Festival Note
A man remembers a bygone afternoon involving him and his grandfather as they traverse their old neighborhood into other parts of the city in order to pick flowers for school. From the narrow streets of the barangay, they arrive at the nearby business district where high-rise buildings stand and a seemingly out-of-place cemetery lies. It is a cemetery for the rich – with vast greenery and a peaceful atmosphere in contrast to the bustle of the streets outside.
Naaalala ng isang lalaki ang isang nakaraang hapon kung sann siya at ng kanyang lolo ay naglakad sa kanilang lumang kapitbahayan patungo sa ibang bahagi ng lungsod upang mamitas ng mga bulaklak para sa paaralan. Mula sa makikitid na lansangan ng barangay, nakarating sila sa kalapit na business district kung saan nakatayo ang mga matataas na gusali at isang tilang wala sa lugar na sementeryo. Ito ay isang sementeryo para sa mga mayayaman – na may malawak na halaman at mapayapang kapaligiran na kasalungat ng ingay at gulo sa labas.
Che Tagyamon is a director, editor, and animator from Manila, Philippines.
Her previous works often address the subjects of diaspora, class, and memory in relation to women’s psyche. Her hybrid short film “Judy Free” was developed at Berlinale Talents Short Form Station in 2019 and was among the grantees of the first edition of Southeast Asian Short Film Grant. She is an alumna of Busan Asian Film Academy, SGIFF SEALab, and Asean ROK’s FLY Film Lab among others.