TWO FILMS. ONE MANILATOWN LEGACY.
Image of Two Films. One Manilatown Legacy. postcard
For the first time, experience two generations of Manilatown and International Hotel history together on the big screen—beginning with Curtis Choy’s landmark documentary “The Fall of the I-Hotel” and continuing with the premiere of our new documentary, “Manilatown Manang”.
And we are especially excited that filmmaker Curtis Choy and
I-Hotel Tenant Defender Jeanette Lazam will be there with us in person!
🎬 1 PM — THE FALL OF THE I-HOTEL
San Francisco Premiere — Newly Enhanced & Restored
Curtis Choy’s landmark documentary chronicles the decade-long struggle to save San Francisco’s International Hotel and the historic August 4, 1977 eviction of its elderly Filipino and Chinese tenants. Following the screening, join us for a community conversation with Curtis Choy and co-producers of the newly enhanced edition, moderated by Caroline Ocampo.
🎬 3 PM — MANILATOWN MANANG
PREMIERE
Meet Jeanette Gandionco Lazam—artist, activist, and one of the few women who lived inside the International Hotel as a Tenant Defender during the historic anti-eviction struggle. In The Fall of the I-Hotel, we see Jeanette as a young activist during the final moments of the I-Hotel struggle. In Manilatown Manang, we meet her again decades later and discover the remarkable life of activism, art, community, and perseverance that followed. Following the premiere, Jeanette Lazam will join members of the film’s creative team for a community conversation, also moderated by Caroline Ocampo.
📅 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026
📍 SFMOMA — Phyllis Wattis Theater
151 Third Street, San Francisco
🎟️ FREE — ADVANCE RSVP REQUIRED
We believe this history should be accessible to everyone, so FREE Community RSVP tickets are available. For those who are able, you may also choose a Support Manilatown ticket to help sustain our ongoing arts, culture, and historic preservation work. Both ticket options provide the same admission.
RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKETS
Come experience this history with us—and help us celebrate the people who fought for the International Hotel and the generations who continue carrying its legacy forward.
Two films. Two generations. One continuing story.
Co-produced by the Manilatown Heritage Foundation and SOMA Pilipinas in partnership with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, with additional support from the San Francisco Arts Commission. This special double-feature is part of DEKADA, marking ten years of community building, cultural preservation, and placemaking in SOMA Pilipinas, the City and State-recognized Filipino Cultural Heritage District.
🌺 About Manilatown Heritage Foundation
The Manilatown Heritage Foundation safeguards and activates the living cultural legacy of San Francisco’s Historic Manilatown and the International Hotel through arts, education, and community programs. For more information about the Manilatown Heritage Foundation, please visit www.manilatown.org or contact us at mhf@manilatown.org