Welcome to the The Hot Seat.
Every month we will feature a filmmaker who is redefining West Coast filmmaking. It's time we start shining that ever elusive spotlight onto those in our community who are at the forefront of the BC Indie Revolution.
Each featured filmmaker will answer the same 10 questions, giving insight into their minds, inspirations, aspirations and dreams. The first five questions are rapid fire. Quick. Juicy. Intriguing. The last 5 are more profound, insightful, all about filmmaking.
This month, we're inviting the talented and prolific filmmaker Kent Donguines to brave the Hot Seat. Let's dive in!
Kent Donguines is a Filipino-Canadian narrative and documentary filmmaker based in Vancouver, BC. He is the CEO of Aimer Films Inc. and has produced the award-winning CBC short documentary, This Ink Runs Deep, which premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. He also wrote, directed, and produced the Telus Storyhive short film, Kalinga (Care), a documentary about the sacrifices Filipina nannies make to work in Canada. The short documentary had its World Premiere at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival and won the Kathleen Shannon Award from Yorkton Film Festival.
Kent has worked for production companies in Canada and the Philippines, including Cedar Island Films Inc., Black Cap Pictures (Ten17p), Viva Entertainment, and Star Cinema. His latest short film, funded by Harold Greenberg Fund, BC Arts Council, Canadian Film Centre, CreativeBC, and the National Film Board of Canada, Paco received the Grand Prize in this year’s Stage32 Annual Film Contest and has secured a broadcast license with CRAVE. He’s currently developing the feature film, Error 404 and just finished his feature documentaries, Canadian Adobo and Treasure of the Rice Terraces. Kent is also an alumnus of the Canadian Film Centre Norman Jewison Film Program - Producers Lab.
Photo by Noah Asanias
1. What is the first film you can remember having an effect on you?
The first film that had affected me was LION KING. This was a film that played over and over again growing up - and I know it affected me so much that I had to name one of my siblings Kiara.
2. If you could work with one filmmaker, dead or alive, who would it be?
This is a tough question because I can only choose one! To keep it simple, I’ll go for my most favorite Filipino director, Erik Matti (On the Job, Buybust)
3. If you could remake any film, what would it be and what would you change?
If I can remake any film, I will do Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. I’ll make a Filipino version of it set in rural Philippines.
4. What is your biggest passion outside of being a filmmaker?
Right now, I’m pursuing a steadfast love for my faith - getting to know God, sharing the wonders He has done for me and experiencing life to the fullest outside of film. I’m getting into other art forms while exploring as many art galleries as possible and I couldn’t have done it without my faith.
5. What are you working on now?
I’m currently in post-production for a short film I directed called FOUR FOUR. Taking my time in development to get my next projects - low and big budget narrative features - up and running some time in 2026 or 2027.
6. Creatively, what inspires you to continue your journey in filmmaking?
Still from Treasure Hunter of the Rice Terraces
Creatively, God saved me. That’s what inspired me to continue my journey in filmmaking. The moment I was saved, the mission became clearer; to tell untold stories of my community. The more I fell in love with the stories I worked on, the more I felt alive, which is sometimes hard to describe to people. As long as I get to bridge the Philippines and Canada through the stories I tell and be unapologetic about my approach and the authenticity that comes with it, I’m inspired to continue what I’ve started.
7. Who are your frequent collaborators and what do they bring to your projects?
I must say, it’s such a huge honour to be working with so many talented filmmakers in Vancouver. This city has a pool of talent! Currently, my frequent collaborators include Jacob Crawford and his team at Moon7 Films. I have nothing but gratitude towards this team - huge shoutout to Bryce, Kaila, Oswaldo too! I’ve also collaborated with such amazing cinematographers, Mitchell Baxter and John Fleming, they bring such care and so much heart behind every project we’ve worked on together.
Also really blessed to have worked with producers Sebastien Galina & Geoff Manton at Boldly, Kyle Guerrero & Jordan Connor at Inventive Entertainment. Last but not the least, a massive shoutout to my go-to creative partners, Moira Tan and Edward Escobal, for allowing me to create characters and worlds that we can all play with.
8. What is the most rewarding part about being a BC filmmaker? What is the most challenging?
8. What is the most rewarding part about being a BC filmmaker? What is the most challenging?
The most rewarding part about being a BC filmmaker is the support you’ll get from this community. In times of almost giving up, one filmmaker can easily uplift your spirit and inspire you to keep doing what you love. On the other hand, it’s also challenging to be a BC filmmaker because we don’t get access to as much funding as Ontario and Quebec.
9. As a filmmaker, how do you measure success?
The moment we finish a film, that’s success. Regardless of its outcome, festival selections, distribution deals, etc. Celebrate the small wins and make the most out of a big win.
10. Tell us about a time you failed and how it helped you.
As an artist, I’ve beat myself up too many times because of past failures and mistakes. Instead of telling you a time I failed and how it helped me, let me leave you this advice, commit every mistake you have to commit. It’s the best way to remind yourself that you’re still a human being. When you’re down, you have a much better understanding of your own humanity and once you get in touch with that humanity, you’ll learn to find the beauty within the chaos of it all.
Behind The Scenes on Treasure of the Rice Terraces