Private Project

Bad Tree

An estranged daughter returns home to tend to her late father’s house and forest only to find out the moss invades the decaying walls and memories merge with the present. She must confront her past or choose to leave again.

  • Kenneth Estrebor De la Cruz
    Director
  • Yue Zhang
    Writer
  • Diana Teran
    Producer
  • Elise Pottmann
    Key Cast
    "Karina"
  • Vijay Tomar
    Cinematographer
  • Helena Koïv
    Sound Designer
  • Cosmin Nicoara
    Editor
  • Kenneth De la Cruz
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Mysticism
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 31, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Estonia
  • Country of Filming:
    Estonia
  • Language:
    Estonian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Tallinn University BFM/ Edinburgh Napier University
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Kenneth Estrebor De la Cruz

Kenneth De la Cruz is a filmmaker and academician from the Philippines. He completed his Master of Arts in Film at Kino Eyes Film Masters, Tallinn University, Estonia. His films explore deep human emotions of discovery and nostalgia, shown through interesting parallels of mysticism and folklores.

He teaches film courses at the University of the Philippines Visayas.

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Director Statement

There are some things we don’t easily forget, and that is what makes us human. How much do we really know about ourselves if we refuse to confront the memories that make us feel pain and love? This is what I wanted to explore in our film ‘Paha Puu’ – experiencing grief through mysticism and memory.

As a Southeast Asian filmmaker creating a film in Estonia, I was drawn to how both cultures share a deep spiritual connection with the earth and its elements. This inspired me to merge realism with surrealism, reflecting the fragmented experience of mourning. The protagonist’s world bends and blurs the line between past and present. The forest becomes both a physical and emotional space. The narrative becomes a quiet meditation.

I’m grateful to share this small, intimate story with an audience open to slow cinema and personal exploration.