Long before text-message and Facebook courtships, young men in the Philippines stood earnestly beneath the windows of the women they loved to profess their devotion. Backed by supportive friends and accompanied by the town’s finest guitarist, these young suitors crooned the night away until finally invited inside (or ultimately rejected). This long-abandoned art of harana (serenade) is brought to light in this award-winning feature documentary.
When Florante Aguilar, a classically trained guitarist, returns to the Philippines for the first time in twelve years, he discovers three of the last remaining harana masters: a farmer, a fisherman, and a tricycle driver. Untrained and self-taught, these men astound Aguilar with their deeply rich, trembling voices. In a sincere effort to capture and preserve their melodies and stories, Aguilar asks them to travel with him to perform and record these unheralded songs. As Aguilar and the three haranistas captivate audiences in small villages and prestigious concert halls, the men connect deeply with the past and with one another.

In attendance: Director Benito Bautista and Producers Florante Aguilar and Fides Enrique.

Co-presented by Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Silicon Valley, Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), Santa Clara Valley Chapter, and United Nations Association Film Festival