Characters:

Alfredo (male): Morales, Kyle Michael C.

Esperanza (female): Mesiona, Gladys A
Julia (female): Bungaos, Reah Lyn A.
Don Julian (male): Barsaman, Nikki Ritchie F.
Carmen (daughter of don julian): Siblos, Marrieylle
Judge Del Valle (male): Salisad, Argie D.
Girl 1: Maonas, Sherrynelle P.
Group 1
1. Billion, Jullie G.
2. Tamay, Valerie Rose V.
3. Salisad, Argie D.
4. Sumalinab, Trisha Anne B.
5. Mahinay, Jennyza A.
6. Cam, Chris Ian A.
7. Bacus, Leomie G.
8. Bundag, Lilian L.
9. Onofre, Rawadi P.
10.Pingot, Jenelyn B.
11.Morales, Kyle Michael C.
12.Bungaos, Reah Lyn A.
13.Basucao, Haifa A.
14.Hussin, Nor Kessa M.
15.Maonas, Sherrynelle P.
16.Siblos, Marrieylle F.
17.Taguba, Ivy Mae M.
18.Barsaman, Nikki Ritchie F.
19.Masinadiong, Danny Fe
20.Niepes, Leisebelle B.
21.Chavez, Ever A.
22.Mesiona, Gladys A.
Set in the American times, this short film unfolds the story of Alfredo, Esperanza, and Julia as they get
entangled in the fabrics of love, mistakes, forgiveness, redemption, and everything in between.

Day 1: Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 7,

Scene 3, 4,

Scene 5: Different house.

Scene 3 & 8: Everyone present. Dining & Wedding.

“DEAD STARS”

By: Paz Marquez Benitez

Alfredo (voice over): Naalala ko ang mga araw na ako ay nababalisa, na tila ba may magandang
nangyayari sa kung saan at ako ay tinatawag nito.
Naalala ko ang daan patungo sa bahay ni Ginoong Martinez. Naaalala ko ang bahay at ang burol, ang
malawak na bukas na balkonahe na aking nasilayan. Noon, ang bahay na iyon ay walang kahulugan
sa akin, maliban sa ito ay bahay ng mga Martinez, na inupahan at inookupahan ni Judge del Valle at
ng kanyang pamilya.
Noon, si Julia Salas ay walang halaga sa akin. Ni hindi ko alam ang kanyang pangalan, pero ngayon...

SCENE 1: Carmen and Don Julian (Backyard)

Carmen: Papa, kailan ba sila magpapakasal?

Don Julian: Hindi ko alam sa ngayon. Walang tiyak na sinabi sakin si Alfredo ngunit saaking
pagkakaunawa, ay nais na ni Esperanza na mangyari ito sa susunod na buwan.

Carmen: Napag-isip ko, bakit hindi pa sya makapagpasya. Hindi ba’t mahigit tatlumpu’t taon na sya?
At binata pa rin? Hindi ba napapagod kakahintay si Esperanza?

Don Julian: Mukhang hindi rin siya masyadong nagmamadali *SNIPPING THE ROSES WITH
SCISSORS*

Carmen: Paano mamadaliin ang isang babae kung hindi naman minamadali ng lalaki? *LONG PAUSE
WHILE THINKING* Papa, sa tingin mo, ano kaya ang nangyari?

Don Julian: Saaking palagay, ang mahabang pagsasama ay sadyang ganyan. Mainit sa ngayon,
ngunit malamig kinabukasan. At sa kanilang kalagayan, ay nasa panahon sila ng taglamig.
Ipinapakita na ang pagpapahaba ng relasyon ay natatalo ng pagtiyatiyaga at bugso ng damdamin.

Carmen: Hay naku papa, uminom na nga lang tayo ng tsaa.

SCENE 2: Alfredo & Don Julian (Office-looking room)

*Alfredo busy with paper works*

Don Julian: Halika Alfredo, bibisita tayo sa tahanan ni Judge Del Valle.

Alfredo: Pero kailangan kong tapusin ito.

Don Julian: Ang maikling pagpapahinga ng ating isipan ay isang malaking benepisyo para sa atin. Isa
pa, para rin ito sa kagustuhan ni Judge.

