Private Project

Watchful

Head over heels with a young woman that he has only been watching inside a cafè, a man is forced to act upon learning that the place was about to close down — a move that could endanger his own life.

  • Mich Dela Cruz
    Director
    Barya (Short Film), 2014 - Director
  • Mich Dela Cruz
    Writer
  • Glenn Mariano
    Key Cast
    "Voiceover"
  • Mich Dela Cruz
    Key Cast
    "Girl"
    Do Plagues Happen Like Songs In A Revolution, 2024 - Actor
  • John Kevin Culaba
    Key Cast
    "Barista"
  • David Olson
    Director of Photography
    The Dust In Your Place, 2021 - Director
  • Mich Dela Cruz
    Editors
  • David Olson
    Editors
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Matyag
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 37 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 29, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 PHP
  • Country of Origin:
    Philippines
  • Country of Filming:
    Philippines
  • Language:
    Other
  • Shooting Format:
    Black Magic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Mich Dela Cruz

Mich Dela Cruz is a Manila-based Broadcast Producer with 9 years of experience working in Advertising. She has worked with local and global brands like UNICEF, McDonald's, Spotify, Singapore Tourism Board, Japan Tobacco International, etc.

But apart from her experience in Advertising, she delves into filmmaking for passion, taking on multi-faceted roles from Assistant Director to Production Manager to Writer to Actor, and so on.

Her most recent film involvement is in a short expe film called “Do Plagues Happen Like Songs In A Revolution” where she starred as the lead actress, the film got selected in Sinalang Film Festival 2024, and also with the short film called "The Dust In Your Place" she took the role of Unit Production Manager and 1st Assistant Director, the film was selected in 2021 Cinemalaya Film Festival and in different International festivals, like Cannes World Film Festival, Berline Art International Film Festival, Naples Film Awards, and Florence Film Awards.

She started her film journey in college. An Intro Film class birthed her curiosity into filmmaking, and coincidentally during that time some Batangas filmmakers offered her to star in a short film, Ang Kaibigan Naming Si Daisy which premiered in a 2013 Sky Is Everywhere Film Festival. From there on she knew she got to get herself on sets as much as possible. In 2014, she first shot her directorial and writer debut film called Barya. Ironically, it was produced with zero budget yet with 100% passion.

For years, that passion got poured into her career in Advertising. Now, she is gradually going back to her roots and re-entering the filmmaking scene, with a short film called Matyag.

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Director Statement

I was in a restaurant sipping on my soup when a fly dove straight to it burnt itself, struggled, and eventually died. I witnessed all these layers of suffering.

There, I thought what a peculiar way to go, to chase something you want impulsively which ultimately led to your immediate end. It's the equivalent of the tragedy between a moth and a flame.

That very idea became a catalyst to the core of the film, but its depth is concealed within the mundane nature of a fly, and further hidden within the illusion of a stalker lurking over his female interest.

This contrasting feel brings distaste yet relatability that us humans oddly can take away from insects like flies.