THE LATEST PROJECT FROM Project 8 Projects is Janus Victoria’s debut film, Diamonds in the Sand, following a morose divorcee (Lily Franky) who, after mourning the death of his mom and learning his next-door neighbor died a “lonely death,” decides to move to Manila, a place he thinks lacks silence.
There’s a distinctly Yu Miri-like vibe to it that I like, which tracks with Victoria’s previous work, Viva Viva Escolta, about a lonely ghost living in Escolta, Manila. We featured that short film in Rappler’s Act One series, which you can watch here.
Japanese actor joins a cast of Filipino actors, including Maria Isabel Lopez, Charlie Dizon, and Soliman Cruz. The film is lensed by veteran cinematographer Ashizawa Akiko (best known for Tokyo Sonata) and is produced by filmmakers across the continent, including Masumi Soga from Japan, Lorna Tee from Malaysia, and our own Dan Villegas.
The new film made its world premiere last year at the Tokyo FILMeX and recently made its European premiere at the 2025 Far East Film Festival.
Watch the full trailer after the jump:
No local release date yet for Diamonds in the Sand, but be sure to bookmark this article or follow our Facebook or Instagram for updates.
