When Chris arrives at the village of T'boli in lake Sebu, South Cotabato, he thought he has left his dark recent past behind. He is working on commission as a video documentarist to make a profile on the women T'boli and their changing views on multiple marriages. The most affluent men, called Datu, marry more than once and each time pays dowry to the family of the women they marry. When a young T'boli woman, Ngapon, tells Chris that she wants to be free from a marriage that was set by her parents and to go to Manila, Chris begins to confront waht he left in the city. Like the proud Datu with many wives, Chris has Denver, a bronze skinned lover in Manila, who is proud of his relationships. Denver lives with Chris in an apartment as partners yet he still goes into sexual and emotional relationships with other men. Ngapon's quest for freedom becomes Chris journey to a very sad dark past. - Written by Anonymous
Direction
Pablo's raw DV aesthetic that refuses to romanticize.
Writing
The brutal parallel between Datu polygamy and urban open relationships.
Director
Crisaldo Pablo
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot on location with actual T'boli people, the film sparked debate about whether it exploits indigenous culture for metropolitan queer allegory.
Director Crisaldo Pablo allegedly used non-professional actors from Manila's gay nightlife; Denver's performer reportedly disappeared from public life after this sole credit.
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