A toy in the river
ISTITUTE: Asia Pacific Film Institute
YEAR: 2020
LANGUAGE: Philippine
SYNOPSIS: Santi is an apparently rebellious child in constant contrast with his father, a humble fisherman. After stealing a toy dinosaur, he runs away from home, reaches the river but something goes wrong. Santi’s journey, halfway between reality and fantasy, to a mysterious island with strange traditions and curious inhabitants is indeed the journey of all of us towards our faults, our past and, above all, our future.
PROFILE: Alphie Velasco is a film student at Asia Pacific Film Institute. At the age of 27, he lives and works in Imus, Cavite Philippines. His points of reference in filmmaking, such as directors Lars Von Trier, Gaspar Noe and Roman Polanski, have led him to quit his job and dedicate his career to the art of filmmaking. Director and writer, his short film A toy in the river was among the 13 selected by the Cultural Centre of the Philippines for the 17th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Festival in 2021.
