We Who Are Trapped
Leonard is having recurring nightmares of a childhood memory. Seeking help from his grandmother, he finds out the devastating truth about his dreams. He attends a support group that helps him face the horrors of his past and have the courage to finally find peace.
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Michael PagaduanDirector
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Michael PagaduanWriter
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Matt DaclanKey Cast"Leonard"
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Jill Palencia-IbuyanKey Cast"Shelley"
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Lui ManansalaKey Cast"Lola"
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David PagaduanKey Cast"Young Leonard"
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Jeariel MiraDirector of Photography
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Jacky Collins & Isabella CajaProduction Designers
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Katrina SonacoProduction Manager
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Bong & Karen PagaduanExecutive Producers
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Mich GarciaEditor
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Gi Ilagan & Justin NogralesAssistant Directors
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Tashana RiveraSound
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Patricia LasatenMusical Scorer
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Seymour B. SanchezCreative Producer
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Project Title (Original Language):Kaming Mga Nakakulong
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Project Type:Short, Student
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Genres:Psychological, Mystery, Drama
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Runtime:18 minutes 8 seconds
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Completion Date:January 7, 2017
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Production Budget:1,800 USD
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Country of Origin:Philippines
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Country of Filming:Philippines
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Language:Other
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes
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Cinemapua 2017 Student Film FestivalIntramuros, Manila
Philippines
January 23, 2017
World Premiere
Best Festival Film, Best Director -
Sinepiyu 2017 Intercollegiate Film FestivalSampaloc, Manila
Philippines
April 26, 2017
Official Selection -
CineSB7 Film FestivalTaft Avenue, Manila
Philippines
July 31, 2017
Outstanding Performance by an Actor -
Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video (The 29th CCP Independent Film & Video Festival)Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Philippines
August 5, 2017
Official Selection -
Cinema Rehiyon 9Nabunturan, Compostela Valley
Philippines
August 23, 2017
Official Selection -
3rd Quisumbing Escandor Film Festival for HealthManila
Philippines
February 3, 2018
Official Selection -
Pelikultura 2018 Film FestivalLos Banos, Laguna
Philippines
February 21, 2018
Official Selection -
2nd Guild of Mentors, Educators, and Students (GEMS) AwardsMuntinlupa City
Philippines
March 2, 2018
Best Students’ Short Film Award -
Aseannale 2018Diliman, Quezon City
Philippines
March 2, 2018 -
9th Largabista Film FestivalTacloban City
Philippines
March 3, 2018
Official Selection -
5th Urduja Film FestivalLingayen, Pangasinan
Philippines
October 9, 2018
Best Film, Best Actor
Michael Pagaduan was born in Manila, Philippines on June 20, 1995. MJ, as he's called by his friends and family, showed interest in writing stories as early as 2007 when he was just in elementary school. MJ also acted and directed in stage plays back in high school. All these led him to take up Bachelor of Arts in Digital Filmmaking at the College of Saint Benilde, one of the finest film schools in the Philippines. There, he honed his craft and eventually made We Who Are Trapped as his thesis film. We Who Are Trapped is now making rounds in different film festivals in the Philippines.
“We are a generation of men raised by women.” This is a line said by Brad Pitt’s character, Tyler Durden, from the movie Fight Club. That line is true for this generation. More and more families are broken. More and more men fail to fulfil their roles as fathers. They abandon their children literally and figuratively. This is turn leaves the abandoned children to the hands of their mothers. Although these mothers are doing a great job in raising their children, the lack of a father figure affects the emotional and psychological growth of the children especially the boys. These traumatic experiences leave a lasting effect and it becomes so hard to overcome and becomes a burden for the rest of a man’s life. It traps the person into thinking that they can’t do anything about it. They think that they are the result of their life experiences. The world tells them that it’s okay and they can’t do anything about it. These boys are emasculated because of this and it continues to shatter the identity of being a man. In this day and age, what is really a man?
This short film aims to show that no matter how dark our past is there is still hope and that we aren’t slaves of our past, our traumatic experiences, and the lies of the world. It also hopes to show everyone that even if our earthly fathers abandoned us literally and figuratively, we still have a Father. And that Father loves us unconditionally to the point of sending His own son to die for us and freed us from the clutches of our past. This is the kind of freedom that gives us hope. And that hope makes us victorious through all the ups and downs of life. A kind of hope that even if our world is falling apart right in front of our own eyes, we can still have inner peace.