The Film
Across the Philippine island of Negros span hectares of lush green sugar cane plantations. Crisscrossing through them run train tracks, now empty and silent as the abandoned sugar mills that dot the landscape. An old steam locomotive chugs along tracking a pained course across the island. It is the only one left of dozens that now lie dormant and rusty in the fields.
A chorus of eccentric and endearing characters takes us through the rise and fall of an island in the Philippines and its sugarcane industry. Stunning images paint a portrait of a charming place struggling with its past and trying to move into the future.
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Aug. 5, 2011 - We are currently trying to raise a goal of $3,000 (post-IndieGoGo) to complete the film and pay for post-production. Visit
www.sugarbowlfilm.com for more information or to contribute to this project.
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Produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the TORONTO ARTS COUNCIL and in community partnership with the KAPISANAN CENTRE FOR ARTS & CULTURE.
Winner of the 2010 TORONTO REEL ASIAN INT'L FILM FESTIVAL Pitch Competition, Emerging Filmmaker Category
Artist Residency at CHARLES STREET VIDEO.
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Other Ways You Can Help
* Share this link on Facebook and Twitter.
* Join our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sugar-Bowl-a-...
* Follow us on Twitter: @SquireEnt, @ShashaNakhai, @dickbilliamson
About the Team
SHASHA NAKHAI was born in Bacolod City, Philippines, which is on Negros Island. After growing up in Nigeria and the Philippines she came to Canada 6 years ago as an international student and graduated in 2009 from Ryerson University's Broadcast Journalism program. She produced her first documentary short film, entitled "Baby Not Mine" in 2009 about Filipino caregivers in Canada and it went on to win awards at the Human Rights DocFest and Montreal World Film Festival. She is currently producing RICH WILLIAMSON and PATRICK COLLINS' documentary feature, "Happy Joe" alongside BRAD DWORKIN and working as a production coordinator at Storyline Entertainment.
RICH WILLIAMSON is a filmmaker also based out of Toronto, Canada. After graduating from Ryerson University's film program in 2008, Rich founded his production company, Squire Entertainment. A talented director and cinematographer, with the ability to blend the best of cinematic film with real-life footage, he is the perfect asset to the film. He is currently in post-production for his first feature documentary film, "Happy Joe," which he co-directed with PATRICK COLLINS. Rich's reel: http://vimeo.com/7886599
NICOLE ROGERS grew up in rural Alberta before moving to Toronto to begin her journalism career. Starting with a degree from Ryerson University's Broadcast Journalism program, she has backpacked throughout Southeast Asia and Central America, where she spent a summer working as a reporter for an English publication in Nicaragua. Now employed with the CBC as a researcher with the Investigative Content Unit, she is gaining more experience in long-form research and production. Along the way, she's developed her film-making aspirations and worked on the documentary short "Baby Not Mine" with SHASHA NAKHAI.
