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Director Patricio Ginelsa, Jr. was only 20 years old when he and his brother Darriel set out to do another simple summer production with their neighborhood in 1996. Inspired by comic books and Robert Rodriguez's EL MARIACHI, a mute Filipino hero who wears a Barong and eats a Filipino eggroll was the best they could come up with. Utilizing their resources, the entire action comedy was shot on a simple Video 8 camcorder in Daly City, CA, one of the most populated Filipino cities in the U.S.

After the 1996 shoot, the movie was then shelved as the director concentrated on finishing film school and other projects, including the Filipino American film "the Debut". In the following years to come, the cast and crew would reunite and shoot a few additional scenes here and there. In 1999, editor A.J. Calomay acquired the raw footage and created an energetic trailer, breathing new life into LUMPIA. Since then, the 2 minute commercial has been circulating underground among the young Asian American community through internet downloads and Asian scene videos. Little did people know that LUMPIA was more than just a commercial and that it was always intended to be a feature length production.

Completed by young members in the Bay Area community and produced on a "no-budget" philosophy, LUMPIA is the "ultimate home made movie". The cast itself is composed entirely of locals living in a Daly City neighborhood. Despite the cast's young age, LUMPIA is not their debut project. The entire cast and crew have been producing movies in their neighborhood since 1989. LUMPIA is actually the second reunion movie of the original "Kid Heroes" cast. "Kid Heroes" was a trilogy of amateur movies shot over three consecutive summers from 1990 to 1992 by the young producers with their neighbors. Almost a decade later, the grown up cast reunite once again to make an action comedy about life in their hometown.

The crew takes pride in the fact that there was no budget for LUMPIA, using whatever resources was available to them. These factors were taken into account when conceiving the storyline, shooting locations, and props to be used. Whatever pocket money was available was used to purchase tape stock and LOTS of Lumpia. Professional equipment? Everything was borrowed from other people's Video 8 camcorders to a home-made boom mic (a karaoke microphone taped to a cardboard tube).

LUMPIA features original music from some of the upcoming Filipino American musicians in the nation. The story is narrated by actress Joy Bisco (the Debut, Not Another Teen Movie, Port Charles).

LUMPIA runs 80 minutes long. It's screening format is Mini DV or Beta SP. LUMPIA is currently screening at sponsored events and at independent film festivals. For a listing of screenings, please visit the SCREENINGS section.