New stories in ‘We Drank Our Tears’ series to premiere

The cast and crew of the “We Drank Our Tears” gather for a group photo at one of the film shoots for the production. (D&R Visuals)

Three new stories from the “We Drank Our Tears” series will premiere on Tuesday, June 4, at the Regal Saipan Megaplex.

The stories of Carmen Acosta, Sr. Antonieta Ada, and Rosa Agulto will be presented in collaboration with D&R Visuals as a follow up to last year’s stories of Francisco Babauta, Benjamin Abadilla, and Rafael Mafnas.

The films are being presented as part of the CNMI’s 75th anniversary commemoration of the end of World War II battles on the islands.

The series is adapted from We Drank Our Tears, a 2004 oral history of the civilian experience of World War II battles on Saipan and Tinian, published by Pacific STAR Young Writers Foundation.

Some of the final battles of World War II were waged on the Pacific islands of Saipan and Tinian in 1944. A total of 933 indigenous Chamorro and Refaluwasch civilians did not survive the battles. The three films chronicle three of those stories. 

The new films were directed by veterans of Mount Carmel School’s Theatre Club: School alumna Aysia Adele Duenas Santos directed Ada’s story; William Blake Deleon Guerrero, who is a junior at MCS, directed Acosta’s story; while another MCS student, Quincy Chinen, directed Agulto’s story.

The three new films also herald the school’s collaboration with a new creative partner in the  series, D&R Visuals and its team of Denton Pangelinan, Rita Indalecio, and Carlo Domingo.

An up-and-coming video and photo production studio on Saipan, D&R Visuals recently premiered its first narrative film, Remember Me, on Memorial Day, that highlights post-traumatic stress disorder.

The three new “We Drank Our Tears” films also mark the first time that they will be produced in partnership with Don and Kel Muña, the founders and directors of the Guam International Film Festival. The Muña brothers are established filmmakers who have long been avid supporters of Marianas filmmakers. They recently concluded a film seminar with Pacific Islanders in Communication, in which D&R Visuals participated.

MCS president Galvin Deleon Guerrero noted how the stories are coming full circle. “For the 60th anniversary, the We Drank Our Tears book was published to chronicle the experience of civilians in the war. Fifteen years later, we are keeping those stories alive by bringing them to life in film,” he said.

The new films are being released on the heels of one of the previous films, the Rafael Mafnas’ story, being screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Directed by MCS seniors Angelo Manese and Justin Ocampo, the film also won Best of Festival at the 2018 Guam International Film Festival.

Doors for the June 4 screening at the Regal Saipan Megaplex will open at 6:30pm and the screening will start at 7pm. Tickets are $10 and are available at MCS or for purchase at the door. Due to limited seating, advance purchase of tickets is recommended. For more information, call 234-6184 or email galvin.deleonguerrero@gmail.com. (PR)