Filmmakers Making A Social Impact: Why & How Filmmaker Drama Del Rosario of Believe Limited Is Helping To Change Our World

Embrace uncertainty. When I first started, I was often frustrated by the unpredictability of filmmaking, especially in the documentary field where real-life events don’t follow a script. Throughout my career in health-related documentary filmmaking, I’ve learned that uncertainty is inevitable. Plans get canceled. People die.

As a part of our series about “Filmmakers Making A Social Impact” I had the pleasure of interviewing Drama Del Rosario.

Drama Del Rosario is a Filipinx documentary filmmaker known for his work on queer issues and mental health, winning the inaugural BAFTA-GSA Commissioning Grant and the Loni Ding Award in 2019. Born and raised in the Philippines, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ateneo de Manila University and later earned an MFA in Documentary from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. Currently, he works for Believe Limited, while his documentaries screen globally, and he enjoys watching reality television in his free time.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to get to know you a bit. Can you share your “backstory” that brought you to this career?

Believe Limited creates entertainment that celebrates the stories of rare disease communities, with films like Bombardier Blood and My Beautiful Stutter. Our roots have always been in the bleeding disorders space, as our founder and CEO Patrick James Lynch lives with hemophilia. Through Believe’s deep involvement in the hemophilia community over the years, we found an opportunity to honor the lives and advocacy work of the older generation of hemophiliacs. In the course of filming various projects, we have met incredible community members and advocates whose stories have yet to be fully told, and we have always been committed to bringing these narratives to the forefront.

As for myself, I am Head of Production at Believe Limited. Originally from Manila, Philippines, I moved to Los Angeles seven years ago to pursue documentary filmmaking. In my early years in LA, I had directed several documentaries focusing on health, exploring both the physical conditions of patients and the mental health aspects associated with their journeys. Working with Believe Limited made sense, and I’ve been with them for almost five years now.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Always make sure you are backing up the correct footage from your cards. In one of my early documentaries, I backed up the wrong files and lost all the audio from my main character’s husband. We had to edit him out of the documentary — which in retrospect, turned out fine years later because they split up.

Who are some of the most interesting people you have interacted with? What was that like? Do you have any stories?

Meeting the older generation of hemophilia advocates has been incredibly inspiring. Their dedication to advocacy, coupled with their solid friendships as a community, is truly remarkable. For instance, in our documentary film On the Shoulders of Giants, we met Warren Ingram, who gave testimony for the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act of 1998 in Washington, DC. Despite experiencing joint pain from hemophilia, he stood on the Capitol Steps and advocated passionately for his community. Being welcomed into his home in South Carolina to hear him tell his story was such a wonderful and memorable experience.

Which people in history inspire you the most? Why?

The older generation of hemophiliacs inspires me the most because they paved the way for the younger generation of hemophiliacs to live the lives they do today. When we are at a medical conference, it is easy to take for granted seeing kids run around and having fun. The lives they have today were made possible by the tireless advocacy work of the older generation to secure proper treatment for the entire community. As Warren says in the documentary, his generation brought about safety in the blood supply for hemophilia and everybody. Their dedication and perseverance have had a profound impact, and I am continually inspired by their contributions. I specifically would like to mention the inspiring humans in our documentary film — Wayne Cook, Randy Curtis, Kathy Gerus-Darbison, Cathy McAdam, Warren Ingram, and Sharon Ingram.

Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?

At Believe, we are dedicated to impactful storytelling. On the Shoulders of Giants has been an incredibly meaningful documentary film for us to create. This film tells the story of the older generation of hemophiliacs, focusing on their incredible advocacy work through history and the friendships that they are building along the way. We follow Wayne Cook, a grandfather with hemophilia, as he travels across the United States to visit the hometowns of his blood brothers and sisters, sharing their untold stories of perseverance and advocacy. Over the years, the older generation has often been forgotten, and these individuals have lost touch with the community — but they’re out there. The documentary culminates in a heartwarming reunion party with members of the older generation, where they laugh, cry, reminisce, and celebrate the deep bonds of friendship built through their advocacy work.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?

