Bahay-Bahayan (echoes beyond the horizon)
Directed by Marienne Louise
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 The Philippines has one of the biggest diaspora of overseas workers in the world. The term Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) is well-known due to this. While the media has always acknowledged the big sacrifices that OFWs make in order to provide for their children an opportunity to live a better life than what they were given, no one talks about the perspective of the children who are left behind, having to grow up and face life without the presence of their parents.
This film features Joanna, a Filipina in her mid-20s who has little to no connection left with her OFW mother. As she faces adulthood, she must decide if she wants to let go of her past. Bahay-Bahayan follows Joanna as she reels back to her past through memory and nostalgia. |
 Marienne Louise is a Filipino filmmaker who explores themes surrounding unconventional family relationships and the Filipino identity.Her entry point into filmmaking began in her diploma, directing her first non-fiction short film The Lighthouse (2019) which was nominated for the Audience Choice Award in the Vidsee Juree Awards 2020. With her passion in documentaries cemented, she continued to hone her skills in non-fiction filmmaking as she continued her education in LASALLE’s BA (Hons) Film programme. For her most recent work, she directed her thesis documentary Bahay-Bahayan (2025), exploring the struggles that children of Overseas Filipino Workers face growing up surrounded by the absence of their parents. In the future, Marienne hopes to continue making documentaries about the lesser known, for those whose voices need to be heard. |
Plays in
Shorts Program I: Finding Elsewhere
Finding Elsewhere is a compilation of stories that takes us on a fantastical ride of the unknown and…
Dates & Times
Shorts Program I: Finding Elsewhere
Theater 13, AMC Theater Plaza Bonita, Westfield
October 10, 2025
11:00 am