Alfredo: *sighs* O’ sige po.

SCENE 3: Alfredo, Don Julian, Judge Del Valle, & Others (Inside a house, Dining table)

PREPARING LUNCH,

Alfredo (voice-over): Mainit sa ngayon, ngunit malamig kinabukasan. Dad's philosophy truly hits me.
Am I cheated by life, or have I just missed the real concept of love? Is love a combination of
circumstances or the sheer native capacity of the soul? On days like this, it seems like an eternal
puzzle for love as I knew it. I am an adventurous person, and when travelers get lost, they resort for
guides, for directions. They look for stars, Stars that would guide me throughout my journey. Stars that
will shine throughout as my hope. Stars. A star that I still can’t navigate and have, until one day…

Girl 1: Oo nga pala, si Julia nasa itaas. Julia! Bumaba ka rito’t batiin mo ang mga bisita.

SCENE 4: Alfredo & Julia (Anywhere with stairs, or inside the same house)

Alfredo: Julia, pwede ba tayong lumabas at magliwaliw?

Julia: Oo naman. Saan tayo pupunta?

Alfredo (voice-over): People say that the heart, the mind, the body, and the soul, are the essential
components one should nourish to live a bountiful yet well-balanced life. This right here is the moment
where the stars have aligned. This is the moment when the art of navigating stars collided to rekindle
the lost adventure that I am. Now, I feel so redirected. She's now my journey. Now, I don't need to
conquer life to attain those four. I only need one. The star. It’s her - Julia Salas.

SCENE 5: Alfredo & Esperanza (House)

Esperanza: Alfredo.

Alfredo: Esperanza...

Esperanza: Hindi mo na ako hinihintay sa labas ng simbahan pagkatapos ng misa, Alfredo. Hindi na
pareho ang ating mga linggo. Ano ba ang pinagkakaabalahan mo?

Alfredo: Mga araw lang na puno ng gawain at usapin kasama sina Papa at Judge Del Valle. Abala rin
ako sa pagsusulat ng mga kanta. Alam mo na, mga kanta para sa iyo.

Esperanza: Ayos ka lang ba talaga, mahal ko? May magagawa ba ako para matulungan ka?
*pause*Ayos lang ba talaga tayo?

Alfredo: Oo, nasisiguro kong ayos lang tayong dalawa. Ipinapangako ko na babawi ako sa’yo sa
lalong madaling panahon. (HUG)

SCENE 6: Alfredo & Julia (Landscape/Beach)

Alfredo: Sana ay nasisiyahan ka rito.

Julia: Sobra.

*ZOOMS IN TO THE VIEW*

*GOES BACK TO FACE JULIA*

Julia: Ang hapon ay tila napakaikli, hindi ba? Sa tingin ko, ito na ang huling pagkakataon na
makakabisita tayo.

Alfredo: Ang huli? Bakit? *PAUSE* Bibisitahin ko pa rin ang iyong bayan, hindi ba?
Julia: Pupunta ka? Hindi mo magugustuhan doon.

*JULIA LAUGHS*

Julia: Nakatira kami sa Calle Luz, isang maliit na bayan na maraming mga puno.

Alfredo: Mahahanap ko kaya iyan? Magtatanong ako tungkol sa –

Julia: Tungkol sa ano?

Alfredo: Ang bahay ng pinakamagandang babae sa bayan.

Julia: At dyan ka maliligaw. *Naging seryoso si Julia*

Julia: Uuwi na ako.

Alfredo: *LONG PAUSE, THINKING* Kailan?

Julia: Bukas. Nakatanggap ako ng liham mula kina Ama at Inay kahapon. Gusto nilang mag-Semana
Santa ako sa bahay.
*LONG PAUSE* Kaya sabi ko ito na ang huling pagkakataon.
*LOOKS AT THE VIEW* Tila napakalayo ng aking tahanan mula rito.

Alfredo: Alam ko. Ito ay ibang lugar, ngunit kakaiba, dahil hindi ko maiwanan ang
mga lumang bagay.

Julia: Mga lumang bagay?

