Cinemalaya embraces Asia's depth of identities while breaking cultural barriers with these two films.

Words Patricia Lanzagarita
August 8, 2024

Diverse identities are complex things to think about. Understanding the concept of it seems like a hassle, but grasping it is a beautiful thing. 

This year, Cinemalaya Bente: Loob Lalim Lakas will help you grasp these identities encompassing Asia in collaboration with The Japan Foundation, Manila, and the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) with these two films included in the Visions of Asia film screenings.

Solids by the Seashore

As they say, experience is the best teacher. Solids by the Seashore was directed by Patiparn Boontarig. It was inspired by the time when he visited South Thailand and saw the struggles of his Muslim friends in same-sex relationships. With his passion for defending LGBTQIA+ rights and his mission to spread awareness about coastal erosion, the film was made.

Solids by the Seashore tells a queer story challenging Islamic traditions. With South Thailand as its setting, the two women from varying backgrounds explore the journey to accept their identities with the help of strange otherworldly occurrences that instill fear and doubt in them until they accept their true selves.

DitO

Encouraging viewers to explore until they finally reach the place where they belong is the message that the film DitO wants to convey. 

Directed and starred by Takashi Yuki, the film tells the story of a man who abandoned his family to pursue his dream of boxing around the world. When he realizes that his career is finally ending, he reunites with his daughter in the Philippines. It showcases the intimate and awkward relationship between a father and a daughter who've not seen each other in years. 

The best thing about this movie is that the authenticity is there as Yuki takes over the stage as someone who took up boxing for a role six years ago, which resulted in actual fighting scenes rather than delicate ones.

Dito in Filipino is "here,” yet in Japanese it is "ibasho,” which means somewhere one belongs. This film explores the journey of finding a person’s true self while searching for their life’s purpose.

Cinemalaya’s universal language: Creativity and passion

With these two films, Cinemalaya is once again breaking the cultural barriers between Asian countries, proving that the festival isn’t just all about festivity, but about the connection, shared culture, and passionate stories that indeed go beyond language and cultural barriers. 

In its 20th edition, along with Visions of Asia film screenings, Cinemalaya proves that creativity and passion is a way of understanding art and culture in a universal way.