Kerel (Sea of Love)

Directed by Jon Cuyson

Trapped in a cargo ship during the lockdown, Kerel, a gay Filipino seafarer escapes through his memory, and recalls his complicated past, present, and future self. The hybrid experimental documentary fiction film is an evocation of the complexities of personal and national identity prescribed by one’s memory. The film mixes archival images with texts, filmed and found footage to weave the complex narrative from the perspective of a seafarer stranded at sea, confronted by Chinese ships while recalling his relationship with himself, his lover, his family, and his country.