https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/about daily 0.75 2025-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/bc0edabd-5da7-4966-b868-b7b494beeb4d/tempImagecuxf2A.jpg Contact - MATTHEW VICTOR PASTOR (FILM DIRECTOR) Matthew Victor Pastor is a Filipino Australian filmmaker. An alumnus of the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts his feature and short films have been selected at over 70 international film festivals. In October 2020 his feature film The Neon Across the Ocean world premiered at the 44th São Paulo International Film Festival. In 2021 A Pencil to the Jugular premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival (the second oldest film festival in the world). In 2022 he worked on two feature films which premiered at the 70th Melbourne International Film Festival as associate producer on Anak (91 mins) and as director of photography on PUB: The Movie (78 mins). In 2018 Melodrama / Random / Melbourne won Best Original Score at the 2018 Sinag Maynila Film Festival and was selected to have its Australian premiere at the 2018 Adelaide Film Festival. It was also nominated for the 67th edition of the FAMAS Award (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Award) in the music category. Screen Australia, Film Victoria, and AFTRS have funded his short film Fun Times which was penned by AACTA nominated writer Llewellyn Michael Bates. It premiered at the 37th St Kilda Film Festival and had a successful run at both Academy & Goya qualifying film festivals, winning best film & best screenplay at the 25th Canberra Short Film Festival. Related to media he has been a speaker, advisor and mentor at many organisations like Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV), Cinespace, Asialink and the University of Melbourne focusing on storytelling through the medium. His vlogs and social media posts have strong community engagement and have generated over 20 million views on TikTok and counting. This led to a documentary about social media ‘Untitled / Unfinished’ which premiered at the 26th Revelation Perth Film Festival and is also selected at the 40th St Kilda Film Festival. “Rather than romanticising the everyday, Pastor strips back the “day in the life” format seen in the other TikToks to something more firmly rooted in his own experience” (Jamie Tram, The Age 2023) In 2025 his new short film A Long Drive is nominated for Best Film at the Oscars® Qualifying St Kilda Film Festival. “It’s about seeing those faces, it’s about seeing those stories. It has a lot of weight.”, said Matthew Victor Pastor, in a 2019 interview with The New York Times. One thing is for sure, the young director will stop at nothing to see diverse stories told. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595122537350-EL1QRS72AK8DIIIF9XBW/Experimental-4.jpg Contact - On the set of Fun Times which received production funding from AFTRS, Film Victoria and Screen Australia (Matthew Victor Pastor with writer Llewellyn Michael Bates and producer CJ Welsh) https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/home daily 1.0 2025-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595121584798-DUQG4FL6A3O3TR9HS9G0/Experimental.jpg Home Experimental https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595121524168-UKRJC1PPUJP1JNVX39F9/Experimental-3.jpg Home Narrative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595121672739-5015TY2RGHCXUDUHGZWK/Experimental-2.jpg Home Documentary https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/76803d91-428f-42e4-9290-0881906d6e66/IMG_2274.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/78b21ae2-521f-4564-85d6-e9f68c934df1/a+long+drive-2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1634281449950-Y10Q9Y2GQUOGG6Z15R98/FILM+INK.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1634280049669-SZVGI6V7EH0VT2Y84NWL/FDCP+MVP.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1634280307357-C32DGSGMKIH7EDO0YHOU/IMG_5696.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1619485389353-X3UGJV9YQKJX5L6FVZZB/MVPLAAPFF.jpg Home - Matthew Victor Pastor is currently a mentor at Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) for emerging filmmakers of diverse backgrounds! As a mentor, Matt hopes to impart his wisdom on self-driven projects, lean filmmaking and utilising your resources and community at hand to create. Sign up for the AHEAD OF THE CURVE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM for the chance to be mentored by MVP! Applications close 25 September, 2022, 11.59pm. APPLY HERE https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/contact daily 0.75 2021-08-10 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/press daily 0.75 2025-02-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595460084542-65NS5CZU8W8SHDLD5W0D/Untitled+design.jpg Press Interview with Maridel Martinez-Andanar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595467352696-SPTQRLXH3E6CCNOYVE0N/Untitled+design-5.jpg Press Review by Oggs Cruz at the Sinag Maynila Festival (Solar Pictures / Brilliante Mendoza) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595460442625-504SJS062V2EVLHZH8RI/Untitled+design-4.jpg Press Interview with Isabella Kwai alongside Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians), and Charlotte Nicdao (Mythic