“Searching for Kapwa”: A Film and Discussion on Colonialism and its Impact on Identity, Belonging, and Mental Health

Inspired by the pre-colonial Filipino value kapwa, or shared identity, Searching for Kapwa follows the filmmaker’s quest to understand his ancestral roots and find his place in the arc of history. As a child of immigrants and a queer brown person living in polarized America, Larry’s journey unpacks the complicated history of the Philippines, and its lasting impact on the diaspora. Ultimately, the film is a densely layered exploration into what it is to be American, and the legacy of the generations we all carry within us.  

Searching for Kapwa was featured in the 2022 United States Asian America Festival, awarded the Kinship Award at the 2023 DisOrient Asian American Film Festival and was the Centerpiece feature at the 2023 San Diego Filipino Film Festival. The film has screened at multiple institutions and organizations, including Stanford University, New York University, and Lytton Center for History and the Public Good.…