Francis Manuel Abbey

Briefly describe your Filipino heritage.

My mother is originally from Iloilo while my dad is an American. I ended up looking very not Filipino. I also didn't have a big Filipino community around while growing up and whenever I was among Filipinos, I had imposter syndrome because of my white face and inability to speak the language. It wasn't until traveling back to the Philippines in 2019 as an adult, and meeting family members for the first time who embraced me as "kuya," that I felt a new connection to my heritage. Marrying a Filipina in 2021 strengthened my desire to embrace my culture and learn more. Now I've found that Filipino community I lacked in my younger days and I feel comfortable in my own skin, even when people say "Oh, I didn't know you were Filipino!"

What inspires you to achieve your goals?

Filmmaking has been my passion for decades. I love storytelling and creating worlds and characters as well as the craft of filmmaking. I spent two decades honing my skills and even collecting some awards, but I lacked a "why." I didn't have lofty ambitions in mind when I assembled a group of Filipino actors and creatives to form Barkada DMV, but then I heard what it meant to the Barkada members and our audience. For our members it was a chance to be a Filipino on-screen and not be a token; to play leading roles when they thought they could never have done that; to be among other Filipinos and reconnect with their culture or learn about it for the first time; to see ourselves on the big screen. That's when increasing Filipino representation became my driving force. Two plus decades of accumulating experience and know-how were preparation so that I could do something for my community today.

Who are some of the most influential people in your life?

There are so many people who have made an impact on my life from my wife and parents to teachers and mentors, that it's hard to identify just a few. But I'll single out two people whom I admire and serve as role models for me in this stage of my life and career. The first is Jim Kwik, author of "Limitless." Jim is an Asian American who overcame learning disabilities to become a world-renowned coach on how to overcome the limitations that we place on ourselves. The second is JoKoy, a half-Filipino like myself, who never quit on his dream and hustled his way to massive success, and then used that success to elevate other Filipinos.

What would you say to other Filipinos who aspire to do what you’re doing?

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Going together means building relationships, which are the key to succeeding in any field. And to build relationships, be generous. As much as you can, give of your time and your knowledge. Show people the value you can bring to them and they will respond in kind. Don't lead with the ask. If you need something from someone, show them what you can do for them.

What single achievement are you most proud of?

I'm very proud of the films I've made over the years and the awards that I've won. But the reaction I've received for what we've done with Barkada DMV is truly special. It was the first time I felt that my work had affected people on a deeper level. So forming Barkada DMV is the achievement that I'm most proud of.