Quest) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595469840257-ZA5VEB6VDFEU1AOYA15N/CELINA-2.jpg Press Interview with Don Groves https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595468360520-XE8RT3H4FRJIDJSHILM5/Design+still.jpg Press Interview with Mala Darmadi alongside Alfred Nicdao https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595469114766-L1N19O3X6FWXV8R3SD7Q/Design+still-2.jpg Press Review by Jake Wilson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595471515010-ZSYJ2DI6TROV866A705O/image-asset.jpeg Press Interview with Matthew Rooke https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595470848281-2T6NIUHWMP8WBMCGC7I0/MattLA.jpg Press Interview with Rueben Diaz https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595471810032-VV0YSDK5YW84WU2AM6X0/Mum+U%26+Dad.jpg Press Interview with Zhuo Yang https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595473687374-AC9F37H4GFRBQDOQI5US/Monster+fest.jpg Press Interview with Simon Foster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595493949280-V0DAPZSERP2ACB69YA9D/Celina+and+I.jpg Press Interview with Filipino Australian news alongside Celina Yuen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595472292064-RG2LLGRTUFOJWW0ID7FX/Channel+9.jpg Press Interview with Erin Chew https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595474978691-A919HTIU8NYD5VUJ8CPL/SIN+CITY.jpg Press Link to purchase Metro Magazine (article Sin City by Nicholas Godfrey) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595474197901-U8O5KF8HA9PV7H3FREJ7/kababyan+today+matt.jpg Press Interview with G.Toengi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1599797151457-SFVQAQ4BOP4FM83UZ001/Fam.jpg Press Review by Adrian Martin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595492982120-STTQWNO0RSYLCEZ1D27A/Film+day.jpg Press Interview with Bayani San Diego Jr alongside Celina Yuen and Sinag Maynila directors https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595493690034-OIR2BSP2NCK0IK7Z3MRT/Dan+and+me.jpg Press Interview with Peril Magazine https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595494292643-M2HHKXE4FHNKJ2DMQ0SI/Oz+asia.jpg Press Interview with Maridel Martinez-Andanar alongside Celina Yuen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1619594799641-8LKGTAX400XDIUNMY62I/VICE+ID.jpg Press Matthew Victor Pastor featured in VICE I-D meet the asian-australian filmmakers here to change the narrative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1614835761772-8DPYKZE25ILAP4BXUCCB/IMG_2029.JPG Press - “If my existence as a filmmaker can be an influence or inspiration to other people attempting to do something singular that sits outside of a cultural paradigm that’s an optimistic result. Being singular and taking the path alone is never easy but there is power in making a commitment to one’s artistic vision.” — Matthew Victor Pastor (Issue 97, Senses of Cinema) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1615093274086-APDHX234Z1ZR374VNBD5/Herald+sun+2010.jpg Press - “I’ve always been interested in film and watching movies” — Matthew Victor Pastor (Herald Sun Lifestyle) *First media coverage, 2010 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/socialmediafilmmaking daily 0.75 2025-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1e74bc97-d05d-4be7-a851-4a18eb5a0a87/Matthew+Pastor4.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1708dd57-237c-4be9-8e9e-f8d4126e1316/Photo+29-5-2024%2C+11+37+11%E2%80%AFAM.jpg https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/narrative daily 0.75 2025-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1622428416606-2ZHJU5UD717JREMAOHI8/Down-Under.jpg Narrative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1622429689506-VWU1IDN4MX2PK42WNDZX/Dinky-di.jpg Narrative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1622428945821-K7TA2KHTJ7H7CDQ0KIB7/Ghost+Man.jpg Narrative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1622431007051-FEZIM9C0CLP2OOETXPIS/POET.jpg Narrative https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1622432286362-NBCLYD5LIAZHCK2SPBUA/Random.jpg Narrative https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/narrative/funtimes monthly 0.5 2020-12-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595123952511-ZNR0K7MGQ9S1GMFLBHH0/Fun+Times+poster2+-3.jpg Narrative - Fun Times “Abuse causes you to grow up a lot faster. This is the story of the abuse I suffered. It’s my aim with the film for you to feel what it’s like to be a teenager with experiences happening around you in a world surrounded by violence, and controlled by men. This is a story about my neighborhood the kids I grew up with, from homes of abuse with households with no money the victims of crime just average kids with no way out. My hope is that this film raises the topic of sexual abuse and awareness in a tasteful and thought-provoking manner. With the royal commission and the #me too movement being so relevant I think this is a good platform to show young people it’s okay to talk about these things. We do have a voice and our story is worth listening to.” (Statement from the writer Llewellyn Michael Bates, 2020) Short / 7 mins / Australia Awards: -25th Canberra Short Film Festival, Best Film (National Category) -25th Canberra Short FIlm Festival, Best Screenplay -33rd Girona Film Festival *Honourable mention Film Festivals 