Fil-Am in Gerard Butler starrer ‘Plane’ making new short

Filipino American actor and filmmaker Ariel Felix (right) with Gerard Butler while filming “Plane.” TWITTER

LOS ANGELES — Filipino American actor and filmmaker Ariel Felix is working on a new short film titled “She Done Did It.”

The dark comedy revolves around the Del Rosario siblings, first generation Fil-Ams who are brought together by an unforeseen circumstance after years of strained relationships.

The film’s description states “love them or hate them, they’re family. And sometimes you have to depend on them to help you get away with murder.”

Felix can currently be seen on the silver screen in the action thriller “Plane,” headlined by Gerard Butler (Zak Snyder’s “300”) and Mike Colton (Netflix’s “Luke Cage”).

“The film takes place in the Jolo islands of the Philippines,” says Felix. “We filmed it in Puerto Rico in locations where it actually looked and felt like the Philippines.”

“It features several Filipino American actors. I had never worked with those guys before and it was great getting to bond with them off set. We had each other’s backs.”

Felix says it had been his first time traveling during the pandemic so he was a little concerned at the time. “But everyone was on top of it and production took very good care of us.”

Inspiration

Felix was inspired to produce “She Done Did It” because he and his Fil-Am actor friends wanted to collaborate on something. “Something relationship-driven, specifically Filipino American.  Because if we don’t tell our stories, then who will?”

“I initially sought out scripts because writing isn’t easy,” he says. Felix knows of where he speaks. He wrote and produced another short film, “The Others,” a few years ago.

Filipino American actor-filmmaker Ariel Felix. CONTRIBUTED

It had a successful film festival run and won a few award, including Best Acting Ensemble. “I get inspired by my talented friends and by the idea of pushing Filipino talent and stories forward and being included in the narrative.”

“The Others,” which is about former Broadway actors reuniting after the death of their dear friend, is streaming on Amazon Prime. “That’s also a very much relationship driven film. There’s some singing, great acting and some beautiful shots in it.”

He eventually got inspired to write a script himself when he went to Maui on vacation. “It’s one of my favorite places. I spent hours on my hotel balcony writing and by the end of the week, I had a first draft of the script.”

Collaborators

One of the film’s goals is to offer audiences “Filipino American culture and relationship dynamics in a fresh, nuanced and amusing way.” The film is currently slated to clock in at 15 to 18 minutes but there are plans to eventually turn it into a full feature.

Fil-Am collaborators attached to the production include award-winning director Myra Aquino (“Beauty Queen”), cinematographer Mike Maliwanag, editor Ben Bulatao and producer Paul Martinez.

Cast includes Emy Coligado, Evan D’Angeles and Princess Punzalan. Felix will also be part of the cast.

“They are all excited. They all related to the script but I think even more so, they were drawn to the prospect of collaborating and being a part of an all-Fil-Am team of artists. I know I am.”