KUNG TUGNAW ANG KAIDALMAN SANG LAWOD

KUNG TUGNAW ANG KAIDALMAN SANG LAWOD
(COLD AS THE OCEAN RUNS DEEP)
by Seth Andrew Blanca

15 MINUTES | Drama and Horror (Analog)

CAST
Ryan Galleca, Lheo Fernando Fonseca, Anthony Ken Bucasas, Seth Andrew Blanca, Ma. Erica Seidel, Eddie Odicta Jr., Giovani Borja, Elester Saquilabon, Winston Farinas

PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR/SCREENPLAY/CINEMATOGRAPHER/ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE/SOUND DESIGN/PRODUCER – Seth Andrew Blanca
PRODUCTION DESIGN – Giovani Borja, Eddie Odicta
EDITOR/SOUND DESIGN – Ma. Erica Seidel
ADDITIONAL MUSIC – “Crucifixus” by Alessandro Moreschi (public domain)

LOGLINE
In his desperation to send money to his girlfriend, a debt-stricken seafarer takes his superior’s help, only to sense an unknown presence tightening its hold on him.

SYNOPSIS
At the end of the month, an ordinary seaman sent his hard-earned money to his girlfriend, only to know it wasn’t enough. Fearing she might leave him, he borrows again — this time from the ship’s Second Officer. As time goes by, the officer keeps pressing him about the unpaid debt, but the seaman keeps putting him off, trying to calm things down with massages. Anxiety eats away at him, haunted by the fear that he might be reported. His mind begins to sink into despair. As the voyage stretched, there was a “Thing creeping through the corridors and walls. It has a voice, but no face. Watching from a distance, the thing lets him know it’s there — waiting.

FILMMAKER’S PROFILE

SETH ANDREW BLANCAis a filmmaker and former seafarer with three years of experience at sea. Born and raised in Igbaras, Iloilo, he has written scripts for promotional videos, films, advocacy videos, and documentaries. He is the director of Kung sa Diin ang Suba Tarabuan (Down the River We Meet, 2022), which won Best Jury Prize in PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ Short Film Competition, Best Film and Best Director at FACINE 29 Filipino International Cine Festival, and Best Cinematography in Lutas X Film Festival. His recent film Kung nga-a Conscious ang mga Alien sang ila Skincare (The Thing About Aliens and their Skin Care) premiered in QCinema International Film Festival as part of the QCinema Southeast Asian Shorts Competition 2023.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

Being a seafarer comes with its fair share of challenges beyond exhausting work hours and sleepless days caused by the waves. What haunts me most is the isolation and the danger of being a lone ship lost in the middle of nowhere. This film aims to bring that dread to life. I was inspired by stories I heard from seafarers throughout my career—infamous stories we rarely share, especially those about being manipulated by people they deeply trusted. From power struggles to abuse, and finally, succumbing to the void. This film dives deep into every wrong decision a seafarer could make. Worse than the waves we encounter at sea are people with evil intentions. I wanted to create a film that makes you feel as if you were on the ship, feeling the liminal spaces of the corridors to the haunting rumble of the engine.