Flotsam

  
Solenn Heussaff and Rocco Nacino’s rom-com in surf town, La Union

With charm, wit, and clever twists, not to mention a terrific pair of leads, Flotsam is this year’s maindie love anthology—8 (interweaving) love stories, offering something relatable for everyone.

A film named after a quaint artist beach hotel in San Juan, La Union, the story unfolds when a work-obsessed overachiever Kai (Solenn Heussaff) arrives in an Elysian Surf Town to run away from a volatile relationship. Kai hides at Flotsam where she meets Tisoy (Rocco Nacino), a very mysterious local bartender who became her summer fling and perfect antidote to restiveness. It contains about a dozen more characters who are in love – that’s however an approximate figure because some of them fall out of love while others double up or change partners. Each interleaving with the other in a grid of foreshadowing and disquiet.

The poetic keynote to the film comes from one of the child actors’ examination about that ‘goddamn love’ the adults are talking about, to which Tisoy explained, “Ang love, walang libro diyan… Kailangan subukan.”

With Flotsam, filmmaker and writer Jay Abello establishes himself as one of the most exciting and distinctive directors around. His new film contains sweeping visual style, while the dialogues deliver a jolt to your consciousness. While most of its mainstream counterparts would go for just gloss and shine, Abello gunned for simple and heartwarming attack.

Right from the opening credits, Flotsam endears itself with scenic views of La Union – the northern sun, beach, waves, magnificent falls, and of course, chicks in bikinis! The intrepid traveler cum film buffs are granted much more to explore.

The film also gathers around live music, originally written for the film by Eraserheads guitarist, Surfernando Marcus Adoro, and Flotsam Folk Yeah! Family Band, Mia Sebastian & Kiddo Cosio. The songs were not only sung live, but also recorded real-time in true jamming sessions to reflect the real musicality of the place. Look forward to songs performed by actors, Solenn Heussaff, Marc Abaya, Carla Humphries, Franco Daza, and up & coming, Julia Quisumbing!

The actors, the soundtrack, and the location have proven to be pretty potent. The product is a love story as real as it gets.

#FlotsamTheMovie also stars an ensemble of endearing cast including Carla Humphries, Marc Abaya, Mara Lopez, Franco Daza, Zack Varkaris, Jun King Austria, Barbara Miguel, Adrian Cabido, Gerard Garcia, Anja Peter, and introducing, Julia Quisimbing with local actors Jeff Ortega and Lemon.

Flotsam, a film by Jay Abello is showing November 4 in cinemas nationwide