Nervous Translation

59th TIFF: Greek Premiere

An introverted eight-year-old girl who grows up in Philippines in the turbulent 80s gets acquainted with the adult world through a series of small mimetic rituals and technologies that are still unknown to her. While her mother is working at the factory, she watches TV soap operas with her grandmother and secretly listens to her father’s voice on the tapes he sends them from where he lives, a thousand miles away. Till one day, the girl records something over a voice message... The delicate nature of personal and collective memory, and the bright abyss of childhood are “translated” into images in a tender but harsh film that gives attention to detail.

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Shireen Seno

Script: Shireen Seno

Cinematography: Albert Banzon, Jippy Pascua, Dennese Victoria

Editing: Shireen Seno, John Torres

Sound: Nicole Amores, John Michael Perez, Mikko Quizon, Kathrine Ariane Salinas

Music: Itos Ledesma

Actors: Jana Agoncillo, Angge Santos, Sid Lucero, Nafa Hilario-Cruz, Cocoy Lumbao

Production: Los Otros Films, Creative Programs

Producers: John Torres

Art Direction: Leeroy New

Executive producer: Ronald Arguelles

Format: DCP

Color: Color

Production Country: Philippines

Production Year: 2018

Duration: 90΄

Contact: Reel Suspects, info@reelsuspects.com

Awards/Distinctions: Best Sound – Cinema One Originals Digital FF 2017 Best Sound – FAMAS Awards 2018 Netpac Award – Rotterdam International Film Festival 2018 Asian New Talent Award – Shanghai IFF 2018

Shireen Seno

Shireen Seno was born to a Filipino family in Japan, where she spent most of her childhood. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in Architectural Studies and Cinema Studies. She started out in film shooting stills for Lav Diaz and John Torres before going on to direct her debut feature, Big Boy, which premiered at Rotterdam 2013 and went on to screen at international film festivals. Big Boywas the opening film of Hors Pistes Tokyo, organized by the Centre Pompidou, and won the prize for Best First Film at the Festival de Cine Lima Independiente.