ACF Asian Cinema Fund

Script Development Fund

2011

2011 Script Development Fund

LIST Above the Clouds
Category Asian Project
Project Above the Clouds
Director Pepe DIOKNO
Country Philippines
Director's Profile Pepe Diokno is a 23-year-old film director and producer, born in Manila on August 13, 1987. In 2009, his debut film [Engkwentro] premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won the Orizzonti Prize and the Lion of the Future - Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Debut Film. [Engkwentro] recounts the final 24 hours of two brothers who are murdered by government vigilantes. It began as a student project, and was shot on a budget of $20,000.
Synopsis
Daniel, 13, is a detached little boy. He′s quiet, withdrawn, and has violent mood swings. After getting into a bloody fight at school, Daniel′s grandfather, Lolo, takes him up a majestic, blue mountain. The trip takes three days, and leads them through beautiful forests, a pristine lake, a raging white river, and a waterfall with hidden secrets.
Throughout the journey, Lolo tries to break through Daniel′s tough exterior. In doing so, he reveals their pasts: Daniel is traumatized after losing his parents to a flood, while Lolo wishes to see the only reminder he has left of Daniel′s dead father ? a carving he once made at the top of the mountain, overlooking the clouds.
Director's Note
This film explores grief and hope. It′s been cathartic for me to write. I want to create a capsule of emotions ? a soft, bittersweet ode to life ? as a gift to my loved ones. You′ll also find a reference to Typhoon Ketsana, which submerged parts of Metro Manila and killed over 300 people in 2009. I′m inspired by how Filipinos dealt with the event.
The movie is really just two characters on a journey, struggling to understand each other. We will see the conflict unravel through their silence. As a filmmaker, this will be totally new territory for me. I won′t have chase scenes or plot twists to keep audiences interested for 90 minutes. But I’ve grown to love these characters, and I can’t wait to bring them to life.
Festivals
2014 Tokyo International Film Festival
2014 Singapore International Film Festival
Still Cut
LIST