When California Humanities supported a live virtual presentation of the Bulosan Project in early 2024, composer and educator Dr. Andres R. Luz hoped to spark new interest in the life, language, and legacy of Filipino American writer Carlos Bulosan. What followed has become an inspiring creative journey—one that now carries Bulosan’s words to audiences around the world.
Following the California Humanities–supported event, Luz released a 25-minute commercial recording of his musical composition through Ablaze Records in summer 2024. But he felt there was more to explore. In fall 2024, he began studying video production to bring a visual dimension to the work—something that could illuminate Bulosan’s poetry and prose for new audiences.
Working with a shoestring budget and a deep commitment to the craft, Luz created a 12-minute short film using public-domain footage, historic newsreels, royalty-free video, and his own computer-generated imagery. The film draws directly from two of Bulosan’s most influential writings, pairing his words with Luz’s original composition.
Completed in March 2025, the short film has now been submitted to more than 100 film festivals across six continents, gaining growing international attention. Over the past three months, it has been named an Official Selection at multiple festivals and has earned several awards—including Best Music Video and, most recently, Best Screenwriting from the Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival during Filipino American History Month.
For Luz, the project is both an artistic experiment and a tribute to a writer whose work continues to resonate. He hopes to expand the project by completing the second half of the full composition with future collaborators.
“My hope is that these works raise awareness of Bulosan’s enduring relevance—his stories, his questions, and the communities he wrote for,” Luz shared.
The short film, BULOSAN: ON AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, Part 3, is available to watch for free on FilmFreeway and other major streaming platforms.
Learn more about the project at: andresrluz.weebly.com
As the Bulosan Project continues to grow, we are proud to have supported an early chapter of its journey—and to witness how one artist’s commitment keeps California stories alive, evolving, and resonating far beyond our state.