2021 - 2021: -37th St Kilda Film Festival, Australia (June, 2020 World Premiere) -23rd Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Couched edition - Australia -14th Sydney Underground Film Festival - Australia -6th Minikino Film Week - Indonesia -9th Toyama Film Festival - Japan -10th Adelaide Film Festival - Australia -36th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival - U.S -25th Festival Cine Zaragoza - Spain -25th Canberra Short Film Festival - Australia -23rd Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Cinema edition - Australia -16th Festival Internacional de Cine Rengo - Chile -9th Festival Internacional de Cine de Hidalgo - Mexico -1st International Short Film Festival "La mida no importa-Size doesn't matter" - Spain -4th Santander Festival Internacional De Cine Independiente - Chile -37th Adelaide Fringe Festival (UNDEREXPOSED Program) - Australia -25th Flickers’ Rhode Island Film Festival (Semi Finalist) - U.S -4th Cinevoyge Film Festival - India -3rd Muestra De Cinema De Leon - Mexico -3rd Kuala Lumpur Film Festival in the Sky - Malaysia -12th Ay Guana Shorts - Mexico -9th LIFT OFF GLOBAL: First Time Filmmaker Online Sessions -8th Puerto Madryn International Film Festival - Argentina -33rd Girona Film Festival - Mexico - 1st Paus Premieres Festival -12th Indian Film Festival Melbourne - Australia -23rd Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes - France -9th SAN LUIS POTOSÍ INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - Mexico More Film Festivals and nominations TBA (coming soon) Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor Written by Llewellyn Michael Bates Produced by CJ Welsh Associate Producer Lorena Zarate With Charlotte Nicdao, Abdul Muhaimin & Waiyee Rivera Original Score by Andrew Tran (Fergus Cronkite) Production grant provided by Screen Australia, Film Victoria & AFTRS https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/narrative/abiggerjail monthly 0.5 2020-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1614838677878-ZTOQFZ9NKJE76KS8MBB1/ABJ+Laurel.jpg Narrative - A Bigger Jail Film Festivals 2019: 8th Monster Fest, Cinema Nova, Melbourne, Australia Feature / 82 mins / Australia Written & Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor Produced by Evangeline Lee, Vladelyte Valdez & Matthew Victor Pastor Starring: Yuchen Wang, Celina Yuen, Khoa Le, Alfred Nicdao & Bridget Moy O’Brien Soundtrack by Andrew Tran (Fergus Cronkite) & Echo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1617753029519-71CE95XP9GCKL42HEEH7/A.+bigger+jail+2021+POSTER.jpg Narrative - A Bigger Jail https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603679704590-QU1KKN6OLXTRD8YR1YXW/celina+and+justin.jpg Narrative - A Bigger Jail https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/narrative/karaoke monthly 0.5 2020-10-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595036997240-NLT6BMHHOPT86PH9NM4E/Karaoke+POSTER+3%283%29.jpg Narrative - In Heaven They Sing Karaoke For the last two years, my mission has been to reflect the unseen realities for diasporic Filipino (and other neighbouring Asian communities) in Melbourne. This work is personal, traumatic but also essential. What does it mean to be Filipino? What does it mean to be Australian? These are questions that I confront head-on. I know there are people out there who are just like me who are searching also. I love this story because it's proudly Filipino and Australian, but doesn't take the easy path to be either... When I saw Lino Brocka's Maynila in the claws of light at the 2013 Melbourne International Film Festival, I was deeply moved. Growing up I'd seen the screwball comedies of Dolphy, amongst Filipino melodramas at my Lolo (Grandfathers) house on VHS, but being in the cinema was different. At the time a young filmmaker, I had no idea how much influence this would on me. Two years later I'd be filming my VCA Master's graduation film in the red light district of Manila with Andrew Leavold (The Search For Weng Weng) producing. I'd start to find my voice here. My vision is the diasporic extension of the new wave Filipino cinema. I'm influenced by the Filipino melodrama's, I love B-cinema, but I also understand that to reference a style is all in vain if there is no substance. In Heaven They Sing Karaoke is deeply personal (like many of my films) because it uses both cinematic history and personal history to ask the question 'What is the Filipino?' I know my mother married my father to get out of poverty and to possibly escape a fate like our hero's in Lino Brocka's Maynila, but what is the next chapter? I make films because of a creative impulse and no matter how far I run away, I always end up referencing my Pinoy identity. I find solace in knowing the Filipino new wave cinema of Lav Diaz, Khavn De La Cruz, Raya Martin and others also use cinematic language in unique ways to tell stories. These stories of our past can influence the future, and I’m looking forward towards the future generations. Status: Post -production 85 mins / 2022 / Philippines / Australia Produced by Carlo Valenzona, Felino Dolloso & Matthew Victor Pastor Written & Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor Associate Producers Evangeline Lee, Daniel Schultheis, Selina Zhang & Dulce Aguilar Music by Andrew Tran (Fergus Cronkite) Starring: Felino Dolloso, Lilibeth Munar, Alfred Nicdao & Celina Yuen https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/narrative/i-am-jupiter-i-am-the-biggest-planet monthly 0.5 2020-10-26 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/narrative/a-long-drive monthly 0.5 2025-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/e0200bf1-9fd6-4f22-a565-08c8b0599fce/tempImage8Q47xY.