0.

“UNTITLED”
“ANG ANSYAS” – THE WILL TO FIGHT
“ANG GAHUD” – NOISE OF FIGHT
“ANG GAMUHON”– THE BRAWLER
“MGA HANGAWAY”– THE WARRIORS

STORY BY

Steven Atenta
Cebu City, Cebu

SCREENPLAY BY

Steven Atenta

with
Diem Judilla
Email djudilla@yahoo.com
 1.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD – DAY

MEDIUM LONG SHOT-- A SCHOOL BOY (in uniform, of an

elementary or high school) walks on the roadside, alone.

MEDIUM LONG SHOT, TRACKS-- On the boy’s side as he

walks. DIRTY SHOE PRINTS bruise his arms and polo
sleeves.

PAN UPWARD-- THE SKY is bright, clear and blue.

EXT. A HOUSE – DAY

PAN DOWN TO LONG SHOT-- THE SKY hovers above an

AGED, TALL HOUSE in the shaded embrace of AN OLDER,
TALLER TREE.

The boy steps up to the house, then stops a few feet from
the front door. He does not go further.

THE BOY’S HAND turns a faucet and frees water.

He cups the water, splashes on his face to clean the small
cuts on his lips and the black blot on his cheek.

He doesn’t wipe his face dry, allows the drops fall freely as
he unbuttons his polo.

The boy does what he can to wash clean the shoe prints
from the cloth.

THE POLO hangs from a washline to dry. A WIND plays with

it; a white flag.

THE BOY stands before the thick trunk of the tree. He

shivers red of an inner heat; anger.

HIS SMALL FIST locks tight; knuckles white, around a cut

branch he raises as a stick.

He strikes the trunk; wood against wood. Whack. Whack!

WHACK!

INT. A BEDROOM, A HOUSE – DAY

(O.S.) WHACK! AN OLD MAN (bald, 60s) stirs from sleep,

startled.

INT. A BEDROOM, HOUSE – DAY (CONT’D)

WHACK! He looks; searches for the source.

 2.

WHACK. He locks sight on the darkwood wardrobe/closet

that faces his bed.

WHACK. The wardrobe is opened. Inside are piles of the Old

Man’s clothes. Beside them, in a dim-lit corner is A RATTAN
BASKET that contains TWO WORN ARNIS BASTONS
(BATONS).

The Old Man takes them in his hand. (O.S.) WHACK!

The wood has wounds; signs of battle-wear and splinters.

(O.S.) Whack! The Old Man touches his shoulder then his
chest; the sound hurt him on injuries within him, deep and
ancient.

The Old Man turns to THE OPEN WINDOW...

...that
leads out into THE YARD, where the Boy strikes the
tree with a stick. Whack! Whack!

CLOSE UP-- The Old Man; his face aches, hurt.

He raises his bastons; covered in marks and depression,
and examines these at length.

His eyes moves along the raised wood in strides. He then

looks back towards THE BASKET.

MEDIUM SHOT of the basket. The camera slowly dollies in.

EXT. DIRT ROAD – DAY, YEAR 1949

A YOUNG MAN; A CLERK by his spectacles, barong, slacks,

polished but well-word shoes on his feet and a leather folio
case in hand, approaches an entrance way that leads to A
CONSTRUCTION SITE/ROCK QUARRY.
A FEW WORKERS rest in the shade. They watch at the Clerk
pass them.

The Clerk wipes sweat from his brow with a neatly folded
kerchief.

EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE – DAY, YEAR 1949

MEDIUM, REAR SHOT-- The Clerk climbs down a slope from

the road, struggles to keep his footing.

He stops, takes a breather. Wipes his sweat. Looks at the

view of the sky and the land.
 3.

EXTREME LONG SHOT-- The Clerk arrives on the site; a

hectare-large area.

THREE OTHER FIGURES; MEN in their wiry 40’s squat in the

middle and sip cold beer in large jars full of dirty ice.
They’re the JURY; the judges and witnesses.

MEDIUM, REAR SHOT-- THE CLERK gives a curt nod to the

squatting men then turns his attention to a PAIR OF MEN
who set themselves far to one side of the site.

RACK FOCUS-- THE PAIR; two physically built men. The

older GURU sits on the ground, cross-legged, bastons on
his lap. Tight in a tanktop and working pants, THE OTHER;
the younger FIGHTER shadow-boxes the wind, works
himself up hot that the air around him blur.

LONG SHOT-- The Guru uses his baston as a cane to help

him get up from the ground.

The Fighter wraps up his shadow-box with a mean cross-

punch, his fist straight and strong in the direction of THE
CLERK. The Fighter doesn’t stand down from his
intimidating stance.

