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Game Boy Advance

Set in 2008, in a rural mountain town in the Philippines: Elias, aged 12, wants to rent a suit and attend the school dance. However, suit rentals are way above the means of a poor janitor's son. So Elias scavenges and sells recyclable scraps to afford it.

As Elias confronts the realities of growing up in an indigent, indigenous household, he is forced to make a responsible, "mature" decision that costs him a significant part of his childhood.

  • John Pucay
    Director
  • John Pucay
    Writer
  • John Pucay
    Producer
  • Marie Francine Jimenez
    Producer
    Lagaslas (Fall), Mina's Family History, Dapol tan payawar na Tayug 1931
  • Alexis C.
    Key Cast
    "Elias"
  • Sophia P.
    Key Cast
    "Beatrice"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Romance
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 39 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 15, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Philippines
  • Country of Filming:
    Philippines
  • Language:
    Tagalog
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White and Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • San Diego Filipino Film Festival
    San Diego, California
    United States
    October 6, 2024
Director Biography - John Pucay

John Pucay is a full-time writer from Baguio City and Benguet, Philippines. His writing has appeared in Vice, Rappler, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, and the Likhaan Journal of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, among others. More details about him and his work are available at johnpucay.com.

The eldest son of a jeepney driver, John belongs to the Kankanaey-Ibaloi indigenous tribes of Cordillera. His first short film, Game Boy Advance, is partially inspired by his childhood.

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Director Statement

In Game Boy Advance, I attempt to show — especially to those privileged enough to come from relatively comfortable backgrounds — a small but important, and often less exposed nuance of growing up underprivileged in the rural Philippines.

It is my first short film and, like many debut works of art, it is deeply personal and semi-autobiographical. I hope GBA serves as a love letter to childhood for those who can relate to the film’s spirit and era.