Ulit

Short Fiction | 14’56”

Ulit revisits the lives of two unnamed male lovers in the aftermath of the EDSA People Power Revolution. One recounts his harrowing experience of abduction during Martial Law, while the other reflects on years of waiting and searching. Together, they confront their past and dream of a peaceful future. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s Philippines, the film speculates on the often-overlooked experiences of queer individuals under dictatorship, exploring trauma, resilience, and hope. Its nostalgic cinematic style evokes the “Golden Age” of Filipino cinema, reimagining how queer lives might have been represented, offering a poignant lens to reclaim silenced histories.

Artist

Gio Potes

The Philippines

Gio (Ginoo, Mr/Mx, siya, he/him) is a cultural worker and gender rights advocate and trainer from the University of the Philippines Diliman. A graduate of the UP Film Institute, he is active in film and theatrical works particularly with The UP Repertory Company, the UP Dulaang Laboratoryo, Tag-Ani Performing Arts Society and Ang mga Baklang Kanal. He has also created four short films that focus on narratives about the LGBTQIA++ community.

From 2019 onwards, he has been involved in various cultural productions in UP Diliman - UP Repertory’s USAPANG PUKI (an adaptation of Eve Ensler's THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES) and he also wrote stage adaptations for UP Dulaang Laboratoryo like NO EXIT and MARAT/SADE. He is also an active collaborator for stage and film productions of UP Diliman’s Likhaan: Institute of Creative Writing. He also directed the play ANG TUYOM for the Virgin Labfest 2023. As a filmmaker, he has made four short films on the local situation of the Filipino LGBTQIA++ community: MARK & LENNY (2017), SUNUGIN ANG APARADOR (2018), DATING NICK (2019) and JULIE (2020). He was also involved in independent feature films CLEANERS (by Glenn Barit), WALANG KASARIAN ANG DIGMANG BAYAN (by Jay Altarejos), and NANG MAGLUBLOB AKO SA ISANG MANGKOK NG LIWANAG (by Kuki Zinampan).