Award-winning Cordilleran actress topbills short film

A short film featuring actress Mai Fanglayan, as a young Cordilleran woman who goes on her first date at a Korean restaurant, is currently being shot in Baguio City and nearby locations in the municipality of Benguet, Inquirer Entertainment learned. Fanglayan, also a Cordilleran, won best actress at the 2018 ToFarm Film Festival for playing the title role in the 2018 indie drama “Tanabata’s Wife.” In “Salidumay,” Fanglayan plays Ayo, who is a Tingguian (originated in Abra) with Ibaloi (Benguet) blood, while her love interest is Franz (Kenneth Jhayve Bautista), a former seminarian from Abra who settled in Baguio City.

Collision of expectations

“Franz can’t seem to find love through dating apps, so he decides to use his culture’s methods to arrange a marriage. Their differences lead to a small collision of expectations and perspectives, but what it opens up in the tension offers a glimmer of hope for the would-be couple,” said Dexter Macaraeg, writer-director of “Salidumay.” The short film is produced by Sine Abreño with a Benguet-based creative team, Macaraeg pointed out. “As Baguio City opens up its tourism, I’m taking this opportunity to shoot a short film there, as well as attend the opening gala of its Montañosa Film Festival, [which runs from March 20 to 28],” the director said.—MARINEL CRUZ