Maria Estela Paiso
Ashok Vish
2024
Philippines
Tagalog, Bisaya
fiction
drama | science-fiction | women
13 minutes
Bradley Liew (Epicmedia - Philippines) | Dominique Welinski (DW - France)
Mythology serves as an interior road map of experience when the mystical Tigmamanukan bird comes to the aid of Ivy, a provincial housewife, whose abusive husband gambles away all their money in cockfighting.
Maria Estela Paiso (1997), born and raised in the Philippines, has been working in
postproduction since 2016, editing several
feature and short films. Under the alias Metromaria, she did hip hop music videos for political local rap artists. In 2021, she directed her first short ‘It’s Raining Frogs Outside’, which premiered at Berlinale Shorts Competition, at Sundance FF, at Lincoln Center’s New Directors/New Films, and still travels today. Estela’s second short ‘Objects Do Not Randomly Fall From The Sky’ is in post-production. Her 1st feature ‘Karaoke Dreaming’ is in development. She spends her free time trying to get a 100 at karaoke.
Ashok Vish (1987) is a filmmaker and lens-based artist based in Bangalore, India. Ashok is interested in queer narratives from South Asia while examining Western bias in queer paradigms and models of global queerness.
Ashok heavily draws from the personal and
has a keen interest in queering well known narratives from mythology. His works have
been screened and exhibited at the Sharjah Film Platform through Sharjah Art Foundation; WNDX Festival of Moving Image, Canada; Migros Museum, Zurich; Chicago South Asian Film Festival; New Art Exchange, UK; Bangalore International Center, Bangalore.
Ashok also works as a film programmer at the New York Indian Film festival. His first feature film, titled, ‘To Kill The One You Love’, is in development and was selected for NFDC Film Bazaar’s Co-Production Market, 2021 in Goa, India.
MARIA ESTELA PAISO
- It’s Raining Frogs Outside - 2021
- Objects Do Not Randomly Fall From The Sky - 2024
ASHOK VISH
- To Kill The One You Love - 2021
Since 2013, under the leadership of Dominique Welinski and in partnership with the Quinzaine des Cinéastes, the Directors’ Factory has been supporting the emergence of new talent on the international scene. Each year, with the backing of a partner country, the Directors’ Factory brings together eight promising filmmakers, selected for the strength of their first or second feature film projects. In pairs, they co-write and co-direct four short films, which are premiered in May at the Quinzaine des Cinéastes in Cannes.
This film was created as part of the Directors’ Factory Philippines 2024.
Directors' Factory never ceased to surprise me - from scripting until post-production. I don't think I willl ever get to experience anything like this again. The program has taught me tenacity, patience, and collaboration. As a director with a post-production background, it was out of my comfort zone, but I've learned that it was a necessary step to prepare for future films, especially my feature. The program made me confront what I thought I already knew about filmmaking and showed me the magic of working with people you share a vision with, and for that, I will never forget it. - Maria Estela Paiso
Directors' Factory is unlike any other program, one that transcends the ordinary. With unparalleled support, resources and mentorship from our producers, I was able to really hone in my filmmaking skills with a diverse team of passionate individuals. From the outset, it was evident that filmmaking in this context relied heavily on effective collaboration, especially with my co-director. It taught me the invaluable lesson that true collaboration thrives on compromise, and that by embracing the perspectives of others, one can create something truly remarkable. I carry the lessons learned with me as I continue my journey in the world of filmmaking. The factory is a bootcamp and a launchpad to realizing your cinematic dreams. - Ashok Vish
