As a regional filmmaker, I am passionate about capturing the stories of my community and drawing from my personal experiences. Growing up in a world of absence, I understand the yearning for something more and the profound depth s of such longing. Just like the protagonist, Andoy, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery, navigating a path filled with unanswered questions. With little guidance from the adults around me, I sought solace and inspiration in the inviting realm of cinema, found in the larger-than-life characters and stories of the VHS tapes we watched from the neighbor’s VCR. My debut film is set in 2001, in the town of Romblon, Philippines, during a time of transition from VHS to VCD. While it may appear to be a conventional coming-of-age and end-of-an-era narrative, I try to defy genre expectations by infusing the film with sensuality, lyricism, and mysticism honed through my work as a playwright. By grounding the story in my small hometown, far removed from the city, I aim to offer a fresh and regional perspective on a genre that has often followed a generic trajectory. At its core,my film is a romance that portrays burgeoning desires as mystical, diabolical, apocalyptic, and liberating.
