17 November 2016 — The Philippine Consulate General in New York hosted a screening of the award-winning feature-length documentary “Curiosity, Adventure and Love” at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center in New York on November 14 as part of the celebration of Filipino-American History Month.
The film, which was produced, written, and co-directed by Sunshine Lichauco de Leon (granddaughter of the film’s subject) and Suzanne Richardone (a Filipino-American-French filmmaker), is about the life of 104-year old American, Mrs. Jessie Lichauco, who journeys to the Philippines alone in 1933 at the age of 18. The story is about a journey of a century of love and finding home, of the cruelty of war, of the rebuilding of a young nation, and of caring for the underprivileged and marginalized. Jessie was married to Marcial Lichauco, the first Filipino graduate of Harvard University, Secretary of the Osmeña-Roxas Mission, and Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Mrs. Lichauco, who continues to reside in the Lichauco ancestral home in Sta. Ana, Manila, was granted Philippine citizenship in 2012 at the age of 102 years old in recognition of her civic and charity work championing the causes of the underprivileged and the children in the Philippines.
More than 100 Filipino-American community film enthusiasts, mainstream American audience members, friends and family of Marcial and Jessie Lichauco attended the film screening. Among the viewers was Mr. Tinoy Lichauco, son of Jesse and Marcial Lichauco.
In her welcome remarks, Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega acclaimed Jessie as a woman who has singular experience living in a pre- and post-war era in Manila and was able to engage and share her wisdom and experience with the younger generation and even the millennials.
“The film is very personal to her and yet has resonance and relevance as her life story takes us on a journey through various eras in Philippine history which is informative, enlightening, and edifying at the same time,” Consul General Dizon-de Vega said in her welcome remarks.
Following the film screening was a Talk Back participated in by producer, writer, and director, Sunshine Lichauco de Leon, a freelance journalist in Manila and contributor for international media such as The Guardian, CNN, and Forbes Asia; Suzanne Richardone, a Los Angeles based film maker who worked for international film and television outfits such as PBS, A&E, and the Biography Channel; and film editor Justin Weinrich, an award- winning nonfiction film maker, director and cinematographer.
Delighted with the story, the viewers stayed during the Talk Back and talked about how the film blends history, biography, and humanity.
The film is scheduled to be screened in Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as a one-week engagement at the Powerplant Mall theater in Makati City, Philippines. Screening details may be found at www.curiosityadventureandlove.com.END