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/25c1aefd-7411-4649-ab85-e1b72afab900/a+long+drive-2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1b1af199-880f-4b71-9b2a-ec446cece885/ALD+ST+LAUREL.jpg Narrative - A Long Drive https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/documentary daily 0.75 2024-05-07 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/documentary/betweenworlds monthly 0.5 2021-01-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595933426873-S60FZH3BGPCJW9FSF1F7/BETWEEN+WORLDS_+POSTERMain.jpg Documentary - Between Worlds: Filipino Australian - BETWEEN WORLDS: FILIPINO AUSTRALIAN Between Worlds is a diverse documentary about crazy Filipino Australian film director who will stop at nothing to see his story told! Who directs a documentary on themselves? A diverse human being on a mission to inspire and encourage those between worlds! Production funding provided by Community broadcast foundation with the assistance of Cinespace. Film Festivals: 2019 Darwin International Film Festival, 2019, Korean Pinoy International Film Festival 2019, Diwa Filipino Showcase Seattle, Cefalu Film Festival Short Documentary / 11 mins / Australia / Philippines Written & Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor Produced by Daniel Schultheis Associate Producers Evangeline Lee & Llwellyn Michael Bates Music by Andrew Tran (Fergus Cronkite) Starring: Charlotte Nicdao, Edeva Miasis & Alfred Nicdao https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1614843511060-IW8DB33M2FP91HAM4K5A/VIDSEE+Laurel.jpg Documentary - Between Worlds: Filipino Australian Watch Between Worlds: Filipino / Australian https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/documentary/untitled-unfinished monthly 0.5 2023-05-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/4bdd027a-08d6-45bc-8cbd-176cf102539b/UNTITLED++UNFINISHED+POSTER.jpg https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/2020trilogy daily 0.75 2024-02-27 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/2020trilogy/theneonacrosstheocean monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1624865411984-8H6152VBVXMQ6FXJAOSO/Neon+2021+Poster.jpg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1604489143490-FDM0KL9CCMR2UJ6MQMVL/neon+ocean+cover-4.jpg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean - DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Reading Signs of Life: A letter from Apichatpong Weerasethakul touched me in a deeply personal way. After all, I’m an adult ADHD diagnosed filmmaker who can't sit still. I'm the guy who was dubbed ‘Australia’s most prolific filmmaker’ (Inside Film magazine), and here I was forced into isolation in my small city apartment. My anxiety was really unbearable. For the last few years I used the art of making movies to deal with my unhealed wounds. With too much time alone, the sutures were all opened. I turned to alcohol for the first part of it, and then something happened, hungover and vulnerable, with my head in the dustbin, I had a revelation. I decided to stand up and use these woes to do what I do best. I have a roof over my head, I have my health, and I can still make my film. I started filming again. What a better time to capture the images of the empty streets. Thank goodness we had been making this film and what would become A Pencil To The Jugular just before the lockdown. I adapted very quickly to the new environment. Now that these films are finished we have a body of work that can truly reflect the year of 2020, and quite possibly what the future holds. 2020 has been a year like no other. For us in Australia we started off with the devastating bushfires, then COVID-19 which plunged the world into a recession. My background as a Filipino Australian informs my whole body of work, and the discourse around my work. The genesis of this film, was always to explore distance and space (not just the designated 1.5 meters). The wealth gap between the rich and poor in the Philippines is a whole ocean. My very existence is part of that gap. Right now in the Philippines there are social issues that make my stomach churn. This film is me yearning for the motherland watching helplessly from another nation. I created this story from the basis of two souls, the same blood, half-sisters separated by the ocean. Everything in this film is about distance. From the geographical location of the characters to the yearning of a young girl who is searching, but caught between two cultures this film asks us to contemplate our lives. Like the great Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz and his epic Batang West Side, this film is influenced by that diasporic tale of Filipino identity. Between Mandy searching for her identity, and dealing with her parent's divorce, there is a cloud of dread that hangs over every scene. For me, this film is character driven, but Mandy could also be a stand-in for the year of 2020. This is a year of uncertainty for many, a year of