Reviews
“In 1932, Celine Navarro was buried alive by her own community of Filipino Americans in Northern California. Grief-stricken filmmaker Celine Parreñas Shimizu, finding kinship with Navarro’s long-lost story, exhumes her tragic life while trying to unravel the mystery of her murder. Along with the fascinating figure of Celine Navarro, this documentary paints a vivid portrait of the early Filipino migrant community struggling with widespread racism and their own poisonous misogyny. It’s a haunting and illuminating experience.”
— Ryan Wu, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2020
“Bay Area filmmaker Celine Parreñas Shimizu does a masterful job of exploring lost histories and the trauma that continues to haunt the impacted communities. This touching and thoughtful film is a must-see, especially for people who live here and are curious about our shared histories.”
— CAAMFestForward 2020
“…what makes THE CELINE ARCHIVE an invaluable reflection is not the truth it uncovers about an enigmatic figure, but the questions it asks about legacies blemished by silence and murder. What does it mean to be descendants of violence? How can women heal and make families whole? Directed uncannily by another Celine–filmmaker-scholar Celine Parreñas Shimizu–this elegant documentary is a séance for the buried history of Filipino Americans and an act of love to generations who have held Celine in the heart.”
— Brian Hu, SDAFF
Awards
2020 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Award
2020 Gold Remy at WorldFest Houston for Historical Biography
Screenings
OCTOBER 1 @ 12pm – OCTOBER 4 @ 11:59pm PDT
World Premiere: Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Online
OCTOBER 2 @ 2–2:50pm PDT
Conversation with Filmmaker and Celine Navarro’s daughter Lucia and her daughter Tootsie
Online
OCTOBER 14-18
Bay Area Premiere: CAAMFest
See a conversation with Director Celine Shimizu, Historian Catherine Choy and Poet Jean Vengua after every screening. Tickets on sale October 5, 2020
On-Demand
OCTOBER 15 @ 6pm – OCTOBER 16 @ 7:45pm PDT
International Premiere: LA Femme International Film Festival
Online | Q&A Event for October 15 at 5pm PDT
OCTOBER 23 – 31
National Premiere: San Diego Asian Film Festival
Online
Future Screenings
Reel Sisters of the Diaspora in NYC (Virtual)
Montreal Independent Film Festival
Chicago Indie Film Awards
New Directors NYC
Seattle True Independent Film Festival
World of Film International Film Festival Glasgow
Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival
Switzerland International Film Festival
Culver City Film Festival
WRPN’s Women’s International Film Festival
THE CELINE ARCHIVE 