Film: I America

Cinemalaya 2016
FULL-LENGTH

I AMERICA

LOGLINE:
I America is a dramedy about a complex half-American and half-pinay who struggles to complete her requirements to get her passport and US Visa so that she can meet her father in America personally for the first time. Things start to fall apart when she discovers there is a problem with her name and her identity and she stumbles upon a dead end when her American father surprises her with a visit in Olongapo.

DIRECTOR: Ivan Andrew Payawal
SCREENPLAY: Ivan Andrew Payawal
CAST: Bela Padilla, Matt Evans
GENRE: Drama, Comedy
TRT:
RATING: R-13

SYNOPSIS:
When the U.S. navy left Subic, Olongapo, Philippines in 1992 many children were left fatherless. Erica Berry is one of those Amerasians (Half Asian/Filipino,Half American) who tries to survive in the 'jungle' she has known to love and hate. But one thing she learned throughout the process of surviving is that family comes first and that her 'kind' has to stick together no matter what. Now, She has kept in touch with her father, John Berry for a while now. She juggles her work as a model in Manila and being somewhat the 'mother hen' of a bunch of Amerasians. She has been the talk of the town since she is the only one who has found her father on the internet.

But she has always been lucky and prioritized because of her almost Caucasian look as what other amerasians in the community would say and this includes her half-Black,half Filipina - half sister (They have the same mom). Erica is being envied by a lot of her peers especially when they found out that Erica's dad has been urging her to get her passport and apply for a VISA so that she can stay with him and meet for the very first time personally. Amidst the disagreement with her friends, Erica goes on a ride to process her passport. She ends up getting a copy of her birth certificate, a passport requirement. She discovers there is no 'Erica Berry' registered. She finds out she has a different name. Hurt and confused, Erica hides the truth from her alleged father, John. But she gets the surprise of her life when John arrives in Olongapo and they meet for the first time. Erica embarks on a journey of truth as she discovers the meaning of what being a family truly is.