trials and tribulations. Through the hardship, the circumstances will force filmmakers to find a new cinematic language, and discover the beauty in silence. Again I am very lucky to be in good health and able to make a film and will use this unique perspective to tell our story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603600667970-9IXM2RWLC8ZVL3DBGYXF/MVP+minikino+mask.jpg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean Matthew Victor Pastor (featuring Panasonic Lumix GH5s) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603688576451-3KKGRX9BNELXN3G4W5CV/Matthewvictorpastor 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1604733670221-Q42J5UZBOPP3C999K87U/Newspaper.jpg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1634279530465-6QUYH2BZT29OCPF6XLJ0/FDCP+MVP.jpeg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean - FDCP: 2 FILIPINO FILMS TO PARTICIPATE AT FRANCE’S FESTIVAL DES ANTIPODES! Filipino-Australian filmmaker Matthew Victor Pastor’s feature film “The Neon Across The Ocean” and short film “Fun Times” are selected at the 23rd Antipodes International Film Festival happening from October 13 to 17 in Saint-Tropez, France. — FDCP (Film Development Council of the Philippines) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1634282199672-F4W0B74Q7TC41ABD8X08/FILM+INK.jpg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1625213414411-5UL97SC4EMW2016G7F7K/Screen+Shot+2021-04-09+at+6.00.20+pm.png 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603595006519-7AX7FVVQC7SQHL8AZG9P/The+Neon+Across+the+Ocean 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean The Neon Across the Ocean, Serena (Chi Nguyen) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603595631948-G508URQCOWY1XA2JL28X/Corey+Reason+The+Neon+Across+the+Ocean 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean The Neon Across the Ocean, Marc (Corey Reason) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1604383834067-TQ2YZCND1TWTJW5YKQNP/Greg.png 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean The Neon Across The Ocean, Gerald (Gregory Pakis) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1604486858918-1RB978B8DPR14MSZMXC3/N+eon+Still.png 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1617495404956-QEYQZEJ6Y2P0PD13T3BY/1MVP+COVID.jpg 2020 Trilogy - FUTURE: The Neon Across the Ocean Cinema Rehiyon Panel, March 2021 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/2020trilogy/plans monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1629286938212-D79HIES4QOEFEAB8585Y/Plans+they%27ve+made+Poster-2.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PAST: Plans That They've Made https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1629286999972-ZCLT8YIH4XUEBD2XPHZZ/Plans+Still+2.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PAST: Plans That They've Made Evangeline Lee finds herself… https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1629287245681-RN3ACF9HQ5N78ZDO4Z9K/Plans+Still+2-3.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PAST: Plans That They've Made https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1629287076423-R6C4M95LH7MAFD22EV0B/Plans+Still+2-2.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PAST: Plans That They've Made https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/2020trilogy/apenciltothejugular monthly 0.5 2020-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1618612995198-2KBNNWX49ZCSM4J18VJH/Jugular+poster+7-4.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1618637170607-KVXDOA9FZUFMURH6KAJY/Copy+of+Jugular+poster+7.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1619052890464-R50X22NPBOINHK44TO3Z/For+FilmINK+article.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/50754807-73b4-4e70-8e13-c600e08db609/IMG_7996.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - FilmInk: Matthew Victor Pastor’s Art Written in Blood July 2, 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/4b2b8bc8-e06e-461e-8d53-6e7fb84b3449/IMG_7912+2.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - Inside Film Magazine: Matthew Victor Pastor and Sarah Legg ride the micro-budget wave to Revelation — June 15, 2022 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1620176485646-EA8Q5SOQECLMBB3UWDD6/BOYS.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1619249372122-PSEW1CIZKL0Z7UG8H4DK/still2.png 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular Felise Morales & Lorena Zarate https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1619351797037-WQ6IJNRTWGNBZ8ESOJH3/Lorena+%28cake%29.