LONG SHOT-- THE CLERK looks straight back, though his

spectacles fog a bit and he grasps his folio case tightly in
both arms like a shield..

MEDIUM SHOT-- One of THE JURY gets up and calls for the
Clerk and the Fighter to get close together to his sides.

The Clerk and the Fighter step closer to face each other.

The other JURORS move to find large rocks to serve as

seats.

A LONG PAN-- the three men in the middle of the site. The
Juror takes out A BALLPEN and A CREASED DOCUMENT
from his backpocket; unfolds the paper.

MEDIUM, FRONT SHOT -- The Juror approaches the Fighter

and close to the younger man’s ear he talks and points to
the document; explains its contents. The Juror mouths a
question, waits.

The Fighter glares at the Clerk (O.S.), nods.

Takes the pen from the Juror and scrawls on the offered
document.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Juror goes to the Clerk whose back is

turned as he takes off his barong to reveal his collarless
undershirt.
 4.

The Juror talks into the Clerk’s ear as the Clerk carefully
folds his barong, strips his watch, spectacles and piles
these all on top of his folio case, which he places down on
the ground.

The Juror offers the pen and the paper for the Juror to
sign...

CLOSE-UP-- The Clerk’s hand holds the pen to sign

but it seems that the pen is broken; no ink.
The Clerk returns the pen and uses his own pen and signs
the document.

LONG SHOT-- The Juror returns to the middle, folds the

document and stash it with his pen in his back pocket.
Then he looks at each of the men.

The Clerk and the Fighter stare at each other.

The Guru hands his baston to the Fighter.

The Clerk pulls out a baston from his folio case.

Fearless, the Juror stretches out one arm; straight and solid
like a bronze rod in the middle of the two men.

The Clerk and the Fighter step closer, place their bastons
on top of the Juror’s raised arm.

CLOSE UP-- THE FIGHTER’S FACE is full of tempered

excitement; the calm look of a predatory bird.

CLOSE UP-- THE CLERK’S FACE, free of his spectacles; his

eyes are different from before, appears almost to mirror
the Fighter’s.

CLOSE UP-- ON BOTH THE CLERK’S AND THE FIGHTER’S

HANDS, as they grip their bastons, the wood creak.

FRONT LONG SHOT-- THE THREE MEN wait.

The Juror thrusts his arm skyward, parts the two other
sticks. The Fighter lunges forward and whips out a strike at
the Clerk.

MEDIUM FRONT SHOT-- The Clerk jumps back, dodges the

coming strike.

MEDIUM SHOT-- THE FIGHTER follows with more strikes,

closes the distance to the Clerk.
 5.

LONG SHOT-- The Clerk blocks a few strikes and counters

with his own set of blows. The two are in a storm of strikes
and blocs.

LONG SHOT, REAR TRACKING-- THE CLERK pushes his

assault forward against the Fighter.

LONG SHOT, REAR TRACKING-- THE FIGHTER blocks then

strikes. He moves in, parries the Clerk’s strike then on the
Clerk’s ribs the Fighter lands a heavy blow; bruises blood,
breaks bone.

The Fighter doesn’t stop, he follows with a thrust of his

baston under the Clerk’s armpit. Forces his body’s
momentum to the left, causes the Clerk to lose footing and
go off balance.

The Fighter seizes and throws the Clerk down hard to the
ground.

CLOSE UP-- ON THE GROUND, THE CLERK clenches his

teeth in agony. He quickly rolls to the right, dodges a
downward strike from the Fighter.

MEDIUM SHOT-- Safe, the Clerk pushes himself up.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Fighter charges at the Clerk.

CLOSE UP-- The Clerk sees the charge.

LONG SHOT-- He reacts, strafes to the side and strikes his

opponent in the arm.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Fighter gets hit, cringes but manages

to throw a backhand strike at the Clerk.

The Clerk blocks the Fighter’s strike then counters by a

thrust strike under the arm and throws off the Fighter
down. Blow for blow.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Fighter lies on the ground, a chuckle

escapes from him. He flips back up to his feet. He turns
and looks at the Clerk, with some respect. He raises his
baston in half-salute.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk touches his hurt ribs.

He frowns at the wound, returns the Fighter’s salute.

MEDIUM SHOT, FULL FRONT-- The Fighter collects his

breath, his energy as he keeps an eye at his opponent for a
few seconds. He dashes forward.

MEDIUM SHOT, FULL FRONT-- Like a reflection, the Clerk

mirrors the move of the Fighter. He too dashes forward.
 6.

LONG SHOT, TRACKING ON BOTH-- The Clerk and the

Fighter simultaneously strike, thrust and hit each other in a
frenzy. It’s almost impossible to see where one begins and
the other ends.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk blocks a strike.

