BACOLOD, PHILIPPINES — Director Kurt Soberano has never shied away from telling deeply personal stories. This rising filmmaker, who hails from Bacolod City, gives viewers an intimate look at his life through creative retelling. His short film, Golden Bells, explores the journey of his cherished grandfather, as the latter established a store with the support of his wife and children.
Weaving a tale of resilience, family bonds, and entrepreneurial spirit, Golden Bells clinched the esteemed title of Best Short Film at the 71st Famas Awards.
Golden Bells starts in 1979, when a young Chinese-Filipino boy witnesses his father’s dream come true of opening a small clothing store in downtown Bacolod city and eventually realizes the need to maintain the family business out of duty and love. Although Kurt had to work with limited screen time, he explained how he took on this challenge. “I approached [the project] with months of planning focused on production design, and a story that revolved around actual events,” he said. “There wasn’t much of a constraint because I did everything that I could to capture the whole space and the memories that I had in this building when I was a kid before everything gets torn down.”
Prompted by his family’s decision to close shop in January 2023, Kurt found himself bidding farewell to the very building that marked the inception of his grandfather’s legacy. He felt that the task at hand was to draft a script that would vividly capture both the genesis and conclusion of his grandfather’s vision, all narrated from the perspective of the filmmaker’s uncle.
Through his work, Kurt deftly interweaves the deeply personal with the universally relatable, sculpting narratives that not only echo his own experiences but also resonate profoundly with audiences across diverse backgrounds. He hopes that viewers can appreciate Golden Bells, crafted in honor of his grandfather and born out of his deep affection for him.
