Martika Ramirez Escobar’s infectiously imaginative debut feature, Leonor Will Never Die, is a vibrant love letter to the golden age of Philippine cinema. The film follows Leonor, a once highly regarded filmmaker of Filipino action films who now struggles to pay the bills in her old age. While revisiting her long-abandoned script, a falling television knocks her comatose. Awakening inside her own unfinished screenplay, Leonor suddenly becomes the hero of her ultimate imaginary adventure, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.

Seamlessly blending pulpy action homages, playful comedy, nostalgic soundtracks, and touching family drama, Escobar takes audiences on an unpredictable, meta-cinematic journey that celebrates classic cinema, its music, and the unsung crew working behind the scenes.

Through a deeply empathetic performance by Sheila Francisco and Escobar’s self-reflexive formal experimentation, this playful cinematic gem won the Special Jury Award for Innovative Spirit at the Sundance Film Festival. Join us for a joyous celebration of storytelling that will leave you smiling alongside its unforgettable heroine.

The screening on 30 August will be followed by a talk with filmmaker Martika Ramirez Escobar in English.

Martika Ramirez Escobar (b. 1992, Philippines) is a cinematographer and film director. After graduating with honours from the University of the Philippines, her thesis film, Stone Heart (Pusong Bato), competed at the 19th Busan International Film Festival and was screened around the world, winning Best Film at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. She is an alumna of the Berlinale Talents Tokyo, Asian Film Academy, Southeast Asian Film Lab, Luang Prabang Talent Lab, and Fantastic Film School, and is a recipient of the Purin Film Fund. Leonor Will Never Die, her feature film debut, won the Amplify Voices Award at Toronto International Film Festival 2022 and Special Jury Award for Innovative Spirit at Sundance 2022.