Glenn Barit
DirectorKristine De Leon
ProducerPhilippines
CountryLogline
Two prehistoric hominids from the Philippines and Indonesia meet as migrant workers in the land of colonizers, struggling to secure a space and a home amidst a collapsing real estate market.
Short Synopsis
In Madrid’s margins, two prehistoric echoes navigate modern struggles. Luzonensis, inspired by the extinct Homo luzonensis from the Philippines, cleans short-term rentals while his homeland crumbles under political decay. His partner Celina, a weary Spanish waitress, longs for stability. Floresiensis, modeled on Homo floresiensis from Indonesia, arrives seeking her missing father—a political exile from the 1998 Jakarta riots who left behind a tape and notebooks of wild boar sketches.
Their lives intersect in Madrid’s underbelly—dodging landlords, surviving underpaid work, and slipping through shelters. United by shared histories of colonization and exile, they find connection in language, songs, and the surreal knowledge that their ancient-featured ancestors’ bones rest commodified in European museums.
Working for Rey, a Filipino man tied to Marcos-era power, they uncover dark links between wealth and displacement. As Luzonensis faces family crises and Floresiensis chases fading clue
Glenn Barit
Glenn Barit is a Filipino director, composer, and sound designer known for his unique voice in experimental and coming-of-age cinema. His films are visually striking and emotionally resonant, often exploring themes of identity, class struggle, youth culture, and everyday life. Barit made his feature debut in 2019 with Cleaners, an animated, experimental coming-of-age comedy-drama. The film won multiple awards at the QCinema International Film Festival, including Best Film, Best Screenplay, and Audience Choice. Praised for its innovative style and deep exploration of youth and identity, Cleaners was screened at prominent festivals such as Busan, Torino, and Taipei Golden Horse. In 2022, he directed Luzonensis Osteoporosis, a magical realist short about a “caveman” or archaic human preparing to leave his country as a migrant worker. The film reflects on identity and the socio-political realities of the Philippines. It won the NETPAC Special Jury Prize at QCinema and screened at Tallinn Black Nights and Fantasia International Film Festivals. Barit is an alumnus of BiFan NAFF Fantastic Film School and attended the Scriptwriting Workshop led by Philippine National Artist Ricky Lee.
Kristine De Leon
Kristine De Leon is a Filipina film producer who began her career as an Operations Officer at the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), where she played a pivotal role in pioneering and managing international co-production funds—an experience that laid the groundwork for her transition into independent producing. She has since produced several critically acclaimed works, including Ali by Adnan Al Rajeev and Agapito by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Romero, both selected simultaneously for the 2025 Festival de Cannes Official Competition—an extraordinary milestone for a Filipino producer. She also produced Radikals (2024), which competed in the 63rd Semaine de la Critique at Cannes. Kristine currently serves as the delegate producer for Ria, the debut feature of Arvin Belarmino, which begins production in June 2025 and was developed at prestigious labs such as the 2022 Festival de Cannes La Résidence (CNC Pitch Award), Produire au Sud, and La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institut français, where it received the Sorfond Award. An alumna of the 2023 International Film Business Academy (IFBA) at the Busan Asian Film School, the Produire au Sud Workshop in Nantes, and the QCFC EAVE Marketing Masterclass, she has also participated in the Asian Producers Network at the Singapore International Film Festival and was recently selected for the Zurich Film Festival Academy in Switzerland and APOST Lab in Halle.