A knock at the door. The traditional announcement ‘Tao po!’ (‘I am human’) is heard, declaring that the voice is not a monster’s…

Sore Throat (2023) is a visually stunning research-led film that explores how sound overheard through walls has impacted queer people in the Philippines, where the interpretation of sound is informed by monstrous mythology and the distortions of colonisation and gentrification. In the film’s glowing midnight world, a character played by Davide Bugarin shapeshifts between matador, coloniser, emcee, and young queer Filipino. Shot in portrait orientation, the film blends cabaret, architecture, and moving image - it features theatrical backdrops created with architectural software and original songs made in collaboration with Manila-based band Kalye Teresa.

As rejection and self-judgement swirl, monstrosity lingers but cannot be pinned down, and thin walls struggle to contain either safety or sound. Sore Throat is created by architectural designer Davide Bugarin and artist Angel Cohn Castle. Produced by cabaret company Pollyanna.

The film is 20 minutes long, and will be preceded by an introduction then followed by a Q&A with the artists.