DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 April) — A Mindanawon independent short film by Duwende Films is set to make its United States premiere this April, marking another milestone for young Davao-based filmmakers working outside mainstream production systems.

Produced by a fully Mindanawon team, Hello, Daisy, a Bisaya-language short film tackling the issue of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, will screen at the Los Angeles Essy Film Festival on April 26 at Soho House West Hollywood in California.

Written and directed by Franky Arrocena, the film’s arrival in Los Angeles follow earlier screenings in Dubai and Greece, as well as a homegrown run at the Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival in Davao City.

Prior to this, Hello, Daisy and Duwende Films gained international recognition at the 11th Emirates Film Festival in Dubai, where they won Best Emerging Filmmaker. The film was also nominated for Best Film, while lead actress Mia Angela Cabaobao and Arrocena received nominations for Best Actress and Best Screenplay, respectively.

Despite their growing list of international recognitions, the team shared that they are unable to attend the upcoming LA festival in person due to financial constraints.

Still, the filmmakers see the selection as a significant step forward.

“As a fully self-funded independent filmmaking team driven by passion and no big sponsorships or patrons, we are proud to be one of the testaments that filmmaking at its core is storytelling,” the team said in a Facebook post on April 20.

Beyond its festival run, Hello, Daisy positions itself as an advocacy film that tackles the issue of  online sexual abuse and exploitation of children — a problem that continues to affect the Philippines at an alarming scale.

In a director’s note added to the bottom of the same FB post, Arrocena emphasized that while the film cannot solve the issue, it aims to contribute to awareness and public recognition of its urgency.

“Our country is tagged by UNICEF as the ‘CENTER’ of child sex abuse material production in the world,” he wrote. “I know that our film will not be the solution …  but I hope that through this film, we are made more aware that this is an existing problem at large and the first step to solving this problem is to actually acknowledge its existence.”

Through the film, the team hopes to amplify conversations surrounding the issue and contribute, however modestly, to efforts that protect vulnerable children.

The project was created without major backing, relying instead on collaboration among emerging Mindanawon artists. The production brought together a team of writers, cinematographers, editors, designers, and performers working across disciplines to realize the film.

Among those involved are assistant director Ingrid Silfverberg, director of photography Rhea Barrientos, and a cast led by Mia Angela Cabaobao, Joshua Parba, and Kayen Benaiah Bufe.

For the team, the film’s journey — from local production to international screening — signals a broader assertion of regional storytelling.

“We are honored to continue sharing this Mindanawon and Dabawenyo art piece to the international stage,” the post continued.

As Hello, Daisy heads to Los Angeles, its creators frame the moment as part of an ongoing effort to tell stories rooted in place and lived realities; stories they hope will continue to travel, resonate, and provoke action. (Bea Gatmaytan / MindaNews)