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - Indie filmmaker brings Filipino-Australian identity to the big screen Interview by Charisse Garcia in Philtimes (25/04/2021) Q: Can you tell us about your Filipino heritage? Who are the Filipino directors and artists you look up to? How has it challenged and surprised you as a film director to depict our Filipino culture in your film making? A: In Australia, I am dubbed a prolific director, but by Philippines standards, I think that title doesn’t cut it. The Filipino directors have a work flow off the charts. Khavn, for example, who makes many films (or as he says ‘not a film by Khavn’). I look up to filmmakers who are singular. There is so much noise out there. As a young person with a special set of skill, it is my responsibility to try to keep the art of cinema alive because it literally saved my life. Depicting our culture from my perspective has always been a challenge. As a filmmaker who makes film predominately in Australia, my stories are seen through a more conservative lens. The main challenge is contextualising us in the Australian landscape. I’m here to change that expectation, that depiction, and I do it in real life and film. I have a whole scene deconstructing this in my new film where an Asian filmmaker is grilled for his depiction of Asian culture in Australia. There is a lot to unpack here as a Filipino-Australian director but I feel we should tell all sorts of stories, even the uncomfortable ones. I knew going into this when making subversive work that if I focused on one feature film a year, I would be dismissed, so I chose to direct three or so a year consistently so that it wouldn’t be an anomaly as opposed to a body of work. If there is no context for Filipino Australian filmmakers, I aim to change that through a filmography which rivals the hard-working Filipinos back home who I am so inspired by. Q: You collaborated with a diverse group of people including, Filipino-Australian artists. Why is it important for you to be working with people of the same heritage? What are your future plans and how is the third installment going? A: In Australia there is a lack of Asian stories, in general. I feel that we deserve to be written into history. In a place that’s spent so much time minimising our pain, I’m just taking the story and making it visible. Filipinos are so creative and expressive, so I feel we should follow those impulses. My films and my lifestyle give agency to that. The third instalment is a documentary co-directed by Malaysian Evangeline Lee titled ‘Plans That They’ve Made’. We follow Evangeline as she wanders through a vast empty city. It was important for us to lens up the migrant experience. I showed an Asian friend a rough cut and they cried, so I know despite its minimal aesthetic, the feelings are all there. It’s a very different film to ‘A Pencil to the Jugular’, more like a poem about how it feels to be between worlds. I think after all the lockdowns and the ongoing pandemic, we all can relate to this feeling. Read full Q & A https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1633317799235-DT2WGIHR1PLR1RM00S5X/IMG_5696.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - A Pencil to the Jugular U.S Premiere at 25th Urbanworld Film Festival (World Cinema) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1597898938295-0U3KVUXGL6JILU05SO46/2019.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - DIRECTORS STATEMENT 2020: A Pencil to the Jugular is nearly complete. With a total runtime of 2 hours we have one more day of shooting left, but we had to cancel because of a new imposed lockdown in Melbourne. In 6 weeks I hope to shoot the final scene. I'm proud because we have captured the before and after of an important time in history. This movie was made before, and during the pandemic which is still happening. It is honest and raw, and since the lockdown we have seen other major events in our world unfold (BLM protests, second waves of COVID) and right now we are only half way through the year. I'm proud to have stuck to making this film despite the strict Victorian COVID-19 social distancing laws, amongst other things. We could have stopped, packed up and gave up but we persevered. Going into it I knew with the virus as a backdrop, I could tackle the still prevelant virus of prejudice in our society. The hardest part of the production was between March - May because we could only do essential things. I spent that time editing the footage that we already had, and planning the next part of the shoot. Soon the lockdown opened up and we could have gatherings of up to 5 people. I completed the last 40 minutes of the film with no crew except myself (I did the cinematography, sound, production design and sanitation which was a very hard task). For me making a film bare bones was essential to the safety of everyone involved considering the current pandemic. Safety first. I currently have one day of re-shoots as I write this, which are now cancelled again because of a new lockdown (as of 15th July 2020). With the films fictional narrative split between February and March 2020, the reality is that we are able to see the shift, the last captured moment of a pre-covid society. I was so busy on the shoot during February, that I honestly could not see a full lockdown happening. None of us on this film could. Within two weeks the whole world changed so quickly, and so did the film. Our cast and crew international students and new migrants all adapted to the situation, and continued to make the film. The writing did itself, because our struggle was immediate. We were very lucky to have made a raw and honest film reflecting this important time in history. Now what is left of our pain is an important story about the real virus, prejudice. Update 2021: Worldwide the violence towards Asians is growing, and this film is only a reflection of that unfortunate reality. Despite the bloodshed, I hope we can stand in solidarity and tell our stories. Lets take a pencil to the jugular and write ourselves into history. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1597899487379-LZFL0PWOJ3JIH5E9RLLH/Lorena%2BZarate%2BHeadshot.