MANILA, Philippines – “I’ve always dreamed of having my first feature be about my hometown,” Joshua Caesar Medroso told Rappler when asked about the provenance of Kantil , his debut feature at the 20th edition of the Cinemalaya Film Festival. Added the director: “Barangay Tibungco has always been a part of my identity as a filmmaker and as an artist. The place and the people there — my friends, neighbors, [and] relatives — are all influential in discovering and honing my voice.
” But more than serving as an ode to his hometown, Medroso, through Kantil, hopes to put stories from the south front and center, considering that space, apart from funding, is often a glaring roadblock for many filmmakers outside the Metro. “Mindanao is a treasure trove of stories that is yet to be discovered,” he said. “With this film, with Cinemalaya amplifying our story, I was given the opportunity to do something I love with the people I care about, but also, hopefully, allow an opportunity for more stories in our regions to be seen.
” Produced on a shoestring budget, Kantil centers on two star-crossed lovers, Paleng and Eliong, whose romance remains uncertain as the former’s coastal town faces the threat of demolition. But things take an interesting turn when a fisherman comes across “a mysterious alien shell lurking in a trench” — a discovery that intrigues the rest of the community, including the couple. Play Video Medroso noted in his director statement on the Cin.