Some Nights I Feel Like Walking (Tagalog)

A very interesting perspective on the sex underbelly life of Manila sex-workers, this film tackles the grittier realities of queer life, where survival often means turning to sex work and petty crime. Manila is almost a character in the film which takes no time to hurl you into its immersive world, an incredibly vibrant and chaotic cityscape with a darker underbelly. Neon lights, street food vendors and frisky rent boys. The sights and sounds of Manila are more than enough to make this engrossing tale of life on the streets worth seeing. The queer road drama, in some ways, could be considered a ‘post-tragedy’: rather than the stories we’ve seen over and over that end in queer sadness.

We are introduced to a young sex worker Uno, working on the streets alongside his group of 3 other friends. He is confident, knows what he is doing and he meets a new guy Zion, who seems to have been beaten up. As the night progresses and each of the 4 guys continue to look for tricks to pay their rents, at a porn theatre, an oder man offers a threesome to Uno with Zion. Zion is very new to this and you can see he is clearly terrified, but the du finish the job. Uno takes a shining for the baby faced rookie and takes him under his wing. Suddenly one of Uno's friend Ge finds himself in trouble having been overdoes by a client and soon dies. His last wish was to be taken back home. Zion, Uno and Uno's roomies/fellow travelers find themselves taking an unexpected bus ride. As urban spaces give way to the countryside, we learn that underneath his tough exterior, there is a touching vulnerability to Uno. As for Zion, it turns out he is from an affluent family trying for his own escape (likely due to his sexuality). He's drawn to Uno, not just by physical attraction, but by a shared desire for escape. Eventually they reach Ge's town but realize no one wants him including his pastor brother, but these friends are determined to give Ge the farewell he demanded and earned and are finally able to do it.

The film looks at a whole lot of things here - a portrait of a city in all its vivaciousness, an exploration of friendship and romance among young queer men, and a heartwarming road trip movie. It focuses on friendships and the plight and neglect the youth face in Manila. The story of a teenage runaway and these boys moving around looking for sex work feels so real yet extremely gritty. It is also a city symphony and a road movie of sorts over one night. The further away from Manila the film gets, the more eerie and surreal the imagery becomes. A change in film language as the action moves from urban to rural environment pushes the plot, rooted in real-life tension and action, into an almost dreamlike atmosphere, with endless winding roads, painful memories, and other unexpected developments. Back to the characters, we do not really get to see much of character development of most folks. We get to see Uno is emotional and empathetic guy, Zion is shy and likely rich but what are his causes. His plans to run away with a guy who liked him was also quite half-baked. We never know much about the two other friends, but that's ok. All the actors playing these roles were too good. There is a hint of romance between Uno and Zion, which is tender but too short lived. Life hasn't given a home to these individuals, which is precisely why their friendship and unity is so vital. The real winner here is the cinematography. Manila has been beautifully shot with all its hidden corners and dim, warm streetlights. As we follow the group on their road trip, the visuals shift, through hazy forests and colorful festivals. The screen is always a spectacle. The film's ending is also quite powerful. I don't know why, but this film connected with me and I could feel the pain and the emotions and the hard and harsh life that some of these folks have to endure. (7.5/10)