LAYAG

Left in a quiet rural town while her mother is away, a young girl uses her unsettling drawings of a mysterious local figure to process a horrifying trauma unfolding around her.

Pagbalik sa Lawod (The Shore Awaits) tells the story of Tonya, a fisherfolk daughter lured by promises of work abroad but trapped in a trafficking ring. Scarred yet unbroken, she returns home, transforming pain into testimony. Her story warns against exploitation, empowers women, and honors the resilience of coastal communities.

As Alliyah comes to terms with her destiny in the world of banana trees, she meets despair with hope and resilience, despite the harsh truths, grief, and loss she encounters in the bed of bananas.