Five documentarists find beauty, greatness and happiness from within

Isang Lahi: Pearls from the Orient is the Philippines’ milestone movie of the year.  For the first time, Pinoys from all over the country unite in answering the ultimate life question: “How does one live a happy life?”  The film answers this question as it opens us to the greatness and beauty of the Philippines through the diverse lives we live. It introduces four mini-movies that tackle empowerment from a personal, fresh, adventurous, and spirited perspective. 

Isang Lahi: Pearls from the Orient is a reality-docu-drama film about a group of five documentarists backpacking all over the Philippines and seeking the answer to happiness.  They meet Pinoys from different walks of life — from families living in depressed communities to the rich and successful businessmen; the bare-breasted tribes of the south to the 100-year-old farmers and bolo-wielding men of the north; the priests and nuns to the mystical sect leaders; the Muslim rebels to the Philippine Navy; the indigenous peoples to the modern youth – inquiring and examining their conditions, concepts, and mental attitudes on love, health, wealth, and success, areas of life that define total and complete living now. 

The film features four mini-movies of the most inspiring stories that the documentarists found from each region. These stories are depicted and dramatized by some of the Philippines’ leading film and TV actors — Joel Torre, Mark Gil, Juan Rodrigo, and Aiza Seguerra — rendering its evocative and cinematic value. 

Renowned Pinoy experts who have empowered many by their research, advocacy, embodiments, and endorsement in the fields of love, health, wealth, and success have been gathered in the film to share their invaluable insights and illuminating techniques and principles we can use in our lives. 

The movie features landmark principles that everyone can use to live a happy life. It also features the Philippine islands through the lives of different Filipinos.  It is highly inspirational as it brings to life empowerment principles such as imagination, the law of attraction, affirmation, power of the mind, and many others on the big screen.  For the first time in the history of Philippine cinema, these principles are revealed by the dramatic narratives of the Filipinos themselves. 

The travelogue is an upbeat, MTV-style take on tourism showcasing different regions of the Philippines through its inhabitants — the very people who make the popular destinations of the archipelago what they are — bearing the slogan: “The beauty of the Philippines is found in the life and heart of each Pinoy…” 

Directed by JP Tanchanco for Tanchanco Trimedia Productions and supported by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Isang Lahi: Pearls from the Orient will be launched in cinemas nationwide and is set to go on international showing on Jan. 15, 2009, being an official entry to the 2009 Sundance Film Festival to be held in Park City, Utah. 

Isang Lahi is also open to special premiere screenings for special groups interested to use the film for their fundraising activities before its commercial release.  Interested parties may call Estima, Inc. at 892-9557/ 8925968/8925721 for more details.