In the 90s, I grew up watching countless science fiction and monster movies that were shown on public television - or when my parents were in the mood at the local cinema. Godzilla, Mothra, and Goryat/ Vulcan (One of the first Filipino monster movies) just to name a few, became fascinations of mine and to this day continue to inspire and amaze me.
Some people may find these old films campy and humurous but I feel that this reinforced a better delivery of their message - by lowering your guard with thier over the top tone they made us more vulnerable and accepting of what they truly wanted to say beneath their veneer of absurdity.
Thus, the reation of HITO, a mash-up of cyberpunk and creature feature set in an "Alternate" Manila where a young girl raised in a society built on the illusion of trust finds friendship in a fish turned sentient bioweapon.
The film touches on how bizzare and brutal the current state of affairs in the Philippines has become as young people grow up in a society where historical narratives are constantly manipulated to benefit those in power.
