Synopsis
In the mountains of Pinatubo, an elder chieftain Magnafacio from the nomadic Aeta tribe is once again confronted in commanding the youth to train American soldiers via the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), an achievement he once had done during the cold war. As the training draws near, tensions rise between the Aeta, who recently has been given recognition of their ancestral domain and the private security forces of mining companies who were also given legitimate claim to operate. Still recovering from the devastation of the 1991 volcanic eruption, the presence of mechanical drills scare away the few livestock that remain for the tribes forcing some to disperse to nearby lowland cities in order to survive. Magnafacio is visited by the spirit of their deity Namulyari, given visions of triumph and subjugation about their people, a constant struggle against displacement of culture and identity. Bound for the skies inside an American chopper, he sees their land from a broader perspective, finally coming to an understanding of their identity, but will this be the end of the struggle?
Director
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Jet LEYCOI am a Filipino filmmaker. I also teach filmmaking as an advocacy. I learn the craft of cinema when I became an intern for Lav Diaz and Khavn De La Cruz in 2008. My day job is, I work as viral commercial director, and tv documentaries. I just want to tell stories thru cinema.