Meet Angela Hilario | Writer & Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela Hilario and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela, why did you pursue a creative career?
Being creative has always been something that was innate. Ever since I could hold a pencil, I was writing. It was always a form of escape for me but also as natural as breathing. I can’t imagine my life without being able to create worlds and characters and scenarios. My brain never turns off in that sense. In terms of pursuing this as a career, I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but the realization of my filmmaking path had a bit more detours and trials. I took an intro to acting class during my last year of college more so for the credits and not having to deal with writing any more papers and fell in love with the community and sense of play. At the time, there were very few Asian American actors so I didn’t think it was a plausible route for me, but I didn’t give up entirely. My friends were all creating their own films, so I decided to make one as well – I absolutely fell in love with directing and seeing my words come to life by exceptionally talented people. Deciding to pursue filmmaking felt like the final piece of my puzzle.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I was 13 I began writing this story that I would upload to this site called Fictionpress. It’s similar to Fan Fiction but for original stories. It wasn’t a huge success but the feedback and the enthusiasm that I did receive was enough to make me want to get it published. So I took it down, and began revising it. And revising it, and revising it. The story changed so much that the actual process of it being an ever-changing story was put into the plot itself. If you look through all the drafts you can see bits and pieces of my own life over the course of the ten years it took to have a solid manuscript together. When I was 23, I sent it to a bunch of literary agents. Only one of them requested to see the full manuscript, but ultimately turned it down. I was devastated and lost. I knew I had a lot more stories in me, but there was something so special about this story that I wanted to make it my debut novel. So I decided to self-publish it, and in 2017, my first novel KALEIDOSCOPE’S LIGHT was out in the world.

Without the rejection (and redirection), I would not have ended up founding my own media company, Hollis House. One of the things that frustrates me about the industry is the gatekeeping. Why is it that only a few people with power and money can determine which art can be put in front of an audience? Just imagine the number of stories and voices that we were deprived of because one person with one opinion didn’t deem it worthy? I believe art has the power to save lives, and now with e-commerce and social media, more and more people are able to bypass the gatekeepers and send their own art into the world on their own, and it’s such a powerful thing. That is what I’m trying to do with Hollis House. I want people who feel like they’ve been overlooked finally feel seen. I am also so grateful for the community we’ve been able to cultivate for Filipino-Americans through our podcast Kwento-Kwento Podcast!

In 2020, during the pandemic, my friends and I made a feature film QUARANTINE, ACTUALLY which won Best First Feature at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival. One of the things I wanted to achieve in that film was to show a vast array of people and their struggles and stories in a 2 hour time frame. It’s not a perfect film, but I’m blessed to have had that experience to inform my future films.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First, we would grab lunch at Ihawan, a Filipino restaurant in Woodside, Queens. Then take the subway to Midtown Comics to browse through the latest issues, or go over to Strand Bookstore. If it’s the summertime, we can stroll through Central Park and catch some Shakespeare, or see whatever free entertainment that just so happens to be playing. One time a friend and I were casually strolling through the park and there were a bunch of guys dressed as Medieval Knights dueling. They weren’t part of some fancy production; it was just a Saturday afternoon. That’s one thing I love about NYC. Yes, it’s expensive but you actually don’t need to spend money to have a good time. Just observe the people around you, maybe talk to a stranger – you never know who you will meet!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents are my number one supporters. They’re always guiding me and are never shy to give me advice but they also remind me that my life is my own and that I should do whatever makes me happy at the end of the day. My parents are a great reminder that you can show love simply by doing your best.

Website: https://www.angelahilario.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hollis_house

Image Credits
Julia Sjakovs
Angela Hilario