Gabriela Serrano
Director
Gale Osorio, Keith Deligero
Producer
Philippines
Country
Logline

In an alternate Philippines where people have lost the ability to dream, single mother ELENITA (49) works as a call center agent who gets paid in "dream-time". Through these transient dreams, she relives her glory days as a rising pop star. As Elenita drifts deeper into her shimmering fantasies, her artist daughter EL (24) embarks on a career that inexplicably begins to mirror her mother’s past. 

Short Synopsis

An unexplained pandemic causes people worldwide to stop dreaming. In effect, corporations in the West create DREAM-TIME, a luxury technology that induces dreams for wealthy subscribers, outsourcing operations to call centers in the Philippines. ELENITA (49), a former teen singer, lives with her daughter EL (24), a pre-med graduate studying for her licensure exam, and TATO (70), Elenita’s queer former stylist, in a crumbling mansion Tato inherited. The salon Tato and Elenita managed had closed during the pandemic, and they now struggle financially and face eviction by Tato’s wealthy family. Elenita learns that DREAM-TIME call centers offer dreams as incentives to its top workers. Wanting to provide for her family and craving to experience her dreams again, she successfully applies.

Despite nightly fatigue from her shifts spent speaking to irate foreign callers, Elenita eventually gains access to dreams. There, she relives her days as the young idol ELAINE through abstract dream sequences depicting pivotal moments in her career. Elenita devotes herself to DREAM-TIME, accessing deeper levels of dreams and unwittingly gaining the ability to control their outcome. This catches the attention of her TL (TEAM LEADER) (32), a member of an underground activist group of call center agents. Investigating shady dealings within DREAM-TIME, they now enlist Elenita to uncover hidden data through her dreams.

Meanwhile, El, has been lying about studying and is actually a rising video artist, using her time to make art installed across the city. She meets TRIP (30), an anonymous graffiti painter with mysterious corporate ties, and they begin creating large-scale works that go viral around Manila. As their collaboration grows romantic, El spends less time at home. Her mother eventually finds out and confronts her about this, resulting in El running away. Simultaneously, Tato and Elenita are evicted from their mansion.

At the call center, Elenita starts going deeper into her dreamscape, where a now-sentient Elaine entices her to forget real life and stay dreaming forever. Before she agrees, she spots El, who has been forced into DREAM-TIME by Trip and his corporate partners, roaming catatonically within her dream. Elenita and El attempt to escape a nightmarish sequence set inside the mansion. A storm floods the house, and Elenita and El then awaken on a beach. At a seaside bar, Elenita sings for El, realizing her daughter was the only audience she ever needed, and El finally sees that her mother is indeed a star.

GABRIELA SERRANO
Gabriela Serrano

GABRIELA SERRANO (born 1996) is a Filipina director, editor, & audiovisual artist. She is interested in deeply introspective women’s stories that deconstruct form and reimagine futures in her native Philippines. She holds a degree in Multimedia Arts and is an alumna of the Ricky Lee Scriptwriting Workshop. Her award-winning directorial debut DIKIT, a split-screen depiction of Filipino mythology, feminine anger, and dreams, screened in festivals internationally and was acquired by the Criterion Channel. She continues her exploration of dreams in women’s spaces through the call center sci-fi drama PLEASE BEAR WITH ME, her first full length film in development, recipient of the SGIFF Southeast Asian Film Lab Fellowship Prize, the BIFAN NAFF Asian Discovery Award, a Produire Au Sud selection, and the Festival du Nouveau Cinema de Montréal’s Prix du Nouveau Marché, among others. She has edited shorts, features, and episodic projects, including the Film Independent Spirit Awards-nominated series THE CHOE SHOW. Gabriela is currently working on two new shorts: a companion piece to PLEASE BEAR WITH ME spanning three decades, and a tropical mystery that takes place over the course of three days.

GALE OSORIO
Gale Osorio

Archipelago is a film boutique known for its innovative approach to filmmaking. The company embraces experimental techniques and non-traditional narratives, often blending genres and styles to create unique cinematic experiences. This approach is not only evident in its feature films but also in its short films and other projects, which often challenge conventional cinematic norms and explore new storytelling possibilities.

Archipelago is committed to nurturing new talents in the Philippine film industry. The company offers opportunities for emerging filmmakers, writers, and artists to develop their skills and bring their visions to life. By fostering a supportive and creative environment, Archipelago plays a crucial role in the growth and development of the next generation of Filipino filmmakers.

Archipelago stands out as a beacon of innovation and cultural representation in Philippine cinema. Its dedication to quality, experimental storytelling, and regional narratives has set it apart from other production companies, making it a vital contributor to the industry. Through its bold and impactful films, Archipelago continues to push the boundaries of what Filipino cinema can achieve, inspiring both audiences and filmmakers alike.