By Lealina Evangeline Reyes and Cynthia Shank
A zombie apocalypse has plagued the Philippines and safety has become a mere myth; a distant dream. In hopes of finding refuge, a father and a mother take their two sons to the father’s childhood farm to escape the outside world. But what they thought was their sanctuary might be the beginning of their end.
The trailer for “Outside,” an upcoming Filipino post-apocalyptic survival horror film, has garnered much attention online, with over two hundred thousand reactions on Facebook and three hundred eighty-one thousand views on YouTube as of writing.
Written and directed by Carlo Ledesma, the trailer begins with Francis (Sid Lucero) driving towards his secluded provincial farmhouse together with his wife Iris (Beauty Gonzales) and sons Josh (Marco Masa) and Lucas (Aiden Tyler Patdu) in a rundown van.
It then goes on to explore that the story might be more than a mere zombie film. With scenes cutting to and fro between the horrors of the outside world and the psychological turmoil of Francis, the trailer places the audience in the middle of a blurring the line between what is real and what is in the patriarch’s head.
The last shot of the trailer shows Iris holding her son as the door opens to reveal the ominous silhouette of Francis before it cuts to a black screen with the words, “You can’t keep out what’s already inside.”
In the words of Ledesma, “Outside” is “more than just a zombie movie. At its core, it is a film about a family’s survival.”
Comments of anticipation flooded the trailer with remarks of awe and congratulations. “Nangangamoy international recognitions ha. Congrats in advance! [It smells like international recognitions. Congrats in advance,]” one user commented.
With its stunning cinematography, “Outside” has the potential of being a transformative film that goes beyond mere entertainment. The creative direction of the trailer meticulously weaves together the haunting beauty of the setting through its chilling themes. It also plays with shifting color tones and dynamic shots and angles to reflect the characters’ emotions, vulnerability, and menace.
What makes “Outside” more exceptional goes beyond its cinematography. Shot in Negros Occidental, the trailer shows a deep connection with the local folklore of the place it is set in.
The story of the film includes zombies, which one Facebook user compared to the amalanhig, a Visayan mythical creature doomed to rise from the grave and roam the earth unless its curse is passed to someone else. However, unlike zombies, the amalanhig are not mindless creatures. In the trailer, there is a shot of a zombie woman crawling towards Francis saying, “Sorry,” a subtle implication that the creatures might not be the typical zombies that are portrayed in other films.
West Visayas local Phillippe Tanchuan continued to draw parallels between the artistic storytelling of the trailer and the real-life scenarios that reflect them in their Facebook post. What they find more compelling is how “Outside” might incorporate folklore into the harsh realities faced by the sacadas (sugarcane peasants) in Negros Occidental.
“If ‘Outside’ uses magical realism to comment on these horrors — if the amaranhig represents not just a curse but the revenge of the oppressed — it could be a powerful statement. I believe Outside can use horror as an allegory for the ongoing cycle of violence and oppression in Negros Occidental,” the Tanchuan stated.
Moreover texture and detail shine through close-ups of the landscape and traditional artifacts, grounding the story in its rich heritage. This transforms the trailer into a visually striking and emotionally resonant experience, turning the lush landscapes of Negros Occidental into a haunting backdrop for a powerful story of survival and reckoning.
The trailer sheds light on the potential of Filipino film to become an avenue for the recognition of local culture. In a country that is filled with a myriad of folklore, mythology, and stories, films like “Outside” showcase the deep culture of Filipinos through modern retelling. This, in turn, transforms cinema into something that is accessible to the consumers because of the familiarity they have with what they see on the screen.
As the audience awaits in anticipation for the premiere of the movie, more discussions about the possible direction, twists and turns, and ending keep the viewers on their feet and in excitement of this unique Filipino film. But there is only one way to know what is inside “Outside”: watch the movie when it is released on Oct.17, 2024.
