Your best friend betrayed the sanctity of your marriage, and now you hold the only antidote that can save his life…
Our goals give us a path through life. When we stray from them, we are ensnared in temptation, we are forced to choose between right and wrong at a time when we are most vulnerable and weak.

In a way, we are all tethered to our circumstances, our pasts, our identities, but if we are able to hold ourselves accountable for our actions, if we are able to move through life deliberately, perhaps those tethers can be torn, perhaps that path can remain intact.

My film, Tawak, will explore this teetering balance, embodied in the lives of four characters whose paths fatefully intersect. Their individual challenges converge, temptation ruptures forth and the very core of who they are is called into question.

The central conflict is between a local healer and his best friend. This friendship, and in many ways humanity itself, is betrayed when this friend does the unthinkable to the healer’s wife.

Tawak is a dramatic film that tells the story of the good and evil in men, and how one traumatic experience between husband and wife can transform into a devastating world of gossip and hurtful judgements. It is a story of secret desire, temptation, and the relentless search for holiness.
Ultimately, my hope is that the audience will feel and understand that there are many sides to a story, and that any one of us could be thrust into a similar situation that would challenge us to our core.

The film captures well-defined events set in the celebration of the Lenten season. We are eyeing to capture the Moriones festival of Marinduque, Philippines, the senakulo tradition, putong and many more. 

Marinduque – an island province famous for its Moriones Festival – is abounding with culture reflected in the practices and rituals which were handed down from generation to generation. Some of these include “pagtatawak”, “pagpapanata”, “pagkakabalwa”, “pagpapasyon”, and others. 

The immense and enigmatic devotion of people who have been observing the practices and rituals during holy week remains to be the captivating element of the culture of Marinduque. 

Setting the film in this dynamic and culturally-rich atmosphere will at once honor the traditions of my people while also calling into question their deeply held beliefs, revealing the dangers of throwing oneself blindly into the spiritual. 

Aside from the spiritual culture, there are also indigenous cultures reflected in their music and dance traditions, which are practiced at any given time of the year. The most popular is “putong,” which exemplifies the Marinduqueños preserved values through welcoming and receiving visitors. 

The audience, in turn, will become visitors welcomed into this world, while being presented with difficult questions about relying too heavily on our basic human assumptions. Through this unique cultural lens, my heritage will be introduced to a wider audience while grappling with universal questions that infuse every culture and every community.

We are aiming to provide a “big budget” aesthetic in the vein of successful Hollywood films, while also drawing on themes and emotional conflicts similar to projects like Squid Game, where characters are only in it for themselves and gossip is rampant. 

Whereas in Squid Game, the characters use violence against one another, in Tawak, the villagers’ use their words. This penchant for gossip and rumor threatens to destroy the community in a wildfire of false accusations and hurtful assumptions. 

In terms of visual style, Anaya’s cultural and historical background will be presented in the vein of National Geographic, where the audience is educated about real-life traditions and behaviors while simultaneously becoming immersed in the dramatic plot development.

The U.S. shoot will occur at the world-famous Times Square, New York City, and its surrounding neighborhoods, something that a small-budget film can accomplish with the utmost pride. The look of the film will resemble high-budget production at a fraction of the cost. Production value will be enhanced by way of expert editing and effective sound, in addition to the look & performances of the talented actors mentioned above. 

We intend to end this film with a certain suspense while leaving few unanswered questions. This balance will keep the audience gripped by the concepts presented in the film and wanting more, thereby building up another storyline that will imply a sequel. Whereas in Squid Game, the characters scheme deadly plots against one another, in Tawak, the villagers’ penchant for gossip and rumor threatens to destroy the community. 

We intend to provide a blend of resolution for the audience, with a sense of lingering uncertainty. We envision an ending that portrays Anaya to write her “award-winning” story, and bringing a possible cure for her grandmother who is suffering from incurable sickness. 

This project is an independent film project. I will do everything in my power to tell this story at a nominal budget. Most of the expenses have already been used in the U.S. I have spent $50,000.00 since I first began working on this project, in the last 12 months and more. Since this project is primarily conceptualized in the U.S., all expenses incurred here will be in U.S. currency, although they are very modest compared to the high costs of filmmaking in the Philippines. 

Hiring professionals is extremely expensive in the U.S., but I have the great fortune of many professional friends here in this business. As it is my very special project, they have been very generous and have accepted the very basic remuneration for the tremendous input of work. Therefore, I am able to keep my costs at rock-bottom while working with top-tier talent. 

I have continuously spent towards the pre-production costs, made many advance payments to some team members, and putting in the long hours of work that go along with a film project. The film project will require a minimum of $8,000.000.00 (8 million US dollars). These figures may appear steep at the outset, but are actually quite low for a US-based film, considering that the majority of the film will be shot in the Philippines. It is also worth noting that labor costs and professional fees in the US are extremely high, which further explains the requested budget amount.

The proposed budget amount will include pre-production costs, production costs, with a few sponsorships from local businesses in the Philippines, post-production costs and some marketing and publicity. In addition, a budget for a proper publicity campaign will need to be carved out to maximize outreach and return on investment through distribution and submission to various film festivals in the US and overseas. 

My contributions to this project are as both the primary creative force and investor. I need an investor and/or partner that will bring similar and equal contribution to take this further at fair profit-sharing terms. As per US standards, this is considered a very low-budget film with a very modest investment that has the potential to make a significant impact if it is executed properly. 

We are looking forward to a long-term & fruitful partnership, as well as the opportunity to tell a unique story that will invariably capture the minds and hearts of audiences globally. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal, and we look forward to the future as this project unfolds!

I believe that I am uniquely qualified to create this film. As a Marinduque native, I am very familiar with the people and culture of the area. I have solid, personal relationships with very influential people in Marinduque which will be very strategic in accomplishing this project.

I‘ve been working in the TV & Film industry for many years, perfecting my cinematic skills in the U.S. and abroad, and fostering many new relationships in my professional circles. To tell a story that at once honors and challenges my heritage, while introducing a wider audience to the beauty and complexity of the Philippines, is one that I believe will make a significant impact on audiences from all walks of life.