These artists on the rise take center stage in the Netherlands
Filipino-Dutch artists have taken the spotlight in The Netherlands for their world-class talents, receiving recognitions and awards in the fields of film, television, and theater arts.
Kyana Raine Pacis is playing the lead role of Yuka Katana in the forthcoming Dutch movie De Piraten van Hiernaast 2: De Ninja’s van de Overkant (The Pirates Next Door: The Ninjas from Across the Street), which will be shown on April 20, 2022. Directed by Pim van Hoeve, De Piraten van Hiernaast 2 is based on the book series by Reggie Naus (Ploegsma publishers) and is the sequel to The Pirates from Next Door released in 2020.
The Pirates Next Door 2 is about the battle between the pirates who live in Zandwijk street and the ninjas residing in the same area. Ninja’s daughter Yuka and pirate’s son Billy became friends amid the battle between these rival groups and Facebook page).
Pacis earlier starred in the theater production of Dolfje Werewolfje (Howl at the Moon) as Noura (2016) and Pluk van de Petteflet as Aagje (2014). She was also the Dutch voice actress of the characters Natalie in the Disney fantasy film Peter en Draak (Peter’s Dragon) (2016) and Isabel in Elena van Avalor.
Katreena Alyssa Beron, another young Dutch-Filipino artist, made her mark in theater. She played the role Hua Mulan in the Dutch premiere of Disenchanted, staged by The Cauldron Performing Arts last March in Amsterdam. She earlier starred in several theater productions, including Little Shop of Horrors (Happily Ever After Productions), Si Medea (Langgam Performance Troupe), Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale (Repertory Philippines), and Ora et Labora (Sining Tanghalan).
The two young artists are joined by Charlie Curilan and Cystine Carreon-Pacis, who similarly have shone in their respective careers.
“We congratulate these four Filipino-Dutch artists on their achievements in the Dutch entertainment industry, which bring pride to our community as well as to the Philippines in the global stage,” Philippine Ambassador to The Netheralnds J. Eduardo Malaya said.
Charlie Curilan has appeared in popular Dutch TV series Goede Tijden Slechte Tijden, Meiden van de Herengracht, and A’dam en E.V.A. and in various TV commercials, corporate films, and short films. He started his professional career in the original Dutch version of the Broadway hit musical Miss Saigon. He was also in the cast of the Swedish version of Miss Saigon for the Malmo Opera in Sweden.
This is Benjamin Gijzel, a Dutch actor and director, described Curilan’s talent: “I was impressed, and felt lifted by his acting on the set. Since then, he has continued to impress me with his presence on the screen and last, but not the least, by his lasting and generous support as a brother in film anyway.”
Curilan was nominated Best Actor for his performance as “Coach” in the 48HFP short film festival in Rotterdam in 2018. He won Best Supporting Actor at the FilmstarZ Film Festival in Vlissingen, Netherlands, for his role in the short film Open Wond in 2019.
‘We congratulate these four Filipino-Dutch artists on their achievements in the Dutch entertainment industry, which bring pride to our community as well as to the Philippines in the global stage.’
Three film projects where Curilan plays prominent roles will premiere this year namely: Capo di Famiglia III, Angels of Dust, and Fazant, all of which will be participating at several international film festivals. He will appear as a featured guest on an episode of Jos, a comic drama set to air on the AVRO-TROS network in June, starring a stellar cast led by Diederik Ebbinge. He has also been cast in a new independent sci-fi film alongside an international cast to be shot in Sweden this fall. He is the first and only Asian actor to be included in the talent pool represented by the Dublin-based Broocks Talent Agency.
Cystine Carreon-Pacis, on the other hand, was featured in the Dutch production of Miss Saigon and other theater/musical productions, notably Fame the Musical as Carmen and Grease as Rizzo, in which she received the John Kraaijkamp Musical Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in Dutch television as Tippiwan in Gooische Vrouwen, Polly in BlauwBlauw, Nanda Verhoeven in GTST, Suzie in Remy en Juliyat, and in the international Nickelodeon series Hunterstreet 3 and 4 as Dotti.
When she won best supporting actress in the Dutch Musical Award in 2007 for her performance in Grease, the "first Filipina to win such an award in the Dutch musical world,” writer Ricky Tuazon described her as having a “crystal clear and mellifluous voice, euphonious musicality, and dramatic sonority as well as exceptional dancing adeptness. A protean artist with a winsome stage personality, Cystine easily adapts to every role that she performs…”
Cystine will be touring in The Netherlands in October and November 2022 with her one-woman musical #PERFECT.
She is the mother of young Kyana Raine Pacis.
The works of these Fil-Dutch artists can be viewed at www.katreenaalyssa.com (Beron), www.cystinecarreon.wixsite.com/cystinecarreon (Carreon-Pacis) and www.charliecurilan.com (Curilan).
Photo Credits: Film Depot/Dutch FilmWorks, Nuno Martins (photo of Ms. Beron), Mr. Charlie Curilan and Annemieke van de Togt (photo of Ms. Carreon-Pacis). END