When On the Shoulders of Giants was pitched in early pre-production, our initial goal was to create a documentary that celebrated the historical contributions of the older generation of hemophiliacs. We recognized that we stand on the shoulders of these giants who have spent their lives advocating for the community. Then as we began production and followed Wayne’s interactions with friends in their hometowns, I truly realized how much they needed to rekindle these friendships. The “aha moment” came when I began to understand that this was not just about standing on their shoulders, but also about laughing and crying on the shoulders of these giants. These legends in the community are real people, with real friendships. This realization added a deeper, more personal layer to the project and drove us to create a film that honors their legacy while celebrating their enduring bonds. And that “aha moment” set the tone for the documentary.

Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?

Prior to filming, Warren Ingram had not attended a hemophilia conference with the community in years. But then after Wayne visited him at his home in North Carolina for On the Shoulders of Giants, Warren and his wife Sharon were inspired to reunite with old friends. Since then, they’ve attended several hemophilia events, and Warren received the Pillar of Strength Award from the Bleeding Disorders Association of South Carolina. His recognition has been a long time coming, and seeing Warren surrounded by so much love has made it all so worth it.

Are there three things that individuals, society or the government can do to support you in this effort?

1. Watch, share, and screen the film. It is available at ontheshouldersfilm.com
2. Listen and respect the stories of the older generation. These individuals often feel overlooked, despite having a wealth of wisdom and experience to share. Their stories are a bridge to the past and a guide for the future, and it is such a missed opportunity when we do not take the time to engage with them meaningfully. This applies to the older generation of any community.
3. Continue educating and empowering kids with rare diseases. Knowledge is a powerful tool that can help them navigate the complexities of their conditions with confidence. It has been so inspiring seeing the youth be active participants in managing their own well-being and care.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1. Embrace uncertainty. When I first started, I was often frustrated by the unpredictability of filmmaking, especially in the documentary field where real-life events don’t follow a script. Throughout my career in health-related documentary filmmaking, I’ve learned that uncertainty is inevitable. Plans get canceled. People die.

2. Think about your end goal. And you don’t necessarily have to have a solid one just yet, but think about the directions you may want to go. While making On the Shoulders of Giants, we knew that the final reunion of the older generation would be the film’s culminating scene. This end goal provided a clear path for the entire storytelling process, ensuring that every scene built up to that emotional conclusion with intention. BUT at the same time, I go back to #1 — Embrace uncertainty.

3. Ask your documentary subjects how they want to tell their own story. This leads to more authentic and meaningful footage. For On the Shoulders of Giants, we asked Randy Curtis what he wanted us to film. He mentioned his love for driving around in his vintage red Volkswagen van. The van became a powerful image and metaphor in the documentary, representing movement in the generation’s journey, as well as the simple joy of driving around with friends. By letting Randy guide us, we uncovered a deeper layer of his story that we might have missed otherwise.

4. Transcribe your interviews. If you can, invest the time and resources into transcription — it’s worth it. Having all the dialogue in text form allows you to see the nuances in your subjects’ words and better organize the narrative. For On the Shoulders of Giants, we filmed hours upon hours of footage, not to mention the decades of historical material we had access to. Transcripts were incredibly helpful when it came time to writing and revising the documentary’s arc.

5. Invest in self-care.The demands of filmmaking, particularly documentary work, can be mentally and physically exhausting. In creating On the Shoulders of Giants, we spent months listening to stories about death and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I’ve found that a well-rested mind is more creative and resilient, especially in tackling such heavy topics.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

There are countless untold stories all around us, waiting to be discovered. We simply need to listen and give them a voice.

We are very blessed that many other Social Impact Heroes read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would like to collaborate with, and why? He or she might see this. :-)

I am thrilled to continue meeting families and communities living with rare diseases, both in the US and around the world. There is such a multiplicity of stories that have yet to be shared.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“No age is too early or too late for the health of the soul.” — Epicurus

This quote deeply resonates with me, especially through my experiences with the older generation of hemophiliacs. Despite the challenges they have faced, their commitment to advocacy and the deep connections they maintain within their community are an example that it’s never too late to nurture the health of one’s soul. We can all continue to grow and enrich our inner lives.

How can our readers follow you online?

Follow Drama on Instagram @dramadelrosario and Believe Limited @believeltd and on LinkedIn.

This was great, thank you so much for sharing your story and doing this with us. We wish you continued success!