#rising2024

Jelian, a young boy from Ormoc City envies the bond between his friends and their fathers, igniting his longing for his absent one. Struggling with anxiety when asked by friends about it, Jelian's distress leads him to a whimsical attempt of finding his father by diving into a bowl of soup in his imagination right after his mother told him that his father had drowned in soup. Despite his efforts, reality dawns on him, he finds solace in his mother's comforting words, embracing their unbreakable connection. The film closes as Jelian and his mother share a poignant moment, swimming together in the metaphorical soup, encapsulating their enduring love.

A man remembers a bygone afternoon involving him and his grandfather as they traverse their old neighborhood into other parts of the city in order to pick flowers for school. From the narrow streets of the barangay, they arrive at the nearby business district where high-rise buildings stand and a seemingly out-of-place cemetery lies. It is a cemetery for the rich - with vast greenery and a peaceful atmosphere in contrast to the bustle of the streets outside.

Julia, a young woman lost in her city, witnesses the rise and fall of her home’s various versions. As the city scape transforms into different realities, and the lines blur between truth and fabrication, she must navigate the fragmented pieces of her existence to find a sense of belonging and understand the truth about her home.

It is Poy's last night in the Philippines. He and his family are again migrating somewhere far from home. Feeling disoriented by this impending move, he runs away to Manila, the city he never had the chance to know. The night grants him a chance meeting with weary local Shirley, who's grappling with her own life's disappointments. Bound by the night's unfortunate events, he follows her through the city where they must choose between facing their anxieties or letting it consume them. Will they be able to last until the break of day?

Mysterious disappearances of people rise as earthquakes shake Mindanao. 13-year-old Munya investigates the strange phenomenon after her mother goes missing during a solar eclipse. Fantasy becomes reality and reality becomes fantasy as the mythical serpent dragon “Bakunawa", devours a seemingly tranquil world.