A Karaoke Space Odyssey

In this sci-fi rom-com karaoke musical, Stella, an undocumented Filipino once known as her town’s karaoke queen, goes on a karaoke date with a strange man who turns out to be an alien from outer space.

A queer ex-Filipino-soap-opera-translator-turned-filmmaker, Achim’s passion for film started in his teens, when Marilou Diaz-Abaya, a prestigious Filipino director, offered to mentor him. As a teenager, Achim would fly back and forth between his hometown of Davao and Manila to attend her classes. Back in the Philippines, he helped create “Stages Sessions,” a YouTube channel that focuses on indie Filipino musicians and poets. His 2021 musical short “Connection” was screened at the 38th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and was nominated for Best Short at the 3rd Rock the Shorts Festival. He is a recent graduate from USC School of Cinematic Arts and is currently editing a documentary following a well-known queer and transfeminine artist. In his spare time, Achim likes to perfect his family’s longsilog recipe. 

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Shorts Program VII: DIASPORA

A Q&A panel with the filmmakers will take place after the screening. DIASPORA delves into complex stories of…