Patrick salaver
A Mixed-Media Documentary Short
How a filipino civil rights leader changed our education system
PATRICK SALAVER is a short, mixed-media documentary film that reexamines the life of a revolutionary activist whose name history nearly forgot, but whose legacy still shapes our present.
Patrick Salaver was a leader in the Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) and the founder of the Pilipinx American Collegiate Endeavor (PACE), both pioneering student organizations that helped spark the 1968-69 student strikes at San Francisco State University — strikes that led to the creation of the first Ethnic Studies Department in the United States. As a leader in the movement and the first person to teach Filipino American Studies, Pat paid a heavy price for his beliefs. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War — one of the few draft resisters ever jailed.
Told through the eyes of his niece, Nicole Maxali, whom Patrick helped raise, this film is both a personal journey and a political act of remembrance. Through live-action footage, archival images, interviews and animation, this documentary film constructs a visually immersive collage of memory where past and present, personal and political, coexist.
PATRICK SALAVER is about celebrating the unsung organizers, teachers, and dreamers whose activism changed the world, and reminding us that those struggles are not over. Help us share Filipino American contributions to US history, honor Patrick Salaver and reclaim the stories that shaped our world.
Together, let's remember what history tried to forget.
Meet the Team
Sondy Lucille is a California-raised, Filipina Mauritian filmmaker. Her personal work discusses mixed heritage, Asian diasporic experiences, and how globalization impacts identity.
She loves to use mixed media to explore how complex memories and emotions can be communicated through film. Recently, Sandra was selected to be a 2023 Artist Disruptor by The Center for Cultural Power x California Arts Council.
Film and video are Sandra’s chosen instruments for change. She hopes her work prompts radical healing and reflection.
Sondy Lucille
Co-Director/editor
Nicole Maxali
Exec. Producer / Co-Director
Nicole Maxali is a filmmaker, culture bearer, storyteller, and advocate for Filipino American history and activism.
As the niece of Patrick Salaver, she brings a deeply personal perspective to this project, intertwining her family’s history with broader narratives of resistance and solidarity. Her narration in PATRICK SALAVER serves as both a personal reckoning with grief and a call to remember the radical histories often erased from mainstream narratives.
Through this documentary, Nicole aims to ensure that her uncle’s legacy—and the struggles he fought for—continue to inspire future generations.
The perks:
- Your name listed on our website under “With Gratitude”
- A thank-you shoutout on social media
Get all of the above, plus:
- Exclusive behind-the-scenes updates with visuals and production notes
- A digital wallpaper (art from the film) for your phone or desktop
Get all of the above, plus:
- A digital art print inspired by the film’s collage animation style
- Your name listed on our social media posts
Get all of the above, plus:
- Access to a private virtual screening of the finished film with a live Q&A
- A downloadable zine featuring visuals, quotes, and reflections from the film
Get all of the above, plus:
- A limited-edition printed and shipped zine with behind-the-scenes content
- A handwritten thank-you card from co-director Nicole Salaver
Get all of the above, plus:
- A limited-edition art poster of the film’s key collage artwork
- Your name listed in the film credits under “Legacy Supporter”
Get all of the above, plus:
- A producer’s packet: with film updates, design sketches, and access to two virtual roundtables with the creative team
- Invitation to in-person screening (if geographically possible) with Nicole
- Name in film credits under “Contributing Producer”
Get all of the above, plus:
- Co-Executive Producer film credit
- Invitation to in-person screening or private dinner (if geographically possible) with Nicole and the team
- A custom framed art piece from the film’s collage/animation artwork.