ASCENSION FROM THE OFFICE CUBICLE

ASCENSION FROM THE OFFICE CUBICLE
by Hannah Silvestre

20 MINUTES | Off-beat Existential Drama

CAST
Ginger Nolasco, Dads Valencia

PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR/SCREENPLAY/EDITOR – Hannah Silvestre
CINEMATOGRAPHER/ASSOCIATE PRODUCER – Cameron Reganit
PRODUCTION DESIGN – Mitch Arren Alvarez
EDITOR/PRODUCER – Felice Sido
ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE – Bethany Fuertes
SOUND DESIGN – Tristan Icban
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS – Alexander Silvestre, Gilda Silvestre, Vicky Sido, Felipe Sido, Myla Manalo, Roger Nabozny, Cesar Silvestre Jr., Ruth Silvestre, Sara Delos Trinos, Mark Aaron Reganit, Mel Sta. Maria
CO-PRODUCER – Film Development Council of the Philippines

LOGLINE
Thelma, an exploited call center agent, grows increasingly enamored by the late night host of the local lottery draw.

SYNOPSIS
Thelma is a call center agent overwhelmed by the oppressive monotony and exploitation of her job. Craving a real connection amidst her dreary work environment, she turns to the lottery as a flicker of hope. Her infatuation with the charming lotto presenter, Arman, begins as a harmless fantasy but soon spirals into full-blown obsession. As Thelma’s disillusionment deepens, she finds solace in the imagined world inside her computer screen, where Arman offers her a way out of her mundane reality. A surreal journey through tiny vices, false hopes and quick fixes, “Ascension from the Office Cubicle” is a tribute to all modern-day laborers.

FILMMAKER’S PROFILE

HANNAH SILVESTRE, b. 2002, is a Filipino filmmaker with a passion for telling stories that explore themes of existentialism and the elusive nature of self-actualization. Her films often grapple with the human condition and finding purpose in relation to the world on a cosmic scale. A graduate of the AB Film program at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Hannah spent her college years refining her skills as a filmmaker. During her senior year in college in 2024, she had the opportunity to represent the Philippines at the Roger Hatchuel Student Academy in Cannes, an experience that allowed her to connect with other creatives in the global scene. Her thesis film, Ascension from the Office Cubicle, is an off-beat, existential drama that delves into the absurdities of the capitalist routine. The film was co-produced by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
The line between professional and personal fulfillment is often blurred, especially for the working-class. How does one navigate when the need to survive drowns out the need to be happy? ‘Ascension From The Office Cubicle’ is a surrealist dramedy on the pitfalls of primetime-hope, tiny voices, and easy-ways out.