Filmmaker Statement

In April 2020, I recorded a conversation with my then 92-year-old Lola (“grandmother” in Tagalog). She told me stories about her family and life growing up in the Philippines. She also told me stories I had never heard before—of WWII and the violent invasion and occupation of her hometown by Japanese soldiers. I couldn’t help but wonder why these stories went untold within our family for so long. In 2022, her health worsened and she was diagnosed with dementia—I flew out to California to spend time with her and document as much as I could before it was too late. Using a combination of live-action footage, animation, and archival materials, Lola explores essential facets of the Asian-American experience: migration, displacement, the price of assimilation, intergenerational trauma, and the importance of preserving stories. The film is my attempt to uncover and reconstruct my family’s story, while reflecting on how these experiences have shaped my own life.