DANDANSOY (2021)

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DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

A childhood friend once told me of a mountain that hides a mystical river. This river is believed to be the portal of the “aswangs” to the afterlife. “Aswangs” are the infamous creature of Philippine folklore that shape-shift at night and prey on pregnant women. They die when they have transferred the “mutya” or the gemstone that holds their power to the next of kin. But when old “aswangs” have no one to pass the “mutya” forward, the mystical river is there waiting for them.

To die alone is the most painful way to die. This can happen to the loved ones who are left behind when family members decide to leave my province, Antique, to seek for greener pastures. When I was growing up, our province was known as “The Loneliest Place in the Philippines” because it had the lowest population density in the country. Only a few number of people were left since most of us, yes, including me, find work in cities like Manila and abroad.

Taken from the point-of-view of a very old and weak “aswang”, told in a comedic way with a mix of horror-fantasy, “Dandansoy” is a story of the people who are left behind and how they overcome the longing to have a sense of family.

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