Film Title: Ang Lalake Sa Parola (The Man in the Lighthouse)
Director: Joselito Altarejos
Synopsis: A homo-erotic journey in finding one’s true self. Mateo (Harry Laurel) has been searching for his father who left him when he was five years old. His search leads him to Lobo, Batangas only to discover that his father is in Dubai. Awaiting his father’s return, Mateo works as the caretaker of Lobo’s lighthouse. Here, he meets Jerome (Justin de Leon), a gay man from the city. What ensues soon after the meeting is the beginning of his journey, while Suzet (Jennifer Lee), Mateo’s girlfriend struggles for his love and attention. What begins as a search for one’s father evolves into a search for one’s self. Will Mateo, in the midst of his conservative rural community, cross the thin line between being straight and being gay? This story is a search for oneself as seen through the lens of rural homosexuality, myths, and fairies (superstitions/belief?); and the lies that people create to escape the bitter realities of life. When the father came back from Dubai, he was disappointed and follow his journey in the city back with Jerome. In the rural area, there’s a belief about the guy in the lighthouse, a parallel story of what lies behind the past and of what today.
Cast & Crew:
Harry Laurel
Richard Quan
Justin de Leon
Jennifer Lee
Alan Paule
Dexter Doria
Sheree
Crispin Pineda
Joselito Altarejos is a television and film director. His knowledge of film and directing is based on his experience in television productions. One of his work, BAKLA, became a finalist in the Asian TV Awards in 1999 which also earned a Best Actor Award for the lead actor, Romnick Sarmienta. He directed his first feature film, Kiss mo Ko, in 1999 under VIVA Films. Ang Lalaki sa Parola is his second full-length feature. His latest work is another best film, Ang lihim ni Antonio ( The Secret of Antonio).
