FIL-AM a short by Ralph Torrefranca.

FIL-AM

SBIFF 2026

Interview with Director: Ralph Torrefranca

Teaser trailer: https://vimeo.com/1119645007/309abbd88f

While he was a teenager, promising Director Ralph Torrefranca, was forced to move to Santa Barbara in 2003. ‘Fil-Am’ is a short film about Ralph young experience and how it transformed him into the filmmaker he is today. This is a well-crafted movie that show a skillful young director with a bright future in front of him. Ralph is also a talented performer with his band ‘Cuffed Up’ (https://cuffedupmusic.com ) and he was a popular local radio DJ. We caught up with Ralph as he was on his way to Santa Barbara and go down memory lane. 

Q: What was the inspiration about making this film?

Ralph:  So, our film is a short, but we do have a feature script. It’s based on my life story leaving in the bay area and then my mom got re-married, and we moved to Santa Barbara. I was just a teenager. It was a very eye-opening time for me. And it was tough because I moved into a town, Santa Barbara, which as not so diverse. 

Q: Tell me about the biggest challenge making this short?

Ralph: Trying to shoot it, on location in the Bay area, and pass it for Santa Barbara. And of course, it was a challenge finding the resources and the money. This a bigger endeavor and budget than my previous shorts. 

Q: Being in a Festival, such as SBIFF, what does this mean? Any expectation?

Ralph: Being in Santa Barbara means a lot since I used to live there and spending my high-school years there. In all of aspect I consider myself being from Santa Barbara. What is funny is that I took a film school at UCSB and I was taught by Roger Durling who is now the Director of SBIFF. So, it’s quite emotional to be there at SBIFF. 

Q: What do you think is the takeaway of your film?

Ralph: I hope people understand what it is to be a teenager and looking for your identity. I hope people get our stories as Philippinos and realize they are universal. What is interesting to know is that I wrote a feature before shooting this short. So, I hope by being with various Film Festivals that we find the support to film the feature, next. 

By Emmanuel Itier  - Pictures: Sheva Kafai