By William Smith
Emille Lacsa, 28, started attending the Snake Alley Festival of Film as a fan.
This year, he left the four-day film festival as an award-winning filmmaker.
“I was honored,” he said. “It feels like things have gone full circle to be back here.”
The four-day film festival featured more than 130 short films at the Capitol Theater. Lacsa — a Burlington filmmaker specializing in music videos — won the Best Burlington-Made Film award for the music video for the LOVESBLIND song “Letdown.”
Lacsa was also the first winner of the “That Person” award for appearing in or having worked on the most films shown at the festival. He was involved with eight projects at the film festival, including the film “Torch,” which won the Audience Choice award.
“I’ve always had the habit of taking on more than I should,” he said.
SNAFF is a long way from where Lacsa was born but not that far from where he grew up. His parents, Ed and Rose Lacsa are from the Philippines and own the Midwest Asian Variety Store in Burlington.
Emille was born in the Philippines and then lived with his parents in Singapore until he was 3 or 4 years old. His family decided to move to America in 2000. He doesn’t remember the language well enough to speak it, though he can understand what his parents are saying to him.
“My brother was born in Arkansas, so that’s something he doesn’t have,” Lacsa said.
Lacsa grew up in Burlington, attended West Burlington High School, and had planned on going into the field of neuroscience. He took on a triple major at Coe College — biology, psychology, and a collateral major in neuroscience.
“I truly enjoyed the field,” he said.
After a few years, Lacsa knew it was not the path for him. Lacsa tried to balance school, a fraternity, a budding music career, and acting.
“I found myself stretched too thin to enjoy any aspect of it,” he said.
Lacsa left Coe College about halfway through his planned stay, started pursuing his music career, and worked as a dealer and supervisor at Catfish Bend Casino for a few years.
In 2015, Lacsa participated in a screenplay reading at SNAFF. He loved it. And he knew what he had to do.
“That was the start of my film career as-is. I met some friends here, and they connected me with the community,” he said.
That landed him a supporting role in the comedic web series “Stay Indie”
Lacsa bought his first camera and started shooting.
“When I bought my first camera, it was a natural draw. I understand music. I know that at least. I didn’t know what I was doing with my camera. I went with my friend to Nashville for a recording studio trip and didn’t know how to record that. But I knew what I wanted to capture.”
As Lacsa absorbed himself in filmmaking, he became more locally involved and started hosting open night mics at The Broadway Cafe, Bar, and Grill in West Burlington.
That led to even more opportunities. He shot his first music video with the Burlington-based band Caught in the Crypt.
“A lot of the bands I shoot music videos for, they had some of their first shows at that open mic night,” he said.
Though music videos are his forte, his credits span a variety of mediums, including short films and MTV shows.
He is also a screenwriter, and his screenplay for “Lines” received a nomination for Best Unproduced Screenplay from the Iowa Motion Picture Association in 2020.
As usual, Lacsa will not have much time to enjoy his spoils. He makes a full-time living as a freelance filmmaker and actor and is always headed to the next shoot.
But he knows where home is.
“The Snake Alley staff has a special place in my heart,” he said.