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - WRITER STATEMENT (LORENA ZARATE) 2020: These are hard times for everyone. I wish I was with my family right now. I try to keep myself positive most of the time and I always think that things could be worse. I feel lucky to have that mindset because I really don’t know what's going to happen. Being in another country with a student visa and no job is hard, don't know for how long the money will last. But this is not about me, this is something that is affecting the whole world, and the only thing that is left at the moment is to help people in need and keep creating. Without the arts, nothing would be worth it. Making this film has been my whole motivation during the last months, and not been able to continue with it breaks my heart, but I'm sure this is going to be temporary and we will be able to continue. At the same time, it is rewarding to be working on something that people can relate too, and they know they are not alone in this. This is dedicated to all the people whom have lost their loved ones, people that are losing their jobs and have people that rely on them, people closing their business in which they have invested all their lives, and specially my friends that are desperately trying to go back home and they can't find a way out. Making a film during a global pandemic has been a challenge, but we hope our efforts help make everyone struggling feel less alone. Update 2021: It is now April 2021 and covid is here to stay, some places already had a third wave. I’m back in Mexico due to this whole situation and it seems it's never ending. Now I can see a different reality than the one in Australia. Everyday I hear of so many people dying due to covid, and sometimes people I know. When we embraced the situation we were living in the movie. I thought it was going to be something temporary, and didn’t realise how relevant it would be. I am proud of our work and of our team for never giving up and working hard through this project. Lorena co-wrote, co-produced and stars in A Pencil to the Jugular. Biography: Lorena Zarate (1990) is a writer, actor and producer from Mexico. After graduating from the Bachelors Degree in Psychology, she followed her passion for acting and started her acting studies in Mexico city. In 2017 she decided to move to Sydney Australia where she continued with her studies in the Sydney Acting Studio and collaborated in different independent projects. In 2019, she moved to Melbourne where she met Film director Matthew Victor Pastor. In 2021 her debut feature film as co-writer, lead actor and co-producer "A Pencil to the Jugular" will have its world premiere at the prestigious FIAPF Accredited Moscow International Film Festival. She is also an associate producer on the award winning short film "Fun Times" which continues its film festival run at academy & Goya qualifying film festivals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1617139794809-GXQDXXB31IXEMLRK38IT/Not+a+VIRUS.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1617142218106-XOQNZAMMOD59X0RQYYRF/Jugular+poster+with+3.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular - SINCE COVID-19 ASIANS IN AUSTRALIA have been physically harassed, threatened with weapons AND spat at. These are real incidences taken from the Asian Australian Alliance survey: Female, 19, Vietnamese Australian: “Told to stay away from them because I’m Asian so I have coronavirus. Told that it was my people who brought the virus over here. Attempted to kick me. Called me an Asian slut and an Asian dog. Told me to go eat a bat. Threatened me with a knife. Spat in my face getting spit in my left eye.” Female, 29, Vietnamese: “Was walking home and a ute slowed down on the far side of the road and yelled something, I had headphones in, I just heard "fucking asian..... From .... Virus" and spat at me. Female, 36, Chinese East Timorese: “Customer refused to be served by myself or other staff of south East Asian appearance stating we were “sick” even though none of us had any signs of sickness. Over 65% of the respondents identified as female. CONTENT WARNING: Video link to International student bashed in CBD Melbourne. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1619559577981-6GTRHEQH2UFMIORMRVP3/Harryand+Philip.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular Harry Kim & Philip Kim in A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1620877246947-BT7AUC9FKQUSZKLERWTK/1.JPG 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1620877310728-N98LIT4W2EPN741C1Z68/3.JPG 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1620041664131-KUQCN1ETXK00HNO5G24Q/Premir+P1.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular Premier Lion City Issue SAPERE AUDE https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/7e9a9c96-45b9-4572-87ed-20102cc999cd/Jugular+article1.