For young Filipino-American director Ryan Matthew Moore, the life Manny of Pacquiao is the perfect story that would be inspiring not just to the ordinary Filipino, but also to anyone who really wanted to feel like they wanted to be inspired.
Ryan was born and raised in Southern California and has always dreamed of honoring Filipino cinema. While studying in Manila, Ryan was able to find his dream project, the documentary.
“Manny,” even as he’s learning about his family’s heritage.
As a young high school student for five years at Brent International School in Pasig, he was exposed to Philippine cinema and television that cultivated his dream of doing a project that honors Filipino cinema and Filipinos.
His keen interest in Pacquiao’s career made Ryan realized that the boxer embodied what his own mother went through, who as a young nurse moved to the US, like a lot of Filipinos who leave home and family behind to make something of themselves abroad to support their family.
“Manny” runs for 107 minutes and is co-directed by Ryan with Academy Award winner Leon Gast. It depicts Pacquiao’s day-to-day life as a father, son, boxer, politician, showbiz personality, humanitarian and man of faith.
The film is set for a nationwide release in the Philippines this March.