The Fighter quickly counters. He grabs the Clerk’s striking

baston and uses his own baston to disarm the Clerk. He
follows with strong blows on the Clerk’s stomach and head!

The Clerk reels back then crumbles to the ground for a

second time. He lays there for a moment.
He quickly raise his eyes and looks around.

CLERK’S P.O.V, CLOSE UP-- His baston lies a few feet away.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk dashes off the ground; a

panther’s pounce towards his baston.

MEDIUM SHOT, MOVES FORWARD-- The Fighter’s foot kicks

away the baston.

MEDIUM SHOT, TILT UP-- The Fighter jumps into the Clerk’s
sight with a downward strike!

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk ducks and rolls back to evade

the coming strikes.

LONG SHOT, TRACKING-- The Fighter pursues the unarmed

and heavily wounded Clerk who hasn’t gotten to his feet
yet; crawls/rolls back.
The Clerk raises his arm to defend against a thunderous
blow that knocks all sense of feeling yet the Clerk is still on
the move. He rises and quickly blocks the arm of Fighter
and drives a punch deep in the Figter’s face.

The Fighter returns the favor; throws a punch with his other
arm; gets deflected by the Clerk.

Without missing a beat, the Fighter quickly grapples the

Clerk. He lifts the Clerk up then slams him to the earth; his
own hand lands a fierce blow on the Clerk’s chest!

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk exhales pain from every part of

his body.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Fighter stands over the Clerk, certain

of victory. He clenches his baston in both hands then
moves in for the killing strike
 7.

CLOSE UP-- Only the Clerk’s eyes can move in a frantic

search for escape. These stop, locks on...
CLOSE UP-- The Clerk’s baston is just an arm’s length away.

MEDIUM SHOT-- On his last dregs of strength, the Clerk

plants a front kick to the Fighter’s shin.

Surprised by the sudden strike, the Fighter falls to his

knees.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk takes this moment and seizes his
baston.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Fighter works through the dizzy agony,

gets up to his feet and charges forward, a strike ready to
finish it all.

MEDIUM LONG SHOT-- The Clerk takes a breath then one

step forward into the Fighter’s charge. Faster, he lands a
hard hit to the Fighter’s head. He goes down.

BLOOD, thick like yolk, spills out and down the Fighter’s
face. This enrages him and he starts to get up again.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Clerk lands another thunderclap blow

on the Fighter’s head.

MEDIUM SHOT-- Blacking out, the Fighter kneels down and

crumples as an unconscious heap.

EXTREME LONG SHOT-- The Guru and Jurors rush to check

the Fighter’s condition.

MEDIUM SHOT-- Drenched in sweat, the Clerk struggles to

breath. He stands, but in pain.

MEDIUM SHOT-- The Guru lifts the Fighter to his feet. The
Fighter’s face is all blood. He exhales a spray of mucus and
blood. There is no more fight in his eyes; no more spirit.

MEDIUM SHOT, REAR-- The Clerk watches as the Guru

collects the baston and helps the Fighter leave.

INT. A BEDROOM, HOUSE – DAY, THE PRESENT

(O.S!) WHACK. The Old Man touches the brown long welt on
his bald dome; the wound of his loss so many years ago.

(O.S!) WHACK. He looks back at the empty basket. He

moves to return the bastons into them.
 8.

(O.S!) WHACK. WHACK! The sounds stops him.

The beats reach him; to resuscitate what is dormant in him.

(O.S!) WHACK. WHACK! The Old Man looks to the bright

window.

(O.S!) WHACK. WHACK! His eyes blink and now wide awake
with some spirit; a fighter’s glint shines.

EXT. A HOUSE - DAY.

THE YARD-- The boy raises his branch and strikes down
on the tree trunk. A BASTON dashes in and blocks the
blow. The Boy turns to his side...
The Old Man; THE BOY’S GRANDFATHER, stands by the
side him with the baston in hand.

Without a word, the Old Man uses the baston as an

extension of his hand that guides and adjusts the boy’s
posture and footing to form the basic stance for
learning.

The Old Man shows the boy how he holds the baston.
The boy studies the grip and reflects with his own hand.

The Old Man takes on the same stance as the boy and
performs one action; a basic strike,
he waits.

The boy mirrors the striking action.

The Old Man moves into another strike-form.

The boy mimes this mutely, and weakly.

The Old Man repeats the action, as a correction. This

way!

The boy does it again; better.

The Old Man moves into the various forms at a speed

that the boy can follow.

The Boy catches up quickly, like a shadow that takes

solid shape under the sun.
 9.

The Old Man and the Boy now act in unison,

simultaneous. They both now move into A POWERFUL
STRIKE FORM.

They raise their bastons SKY-WARD...

PAN UPWARD-- HEAVEN is bright, clear and blue.

THE END!