ANG DAMGO NI ELEUTERIA KIRSCHBAUM (The Dream of Eleuteria Kirschbaum)

EXCERPT

FADE IN:

INT.BEDROOM (GERMANY). NIGHT

The room is dark and gloomy. There is only a flicker of light from the television set.

The bed is empty and undisturbed. We slowly scan through the room with its European fixtures.

We hear the talk show host speaking in German.

We see Eleuteria or Terya (19 years old), she is sitting in front of the mirror.

We hear her voice clearly while the sound from the television set becomes softer.

TERYA

(TERYA’s voice, she talks tentatively and slowly)

V.O

One year has already passed

but it seems like only

yesterday.

CLOSE ON TERYA

(she talks to the camera)

My name is Eleuteria Duhaylungsod. I am still not used to it but my

last name now is Kirschbaum.

My story started in Olango

Island, Mactan, Cebu.

CUT TO

INT. VIDEOKE STORE. NIGHT

Terya, 18 years old, is singing “The Impossible Dream” inside Cacay’s Videoke place. It is a makeshift nipa hut with a couple of tables spread around. She is out of tune.

The videoke is turned to full volume.

There are some people inside. Everybody seems to be having a good time.

TERYA

Singing

To dream the impossible

dream. To fight the

unbeatable foe. To bear the

unbeatable sorrow.

This is my quest to follow

the star no matter how

hopeless, no matter how far…

CACAY

A shrewd store owner, around 45 years old, clapping her hands

Dream on, Terya

Terya continues singing, ignoring Cacay.

Everybody clap their hands when she finishes singing.

Outside, people are sitting around on the bamboo benches. They share a glass of rice wine that is passed from one person to the next in the Cebuano tradition of “tagay”.

Terya's father gives out the drinks. He is humming his favorite Cebuano love song “Matud Nila”.

The men are getting drunk. They are getting unruly.

We can see motorbikes outside the store and porters dividing the day’s income. The mood is festive.

BEGIN TITLES

EXT. PUMPBOAT.DAY

WE see Terya, and Ricky, also 18 years old,(he is Terya’s effeminate friend and classmate) sitting on the pump boat (small Philippine inter-island outrigger boats) that is full of people and cargoes.

Notwithstanding, the two are talking animatedly to each other. The conversation is inaudible.

The boat nears Olango Island and the camera takes in the beautiful scenery of the island as the boat approaches and docks.

The boatman throws a rope to a waiting man in the pier and throws the anchor into the sea.

The makeshift wooden bridge is laid down so that the passengers can disembark.

Porters compete with each other to come to the boat for the cargoes while the passengers scramble to form a line, ready to disembark.

Nesto, 23 years old, a tricycle driver parks in the pier in front of the pump boat

PIER IN OLANGO ISLAND. EXT. DAY

We capture the hustle and bustle of the pier. Passengers take the tricycles and ‘Habal-habals’ (motorcycles) parked nearby and drivers offer a ride.

The dispatchers are shouting directions to the tricycle drivers and the passengers.

CUT TO

Terya and Ricky standing in front of Nesto’s tricycle.

NESTO

Ride with me, the two of you. I will not ask for a fee.

Painting ' A Thousand and One Hearts" is also by the author