Independent cinema takes center stage in Misamis Occidental as the 6th Oroquieta Film Festival showcases 28 selected works from across the Visayas and Mindanao from October 12 to 15, including the Negros Occidental sci-fi short film “Those Little Things.”
Produced by Kwentista Produksyon, the film is part of the Lumayagan Shorts Competition and takes viewers to the year 2222, where a cyberpunk version of Bacolod serves as the backdrop for the story of a teenager, played by Ynez Arceo, who spends what appears to be an ordinary day with her father, portrayed by Bon Cerbo, unaware that a surprise awaits her. John Arceo also appears in supporting roles as multiple characters.
Co-directed and co-produced by Poli Gonzales and Massah Gonzales-Gamboa, who also wrote the screenplay, the film combines futuristic technology with a deeply personal story about the quiet bond between parent and child. The filmmakers and their team built the film’s imagined future through visual effects, production design, sound, music, and other creative elements despite a limited production timeline.
Gonzales-Gamboa described the project as a product of challenges, creativity, and collaboration, with the team determined to create a world that feels both futuristic and relatable.
“Those Little Things” explores how seemingly ordinary details can carry deeper meaning, weaving together its vision of the year 2222 with themes of family, technology, and social realities.
The film also highlights the talents of numerous Negrense creatives, including co-producer Georgia Mari Elardo, director of photography Paolo Correa, production designer Kathryn Tecson-Baynosa, sound designer Rolf Baynosa, editors and visual effects artists, musicians, production crew, and other artists who helped bring futuristic Bacolod to life.
As one of three entries representing Negros Occidental in the Lumayagan Shorts Competition, “Those Little Things” showcases the growing ambition, creativity, and technical reach of regional Filipino filmmaking.
