THE ART OF BELONGING
Theater, Archival Film, and Filipino American Memory Come Together in Chicago
Chicago, IL — CIRCA Pintig announces The Art of Belonging, a multidisciplinary theater and film project that celebrates Filipino immigrant life in the Midwest through staged readings and rare archival home movies. The project pairs three short plays adapted from the writings of Bienvenido Santos with newly digitized 16mm films shot by Filipino American documentarian Nicholas Viernes, offering audiences an intimate portrait of community, memory, and belonging across generations.
The project launches with a free, public kickoff event on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 2:00 PM at the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago Museum at Mana Contemporary, followed by performances at the Rizal Center as part of League of Chicago Theatres Theatre Week in February.
Originally mounted by Pintig in 2005, Santos’ stories—Scent of Apples, The Day the Dancers Came, and Immigration Blues—capture the humor, longing, and quiet resilience of Filipino immigrants navigating life in America during the 1940s–1960s. In The Art of Belonging, these narratives are woven in dialogue with home movies preserved by the Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago, many of which were nearly lost to time.
The archival films, salvaged and preserved through the efforts of cultural historian Estrella Alamar and archivist Ashley Dequilla, document Filipino American life from the 1930s through the 1970s—capturing family gatherings, migrant farm labor, community celebrations, and leisure. Film historian Nick Deocampo has hailed Viernes as “the earliest Filipino documentarian in cinema history.”
This project is about activating memory. These films and stories don’t just represent the past—they speak directly to contemporary questions of identity, migration, and home.
The Art of Belonging is supported in part by Illinois Humanities (Activating History Microgrant), Crossroads Fund, Asian Giving Circle, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events CityArts Grant, and an IFF Chicago Treasure Grant.
EVENT DETAILS
Kickoff Public Event (FREE)
What: Stage readings + archival film presentation + talkback + reception
When: Saturday, January 31, 2026 — 2:00 PM
Where: FAHSC Museum @ Mana Contemporary
2233 S. Throop St., Studio 316, Chicago
Admission: Free and open to the public
RSVP: https://www.zeffy.com/…/the-art-of-belonging-a-trilogy…
Theatre Performances:
What: Theatre performance + archival film presentation + talkback
When:
Wed–Fri, Feb 11–13, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Sat, Feb 14, 2026 — 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Sun, Feb 15, 2026 — 2:00 PM
Thu, Feb 19, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Sat, Feb 21, 2026 — 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
Where: Rizal Center
1332 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
Tickets:
General: $15 | Students/Seniors: $12 | Theatre Week: $10 (Hot Tix)
Pay-What-You-Can options available
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/chicago-theatre-week-the-art-of-belonging-a-trilogy-of-short-plays-and-films
HotTix.org for $10 tickets https://hottix.org/shows/rizal-center/art-of-belonging/
THE ART OF BELONGING
A Trilogy of Short Plays & Films
Produced by: CIRCA Pintig
Directed by: RJ Silva
Plays adapted by: Larry Leopoldo
Featuring:
Arvin A. Jalandoon · Rich Adrian Lazatin · Mikael Silan · Mari Joy Asiado · Daphne Nitsuga
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Art of Belonging celebrates Filipino immigrant experiences in the Midwest through theater, archival film, and community dialogue. The project presents three stage adaptations of short stories by Bienvenido Santos alongside restored 16mm home movies by Nicholas “Uncle Nick” Viernes, documenting Filipino American life from the 1930s–1970s.
Together, these works illuminate themes of longing, humor, resilience, and the ongoing search for home—bridging literary heritage with living memory.
WHY IT MATTERS
- Rare Filipino American archival films shown publicly
- Intergenerational dialogue between elders, artists, and audiences
- A living example of cultural preservation through performance
- Chicago-rooted stories with Midwest resonance
PARTNERS
CIRCA Pintig · Rizal Center · Filipino American Historical Society of Chicago (FAHSC) · Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Greater Chicago · National Film Preservation Foundation
Contact:
Ginger Leopoldo
CIRCA Pintig
(312) 956-9489
ginger@circapintig.org
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