The team behind Elephant Paths presents its official poster and its official trailer. Directed by Joshua de Vera, the highly-anticipated film is an official entry in Sine Kabataan 8, a short film festival organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Sine Kabataan is an annual short film festival that presents original films by young Filipino filmmakers. Elephant Paths is part of this year’s ten-film slate.
The film follows Lance (Jansen Magpusao), Maya (Cristine Ysobel Refulgente), Alon (Air Salazar), and Kidlat (Bon Andrew Lentejas), a group of teenage misfits who find company in each other as they work together to pave a hidden path and sanctuary for themselves in the face of their hometown’s rapid and uneven development.
Reflecting the in-between stage of the youth experience, Elephant Paths is a coming-of-age surrealist drama. The film stars Jansen Magpusao, who won Cinemalaya Best Actor for John Denver Trending; Bon Andrew Lentejas, last seen in Huling Palabas which he won Best Supporting Actor for at the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival; Air Salazar, last seen in Puregold CinePanalo’s entry A Lab Story; and newcomer Cristine Ysobel Refulgente.
In a recent interview, de Vera expressed his joy over becoming a finalist for this year’s Sine Kabataan. “I am happy that I get to share a story about my personal experience in my hometown,” he shared. The film was inspired by the hardships de Vera endured in regards to infrastructure and how we are slowly losing our third spaces. By drawing from these lived experiences, de Vera channels these memories into a coming-of-age surrealist tale.
Yet while the film is rooted in de Vera’s personal experiences with inaccessible infrastructure, often detached from reality, it is also representative of what many others continue to experience. He strongly believes in the power of third spaces in shaping the youth experience, and finds some irony in these development projects due to their continued ignorance of ordinary people, especially the youth.
Its inclusion in this year’s Sine Kabataan provides de Vera with a larger platform in bringing his story to a wider audience. More than a personal milestone, it marks an opportunity to put a spotlight on issues that young people continue to face. In emphasizing this vision, de Vera said in a former interview: “In terms of development, youth should be part of the equation… I aim for the youth to be at the center with this film.”
Elephant Paths is co-written and produced by Julius Renomeron Jr., in collaboration with production houses 901 Studios, Astral 88 Creatives, Gate11 Collective, SBSG Pictures, IM Rentals, Godox, Malasmalas, and Stage Post. It is also supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
The film will have screenings at the Red Carpet Cinemas of Shangri-La Plaza from September 5 to 7. Screenings are free and open to the public.
For further updates about the film, you may follow its official social media pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elephantpathsfilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elephantpathsfilm/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elephant.paths