Filmmaker Spotlight with Patrick Epino

April 7, 2026

Filmmaker Spotlight

 

Curious about the artists behind the films?  GIFFSD is asking a few of our 2026 filmmakers about their work, inspiration, and more.  In this first edition of our filmmaker spotlight series, we hear from Patrick Epino, director of  “Veterano.” 

What is your first movie memory?

I was a latch-key kid who grew up in the home video era, so my first movie memories are tied to movies my cousins either rented or had in their collections. I watched a lot of movies I probably wasn’t supposed to like Airplane!, Poltergeist, and Body Heat. Classics.

How did you get started?

I became interested in filmmaking as a teenager after watching Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. The film inspired me because it showed me the true power and impact of the medium to convey both ideas and emotion. It wasn’t until college that I began pursuing it in earnest. I borrowed my parents’ Hi-8 camera and made heist movies with my friends. I was also fortunate, both in undergrad and grad school, to have had professors who supported and encouraged my work along the way. Finding my people and building a community early on made a huge difference.

What is your guilty pleasure film?

Cabin Boy starring Chris Elliott. It’s a brilliantly absurd and ridiculous film. Grossly underrated. I own a VHS copy.

Popcorn or Candy?

Popcorn. Easy. I definitely have more of a salt tooth than a sweet tooth — though I am a sucker for Sour Patch Kids.

What do you want audiences to know about your film?

I would like for audiences to experience Veterano as a fun, crime thriller that is rooted in real history. Filipino veterans, called veteranos in our community, endured difficult lives both on the battlefield and in the aftermath of World War II due to the Rescission Act of 1946 which stripped Filipino soldiers of the benefits and U.S. citizenship they were promised. This film is my tribute to these men, these heroes. I wanted to help tell their story through an entertaining genre film while also giving them agency and humanity. My producing partner Paola Mardo and I were honored to be accepted into the Producers Guild of America’s Create Producing Lab with this project and we hope to one day turn this short into a feature film.