About Us But Not About Us, a Filipino literature professor meets the student he mentors out for a meal. At first, it seems innocent enough, but the longer they talk, the more their secrets reveal themselves.Taking place in real time, more or less, we watch as the connection between these two gay men becomes more and more tangled.
And it all comes to the surface in one single location: A restaurant table.In other words, it’s My Dinner With Andre—but make it Flipino, gay, and deeply surprising!(Is that a movie people still reference?
You know, the one where, the entire time, we just watch André Gregory and Wallace Shawn have a pretentious conversation?)Anyway, despite its simple, single-location execution, About Us But Not About Us is a surprisingly deep exploration of identity, queerness, and imbalances of power, all served up on the dinner table.
And, as early reviews make clear, it comes with a final twist that’ll knock you on your feet.The film comes from prolific director Jun Lana, who has described the project as a deeply personal one that is “part fiction and part confessional,” drawing upon experiences from his own childhood.Romnick Sarmienta stars as the professor, Ericson, with Elijah Canlas as the student, Lancelot, who is not nearly as innocent as he lets on.