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/669547e0-27d1-4325-9a9e-2d3e7683c8f7/premier+p3.jpg 2020 Trilogy - PRESENT: A Pencil to the Jugular https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/experimental daily 0.75 2020-08-20 https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/experimental/butterflyflower monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1607481029276-2WPC3A9YX5UUHR76EV74/ButterflyA4-matt+edition%282017%29.jpg Experimental - Butterfly Flower: Please Wait To Be Seated https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/experimental/maganda monthly 0.5 2020-11-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1594980005850-R78SMEW518NEI1HXYFKA/Maganda+Poster+2020lowres.jpg Experimental - MAGANDA! Pinoy Boy vs Milk Man - MAGANDA! PINOY BOY VS MILK MAN A Filipino "exploitation" film hybrid mashup! Maganda is the tale of a psychopathic murder dubbed the Milk Man who targets Asian women. Sent to clean up the mess is Pinoy Boy, the world’s deadliest Filipino. Meanwhile, Angelo is a down on his luck filmmaker who suffers from small penis anxiety. How do these stories connect? Find out in Maganda! Pinoy Boy vs Milk Man. Film Festivals: 7th Monster Fest - Australia (Cinema Nova) 5th Stuff MX Film Festival - Mexico Hybrid Feature / 95 mins / Australia Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor Written by Matthew Victor Pastor and Kiefer Findlow Produced by Daniel Schultheis, Vladelyte Valdez & Kiefer Findlow Starring: Matthew Victor Pastor, Batang Kalawang, Glenn Maynard, Stuart Simpson, Kristen Condon https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/experimental/repentorperish monthly 0.5 2020-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1594977539634-8HV08ZEFV9EIGDPWLV96/Maria.jpg Experimental - Repent or Perish! - REPENT OR PERISH! Speaking to Pastor about “Repent or Perish”, I mentioned to him that the film breaks every “model minority” stereotype which plagues Asian Australians and asked why he chose to tell these stories. His film centres on a Filipino Australian family who faces a number of issues including (but not limited to) – being gay, drug taking issues, reconciling their religious beliefs, family dynamics and so forth. A lot of confronting issues but the actual definition of what authentic story telling actually means. “It comes quite easy for me because I’m open to letting my guard down and exploring these things. I think as a diverse mixed race filmmaker growing up in Noble Park, and Dandenong in the southeast side of Melbourne I’ve been exposed to a colorful life. This allows me to show suburban and city life in a unique way. It might be bold to some but it’s a reality for a big majority in this society.” (Excerpt from Being Asian Australian, interview with Erin Chew, 2019) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1614839522116-X4O701UG7ZYTG6QEYR40/Repent+Laurel.jpg Experimental - Repent or Perish! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1614839879219-G2KXKHBFI6KWWR2A59M3/filmmaker+3.jpg Experimental - Repent or Perish! - “14 Must-See Films Starring Asian Australians” — HUFFINGTON POST (Article by Erin Chew) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603677253985-7TEW8UZTICFWRTQ41PGY/Celia.jpg Experimental - Repent or Perish! https://www.matthewvictorpastor.com.au/experimental/melodramarandommelbourne monthly 0.5 2020-11-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1595038417788-MERZ34DP1XZ0OJAEMMKV/ADL+Film+fest+Poster+MELODRAM.jpg Experimental - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! Presented in Glorious Cinema - O - ke! A feminist documentarian, a pickup artist, and a virgin's lives collide. Aries Santos is a Fil-Aus feminist documentarian who is struggling to complete her new film. Her subjects are the male members of 'tru MALE dynamics', a company formed to teach men how to seduce women. Meanwhile, a sex worker named Melody slays into the night. The line between reality and fiction blurs, and blood is shed on the neon-lit streets of Melbourne. In the spirit of Godard and Wong Kar-Wai, local writer-director Matthew Victor Pastor throws every available idea into this wild goose chase through Melbourne after dark, following various would-be pick-up artists, the women they pursue, and a documentary filmmaker (Bridget O'Brien) whose quest for clarity parallels Pastor's own. An arresting introduction to a talent going places. (Review by Jake Wilson, The Age, November 2018) Hybrid Musical / Feature / 81 mins / Australia Film Festivals: 2018 Adelaide Film Festival, 2018 Sinag Maynila Film Festival, 2018 Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, 2018 FACINE (Filipino Arts and Cinema) Australian New Wave, 2018 (By Bill Mousoulis & Chris Luscri) Awards: 2018 Sinag Maynila Film Festival (Best Musical Score, Winner) 67th FAMAS (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences), Best Musical Score (Nomination) Original Score by Andrew Tran (Fergus Cronkite) Written by Celina Yuen & Matthew Victor Pastor Produced by Odin B. Fernandez & Matthew Victor Pastor Directed by Matthew Victor Pastor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1614841507495-7SHUCVAHFD5CMJCU7MZP/FAMAS+Laurel.jpg Experimental - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603681044357-V2D4DJDVND4P7Z0ZVE2D/Rachel+Mubi+Still.png Experimental - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1604402584370-FFNXYD112V6UKW8DF7P6/Fun+Times+copy+banner-3.jpg Experimental - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603681592206-TIZAJBVTE0X1R4Q1ZZC2/celina.png Experimental - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e98fde88a3476717a29399c/1603682262723-INJ2KAP70PV6U2W2LDW4/20662827_10159394853435495_1230266262_o.jpg Experimental - MELODRAMA / RANDOM / MELBOURNE!