Asog

With surreal comedy, documentary elements, Filipino mythology and traditional approaches to storytelling, this one-of-a-kind film blurs the line between fiction and documentary, becoming something entirely new. Jaya is a non-binary teacher, comedian, and typhoon survivor on a roadtrip to a drag pageant, leaving their boyfriend at home for this one last shot at fame. Surprisingly, their former student Arnel is heading to the same island to find his father. On the road together, the unlikely duo meets inspiring, resilient villagers impacted by 2013’s Super Typhoon Haiyan, the biggest tropical storm ever to reach land. Facing devastating climate change, colonial legacies and exploitation in contemporary Philippines, they show Jaya and Arnel how they work together to overcome adversity, loss and injustice. Asog is beautiful, sorrowful, comedic, and political, sometimes all at the same time. It tells a story of hope, survival, finding belonging, and the resilient power of the human spirit. Together, Jaya and Arnel are forever changed by their journey, their friendship, and by all those they meet along the way.

Followed by a Q&A with filmmakers

Presented by