Disenfranchised queer grief at the heart of David Corpuz’s Cinemalaya return

David Corpuz’s return to the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival with Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam marks a poignant culmination of personal and artistic evolution. The film, centered on themes of grief and the queer experience, especially in relation to HIV, seeks to illuminate the often-overlooked emotional landscapes of marginalized communities. Corpuz, originally from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, has long been drawn to storytelling that challenges conventional narratives, a trajectory shaped by both his academic pursuits and early engagement with independent cinema. Born in the 1990s, Corpuz's introduction to cinema came later than many of his peers. While studying information technology at Don Bosco Technical College in Mandaluyong, he stumbled upon the art of video recording, an act that sparked a lifelong fascination with visual storytelling. At the time, San Jose del Monte, still a town rather than a city, lacked dedicated movie theaters, so Corpuz frequently visited the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Cine Adarna, where arthouse films were shown for free. This early exposure laid the foundation for his future work in experimental and world cinema. After graduating, Corpuz pursued a master’s degree in media studies at the University of the Philippines, a journey that spanned seven years. During this time, his interest in experimental filmmaking deepened, culminating in the 2014 release of The Ordinary Things We Do, an experimental short that earned the Special Jury Prize at that year’s Cinemalaya. His breakthrough as a feature filmmaker came in 2016 with Kusina, a collaboration with co-director Cenon Palomares and starring Judy Ann Santos. Since then, Corpuz has continued to explore complex narratives, co-directing the anthology film Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig in 2015 and the Gawad Alternatibo short Read-Only Memory in 2022. Despite these accomplishments, Corpuz has remained largely absent from the filmmaking scene for years. He has not directed a feature since Kusina, and even Read-Only Memory was filmed before the onset of the pandemic. The delay, he explained, was partly due to a desire to wait for the right moment to fully realize his creative vision. That moment arrived with Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam, a project that had been in development since 2017. Initially submitted to Cinemalaya 2019, the film was only shortlisted, prompting Corpuz to put it aside. It wasn’t until producer Kristine Camille Sulit, who had previously collaborated with him on Read-Only Memory, encouraged him to revisit the script and submit it to the latest edition of the festival that the project gained new momentum. Working alongside co-writer Iar Arondaing, Corpuz revised the narrative, shifting the timeline from 2017 to 2012. The resulting film draws inspiration from his Palanca prize-winning essay “Autoetnograpiya ng Luksa,” which reflects on the loss of his partner and the concept of “disenfranchised grief”, a type of mourning that society often fails to acknowledge or validate. The film features an ensemble cast including Martin del Rosario, Miguel Odron, Yayo Aguila, and Epy Quizon, bringing to life a story that intertwines personal loss with broader social commentary. While the film’s origins are deeply rooted in Corpuz’s personal experiences, its relevance extends beyond individual tragedy. By exploring the intersection of grief, identity, and societal neglect, Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam offers a nuanced portrayal of the struggles faced by queer individuals, particularly in the context of HIV-related stigma. Through its layered narrative and emotional resonance, the film stands as a testament to the power of cinema to give voice to the unheard.