Alfredo: Oo! Mga lumang bagay, mga pagkakamali, sagabal, mga lumang
bagahe.

Julia: Sige na, Alfredo. Oras na para umalis. Lagi akong nandito para ipagdasal
ka. Lumang bagay? Oo! Ang mga lumang bagay ay sadyang lalong lumuluma at -

Alfredo: Julia! Huwag na huwag mong sasabihin yan! Ikaw ay higit pa riyan.
Julia… Julia, mahal na mahal kita.

Julia: Paalam!

(MONTAGE OF WALKING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER)

Alfredo (voice-over): Julia’s days with me is now over. She went home, and now
here I am left with no purpose. A blank bland canvas.

SCENE 7: Alfredo and Esperanza fighting. (Inside a room)

Alfredo (voice-over): May is the happiest month of the year they say, but the
preparation before the wedding is close to tragic. Before the preparation, me and
Esperanza argued, and I can't believe she spat out Julia's name and hardly wept.
How come she knew it? I still think about that every day.

SCENE 8: Alfredo, Esperanza, Don Julian, Judge Del Valle, and other extras
(Church)

Alfredo (voice-over): The wedding day has finally come. The milestone in our life that we never talk
about, but needs to happen. People are getting busy planning for our biggest day. I wonder what Julia
is doing right now. Is she smiling? Is she sad? Oh, I wish I could wipe her tears away.

Oh, Esperanza. Esperanza, waiting. Esperanza no longer young. Esperanza, the efficient; the literal-
minded, the intensely acquisitive. My beautiful Esperanza. We now came to up to this. A four-year
relationship is now going uphill for an eternal promise. A relationship that started from “yes” and ended
up with “I do.” I wonder how this is still astronavigation.

Esperanza: Alfredo, the man whom I loved. I've never seen this man at his happiest state, because he
is naturally that serious most of the time, but you know, you can see it in his genuine eyes if he's happy
or not. It just feels surreal how he started this love by saying “Thank you for picking me up” and ended
up saying “I do” both in this church, but I'm deeply sure that there are days that he's been the happiest,
and there are two people who can attest that: it's God and Julia.

The day has finally come. Waking up together, eating together, and randomly dancing on a romantic
music like no one's watching us. The married life indeed. Esperanza is now my home.
SCENE 9: Alfredo and Julia (8 years later) (Terminal)

Alfredo (voice-over): I was assigned forward to attend a court case, but the court case my heart
screams is a different one. It wants to win the case I've never won before. A case that’s something so
deep, personal and real. Now, I have to find her in this small town, Calle Luz. It's the wounds from
yesterday. Eight years ago, I fell in love with a woman who did the same thing that America did—she
invaded me. She is the stars in the flag. She is my America. She is Julia. After eight long years, Julia
Salas. I am tense and my hands are shaking. After eight years of being bugged, I can't believe things in
front of me are happening. Is this the astronavigation that God wants me to do? I want to talk to her, tell
her all the things. I want to converse! I want to say that I'm unhappy with I've become. I want to talk to
her like a child being hurt. I just want to talk and clarify things. Why, Julia? Why? But I can't.

Julia (voice-over): I must admit he defined love for me, but now all I could do is just imagine things.
Me and him, aligning moments from yesterday on what would have happened according to our own
will.

SCENE 10: Alfredo and Julia (Rooftop where stars are visible)

Alfredo (voice-over): Immense sadness radiating as we both watched the bright specks of stars in the
night sky. It is normal in life to be confused with things. I have realized that love can be idealized
subjectively. I pushed for the love that wasn't right. I pushed for the love that can move and ruin
mountains at the same time. These two women I have ruined, I am deeply sorry. Astronavigation
requires direction throughout your journey, but after all, you may be lost and redirected, but at the end
of the day, just like how the day ends with sunsets, you will surely land in your destination.

SCENE 11: Alfredo and Esperanza (Anywhere)

It's time to move on and face the reality of life. We should pursue for a love that is powerful and long-
lived. Julia is a chapter, but Esperanza is my book. Julia is my journey, but Esperanza is my
destination. Julia is a star, but Esperanza is my universe.