the blooming rose

- you know those monster of the week shows? like lucifer, teen wolf, and yeah supernatural™️?

imagine that but with a filipino woman as the lead, and her sidekicks are two himbos.

- there are so many unique southeast asian monsters and magic rituals you probably haven’t seen before

- compelling plot, interesting characters, gorgeous animation

- cast actual filipinos for the english dub like dante basco (zuko from avatar: the last airbender, jake from american dragon: jake long), manny jacinto (jason from the good place), dee dee magno hall (pearl from steven universe), and so many more

- short. it has SIX EPISODES and each ep is only half an hour long

She’s a folk heroine, whose love story can be read here

It is said that her lover, Panganoron, is the clouds that surround Mt. Mayon’s peak, while she is herself the volcano, which has always been seen as remarkably beautiful in shape

It’s said that the volcano grew where they were buried together

Which is why the shape of two lovers seen in the smoke of its most recent eruption is so culturally significant. 

Storyville - Defying the Cutting Season

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been illegal in Tanzania since 1998. But every year thousands of families still plan to have their daughters cut, an ordeal that could cost them their lives. The ‘Cutting Season’ takes place during the December school holidays.

During this time hundreds of girls are saved from FGM by the police, the government and the work of the Safe House. It is run by Rhobi Samwelly, who was herself a victim of FGM, and now, not only does she valiantly run the safe house but she also works with the local police to rescue and protect girls at risk while arresting the parents and cutters.

But they have a tough and dangerous job and old customs die hard. Men believe that girls must be cut to reduce promiscuity and cut girls command twice the bride price in cows as uncut girls. Girls like Rosie, just 12 years old, have had to make the most difficult choices of their young lives - run away from home, not knowing if they will ever see their families again, or submit to female genital mutilation and child marriage.

These brave and courageous young girls are fighting against a tradition that goes back thousands of years. They are standing up for their human rights and fighting for change in their community.