“Pinoy Cinema is On the Rise.” These words appear at the end credits of my feature film, The Flip Side. They became a rallying cry for a small group of Filipino American filmmakers during the early 2000s, who—despite limited resources and funding—ventured to tell our stories on the big screen. It was an exciting time, when nearly every year a new Fil-Am indie feature was making its way into festivals and theaters. It was unprecedented. Historic. Unfortunately, now that period is becoming forgotten.     “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be the Filipino Spike Lee.” These w ..read more

Previously on Rod’s blog…My hopes of becoming a published author took a hit when my manuscript Chasing Pacquiao was rejected by an editor at the last minute because she assumed I wasn’t queer. After months of depression and self-reflection, I came out as bi in my essay “Late to the Party.” (I may have also mentioned ube.)    What a difference a viral coming out essay can make! I’m thrilled to finally announce that Chasing Pacquiao has been picked up by Jenny Bak of Viking Books for publication in 2023! Salamat to Jim McCarthy for working his agent mojo and bringing my manus ..read more

At the Stop AAPI Hate Rally on March 27, 2021 in Artesia, CA, I read the following poem titled, "Not the Other." I wrote it in reaction to the Atlanta spa shootings in which eight people were killed, including six Asian women. Yesterday, March 29, 2021, an elderly Filipina was brutally beaten on the streets of New York City in broad daylight. Nobody helped her. #StopAsianHate “Not the Other” by Rod Pulido In Atlanta, eight people were killed, their families destroyed. Another tragedy in a wave of hate we can’t ignore or avoid. The gunman’s murderous actions were excused away by the policeman w ..read more

Kumusta ka! And for all you non-Pinoys, howdy and hello! For those unfamiliar with me, you’ve reached the blog of Rod Pulido. (Please take off your shoes before entering.) I am Filipino American, an aspiring YA author, a proud father, and a happily married husband of twenty years to an amazing, loving wife.  Oh, yeah. I’m also bisexual.  Welcome to my coming out party! (In lieu of gifts, please donate to an LGBTQ+ non-profit of your choice.) So, how did I arrive here? Let’s rewind five years.    During a February, 2016 interview, the legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao made ..read more

Re-releasing The Flip Side on Youtube has been incredibly gratifying for me. Fans from back in the day have expressed how much the film meant to them and how seeing it again has brought back fond memories of an exciting time—a time when it felt like we as Filipino Americans could achieve anything. The reaction from younger folks who are seeing it for the first time has been great too. Many of them seem to connect with the movie, despite it being nearly as old as they are! This, I think, speaks to the film’s timeless themes and how Fil-Ams are still struggling to be recognized in a country that ..read more

As a Fil-Am filmmaker back in the day, I struggled to find my place in a Hollywood that has historically ignored us. I made one acclaimed indie film, shopped around a much read script that was never optioned, and eventually my agent stopped calling. Years after The Flip Side, I had to accept I wasn’t going to have the film career that I’d worked hard for and always dreamed about. I’d never stopped wanting to tell stories, though. If I can’t be a film director, I thought, maybe I can be an author. Easier said than done, right? But after six years of trial and error, one failed Sci-Fi manuscript ..read more