SDAFF 2025: ‘Because of You: A History Of Kilawin Kolektibo’ Review
History is rarely clear cut. Even having visual archives to comb through aren’t guaranteed, and for the most marginalized, under-resourced communities, archiving history is all the more essential. Thankfully, Because of You (Dahil Sa ‘Yo): A History of Kilawin Kolektibo anchors the intersectional, radical organization Kilawin Kolektibo against the backdrop of a disparate queer Pinay community searching for a place in 90s New York.
Kilawin Kolektibo was formed in New York in 1994 by a group of proud Filipino lesbians who wanted to network and mobilize on shared sociopolitical issues. Between marches, actions, and campaigns, members would meet frequently to establish organizational and personal identities. As one member Irene states, Kilawin Kolektibo offered an alternative to the “sameness [of] white lesbian [communities where] being gay is the only thing that’s different about them or challenges them.”
Members developed compassion for issues affecting Filipinx in New York and across the diaspora. Some of these issues included the rampant sex trafficking of Filipina women and concern for the persistent emigration of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) from the Philippines. Founding members were primed with previous organizing experience from other Filipino organizations like Gabriela and Kambal Sa Lusog.
As much as the documentary captures Kilawin Kolektibo from a more objective viewpoint, Because of You is also an intensely personal and emotionally exalting memoir from former members Barbara Malaran and Desireena Almoradie. Spliced between photos and camcorder footage are songs, poems, and reflections on how the organization brought people together and how they eventually fell out due to personal circumstances.
Barbara Malaran in particular filters the project itself as a memorial to a time left uncontextualized meaningfully until now. The documentary illustrates how exceedingly common it is for important moments, projects, and relationships to be left on the table, without catharsis. As someone absorbed in seasons of personal reflection, it calls to me and emphasizes the need to have something substantive to cling on to.
Kilawin Kolektibo was formed out of love: to love someone, to be in community with them, and resonating out into the world. The sustaining actions of the filmmakers weaved together their story with written permission and by providing licensing fees to all the major participants featured in the film, according to the Directors’ statement. Because of You shows that real love isn’t simple and inspires action, change, and honoring memory–just as the film says: ”a neverending farewell.”
Rating: 4/5
Film pages: SDAFF page | Instagram
Because of You was covered as part of Pacific Arts Movement’s 2025 San Diego Asian Film Festival.
