Private Project

Ang Meron Sa Wala (Beyond Nothing)

LOGLINE:
A resolute man unapologetically abandons his first-born, believing that it was the right thing to do. Many years later, an inquisitive documentary filmmaker interrogates him.

SYNOPSIS:
Alfredo, now in his fifties, blissfully lives with his family among his pigs and chicken at a rural town in Laguna. It is a humble place, but it is one that he built throughout the years of holding on to his own drive to be independent despite his poor economic means. He has been living independently since he was in high school. Although his father had offers to send him to college during his early years, he refuses. He thinks that he will not make it through and that the attempt would be futile.

While in high school, he falls in love with a young woman who is about the same age as him and he bears a child with her. However, because of many issues, the most glaring one of which is the gap in their social status, the relationship fails. He initially attempts to keep their child, but soon realizes that he does not have the means to raise him. Resolute, he turns over the child to the young woman and her family, thinking that this would be the best for his son. He never looks back since.

One day, a filmmaker approaches him to interrogate him about the choices that he made that lead to and after he got separated with his first-born. While happily living with his new family, he recounts what happened to his first-born and explains why he made the decisions that he did and retrospectively, how he now feels about the whole ordeal.

  • Arby Laraño
    Director
    Liwanag
  • Christine Laraño
    Director
    Liwanag
  • Arby Laraño
    Writer
    Liwanag
  • Christine Laraño
    Writer
    Liwanag
  • Arby Laraño
    Producer
    Liwanag
  • Christine Laraño
    Producer
    Liwanag
  • Arby Laraño
    Cinematography
    Liwanag
  • Alfredo Laraño
    Key Cast
  • Mercidita C. Laraño
    Key Cast
  • John Cedric C. Laraño
    Key Cast
  • Joyce L. Montenegro
    Key Cast
  • Precious Mary Allyzah L. Montenegro
    Key Cast
  • Christopher G. Turda
    Key Cast
  • Nicholai Policarpio Minion
    Original Music
    Liwanag
  • Jovi Figueroa
    Translation
  • Roberto Reyes Ang
    Consultant
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    100 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Philippines
  • Country of Filming:
    Philippines
  • Language:
    Tagalog
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Austin Asian American Film Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    June 2, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Fist Up Film Festival
    Oakland
    United States
    June 7, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Cinemalaya Film Festival
    Manila
    Philippines
    August 7, 2020
    Philippine Premiere
    Indie Nation Shorts
  • Atlantic International Film Festival
    Barranquilla
    Colombia
    September 16, 2020
    Official Selection
  • BINISAYA
    Cebu
    Philippines
    October 8, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival
    Los Baños
    Philippines
    Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score
  • The 3rd Meihodo International Youth Visual Media Festival
    Fukuoka
    Japan
    December 23, 2020
    Official Selection
  • The Lift-Off Sessions

    United Kingdom
    March 15, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Oxford Film Festival
    Oxford, MS
    United States
    March 24, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Cinema Rehiyon 2021

    Philippines
    March 26, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Liberation Docfest Bangladesh
    Dhaka
    Bangladesh
    June 8, 2021
    Bangladeshi Premiere
    Official Selction
  • MBC Short Film Festival
    Manial
    Philippines
    August 16, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2021
    Manila
    Philippines
    September 17, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Bangkok International Documentary Awards
    Bangkok
    Thailand
    Thailand Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐮'𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬: 𝐀 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐦 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡
    Manila
    Philippines
    October 30, 2021
  • Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival 2021
    Philadelphia
    United States
    November 13, 2021
    Philadelphia Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Arby Laraño, Christine Laraño

In 2008, Arby received a grant from University of Southern California Cinematic Arts for Fusion Arts Exchange in Script writing & Film Production under the US State Department Fulbright Program. And aside from this company, he is also creating films for UNICEF’s communication department.

All the same, Christine immersed herself in researching, writing and producing in-depth documentaries for one of the Philippines leading TV Network, ABS-CBN’s News and Current Affairs Department. She had the opportunity to work side by side and in collaboration with some of the industries finest journalist such as Atom Araullo, Karen Davila, Ces Drilon, Julius Babao, Abner Mercado, Henry Omaga Diaz, Gus Abelgas Tony Velasquez and former Vice-President “Kabayan” Noli De Castro.

This award-winning duo has produced films that has been officially selected and won awards in several film festivals such as FACINE | Filipino Arts & Cinema, International, GAWAD Cultural Center of the Philippines for Alternative Films, Singkuwento International Film Festival, .Mov International Digital Film Festival, Short+Sweet Film Manila Film Festival and Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival. Their film entitled “Liwanag” was awarded Audience Choice Awardee in the Short+Sweet Film Manila Film Festival 2018. It was also the Best Director and Jury Prize award in the Singkuwento International Film Festival 2019 and Jury Prize award in the Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival. While in the 2019 FACINE | Filipino Arts & Cinema, International, their film “Liwanag” was given the Outstanding Film and the Outstanding Direction award.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Will 2 parallel lines ever intersect? Theoretically, in Euclidean geometry, given a point and a line, there is exactly one line through the point that is in the same plane as the given line and never intersects it.

The filmmakers intentionally separate the visual and auditory elements of the film. The images do not necessarily compliment the dialogue and some images are total diversion from the dialogue. The visuals are story line and POV. The dialogue is a parallel story line and POV. One is not superior to the other. The filmmakers will try to make these elements intersect and unite in the end.

In film making (and in life), parallel lines can, under certain circumstances, meet.