ANi (The Harvest): Cinemalaya's First Science Fiction Film

Making a full-length science fiction debut film is unheard of in Philippine cinema. Typically associated with extraterrestrial lifeforms, futuristic worlds and elaborate world building, science fiction stories seem difficult enough to write and even more daunting to translate into film. ANi (The Harvest) one the feature films to be screened this August at 15th Cinemalaya Film Festival tells the story of an orphan boy growing up in the State of Bicol in the year 2050. ANi is not your usual indie festival circuit movie. Pushing boundaries in low-budget film production, it's carving a new path for indie filmmakers in the Philippines.

Watch as the cast Zyren dela Cruz, Miguel Valdes, Rap Robles, Marc Felix, Victor Medina, Mio Maranan, Jermaine Choa Peck and directors Kim Zuñiga and Sandro Del Rosario talk about this exciting pinoy science fiction film

Less than a month away from the premiere of their debut film ANi (The Harvest), creators of the first full length science fiction entry in Cinemalaya Film Festival history talk about the filmmaking process, their aspirations and Philippine cinema.

"As young filmmakers, we wanted to make a film that define us. We've always been fond of watching genre films like science fiction and fantasy, and that is how we came up with ANi" explains Kin Zuñiga, who conceptualized and later helmed the film.

"The vision was to showcase a future Philippines that would make us reflect on our current society," adds ANi's co-director, Sandro del Rosario. 

"We want our film to be relevant to what's happening in our country"

Set in the year 2050 at the State of Bicol, Philippines, Mithi, an  orphaned boy, moves to a farm to live with his estranged grandfather, Mauricio. When the old man falls ill, and as the crops in their farm seem to fall ill with him, the boy embarks on a quest with his malfunctioning robot to search for magical grains that he believes can save the man’s life

Starring: Zyren dela Cruz, Ricky Davao, Miguel Valdes, Marc Felix, Anna Luna, JM Canlas, Rolando Inocencio, Rap Robles, Victor Medina, Mio Maranan, Chryssta Cordoves, Jermaine Choa Peck 

 Directed By:  Kim Zuñiga and Sandro Del Rosario

 

Cinemalaya 2019 runs from Aug 2-11 2019 at various venues of the CCP and August 7 to 13, at selected Ayala Cinemas and Vista Malls in Manila, Pampanga, Naga and Legaspi in Bicol, Bacolod, Iloilo and Davao.