Transit (2013) - Ping Medina & Jasmine Curtis-Smith

Transit (2013)

Ping Medina as Moises

Irma Adlawan as Janet

Jasmine Curtis-Smith as Yael

Marc Justine Alvarez as Joshua

Mercedes Cabral as Tina

Perla (Pnina) Bronstein as Rotem

Omer Juran as Omri

Toni Gonzaga as Joshua's Mother

Menahem Godick as Israeli policeman

Transit is a 2013 Filipino independent drama film written and directed by Hannah Espia. The film follows a story about a single father who is forced to hide his children from immigration police in Israel after the Israeli government decides to deport children of immigrant workers. [1] It is Espia's full-length debut film. It was mostly shot in Israel. The film competed under the New Breed section of Cinemalaya 2013. The film won Best Film, directing, acting and other technical awards.

Espia said that the inspiration to do the film came after talking to an OFW who was bringing home his child from Israel. In 2009, the Israeli government enacted a law that deports the children of migrant workers unless they fulfill a certain criteria. Both Israeli and migrant workers rallied against the law that separates parents from their children. 

The film will also compete in the 18th Busan International Film Festival under the New Currents section.The film was selected as the Philippine entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.

The film begins and ends in an airport during a father and son’s transit flight from Tel Aviv to Manila. It tells the story of Moises (Ping Medina), a Filipino single-dad working as a caregiver in Herzliya, Israel, who comes home to his apartment in Tel Aviv to celebrate his son Joshua (Marc Justine Alvarez)’s 4th birthday. It was on that day that Moises, together with their Filipino neighbors Janet (Irma Adlawan), and her daughter Yael (Jasmine Curtis), find out that the Israeli government is going to deport children of foreign workers. Afraid of the new law, Moises and Janet decide to hide their children from the immigration police by making them stay inside the house. 

Awards

2013 Cinemalaya Film Festival (New Breed)

Best Film

Audience Award

Best Director – Hannah Espia

Best Actress – Irma Adlawan

Best Supporting Actress – Jasmine Curtis-Smith

Special Jury Citation for Best Acting Ensemble – (Irma Adlawan, Marc Alvarez, Mercedes Cabral, Jasmine Curtis, Ping Medina)

Best Cinematography – Ber Cruz and Lyle Nemenzo Sacris

Best Editing – Benjamin Tolentino and Hannah Espia

Best Score – Mon Espia

2014 Gawad Urian Awards

Best Director – Hannah Espia