland

One of the recurring themes of the film is the desire to give back to the motherland. The physicians expressed a deep desire to directly contribute to the healthcare of the Philippines. They make an impact through medical missions, but the physicians repeatedly spoke of sharing knowledge and best practices on an ongoing basis. Many of the Fil Am doctors are notable leaders in their field, with years of surgical and practical knowledge which they share with their peers here in the US. Many are also professors and active mentors, ensuring the spread of skills and bettering medical care all across America.

Regina Aquino and Dr. Randy Lizardo are currently working to secure meetings with the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Health Research and Development to foster a dialogue with medical leaders in the US and ensure that best practices can be shared with the intention of improving healthcare in the Philippines. We will be screening this film in Manila and hope to partner with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Department of Migrant Workers to facilitate an official screening with policy stakeholders.

Why We Need You!

We need your help to finish this film and ask that you join our team of contributors. We are 1/3 of the way through editing and a donation will go directly to completing the editing of this film. Every little bit helps and we would be so grateful. We'd be doubly grateful if you could share this campaign with your networks! Filipinos and non-FIlipinos, we believe that this story should be seen by everyone, so help us spread the word to get this film completed. Your contribution will ensure that Filipinos have another opportunity to see themselves on the screen, to see their elders honored, to see their culture and history recognized and celebrated. We are so excited to build this together with you!