Waves

This June 24, experience one last sultry sojourn of summer 2015 with Waverly Pictures’ Waves. Distributed by VIVA Films, Waves is led by acclaimed actor Baron Geisler with newcomer model Ilona Struzik. The movie also features the special participation of veteran actress Pilar Pilapil.


Waves is the directorial debut of Don Frasco and the maiden project of his Cebu-based production house, Waverly Pictures.

Waves begins with Ross (Geisler) who is lost in his solitude, perhaps at the onset of a quarter-life crisis when he receives an unexpected call from Sofia (Struzik), a friend who has a short layover from a professional modeling job in South Korea. Before Sofia continues her trip home, she has called Ross to catch up, as it has been years since their time together in New York. From the eagerness in his voice, one can tell that Ross has been waiting for this one call, like a desperate castaway who just sighted a ship in the horizon.


When Sofia and Ross meet and dispense with the pleasantries old friends give, their self-conscious silences and stolen glances hint at an intimate history. It is clear that Ross does not want today to end, and manages to convince Sofia to extend her layover with an invitation to an island getaway. Sofia’s reluctance to stay because of waiting commitments is a front, she wants to stay and see what happens.

And so the two friends go on a journey, both casual and cautious in each other’s company. Ross sees this as a slim chance to correct a wrong turn he recklessly made in his past, but he should take extra care this time because carefree Sofia is not a free woman.

Multi-nominated, PMPC and Cinemalaya Best Actor Baron Geisler heads the cast of Waves, his role perhaps a much-welcomed break away from his stereotypical assignments as a villain. His character Ross is still a troubled young man who appears to soothe his pain with heavy drink, and from the spare conversations Ross has with Sofia about their time in New York, there are hints that Ross was quite the devil-may-care upstart. Though the Ross now seems a mere shadow of a person; purposeless, unhappy, and yearning for joy or adventure or just a simple reason to just go on. Baron’s portrayal of Ross has been cited as intense with finesse; possibly due to an internal resonance with the role.

Sofia is played by Polish-American model Ilona Struzik, who also served as the muse that sparked the script and production of Waves. When director Don Frasco was working as a photographer in New York, he had already the idea of Waves but it was only working with Ilona at a fashion shoot that he was able to picture the character Sofia completely. Ilona has had minor roles in other motion pictures, but it was Waves where she has the main role as co-protagonist.

Waves was produced by a global, cross-cultural crew; helmed by Cebuano Don Frasco as director, cinematographer and producer with his fellow New York Film Academy alum; screenplay by Scott Curtis Graham; Yousheng Tang as Steadicam operator; Anna Skrypka as producer.

The production lasted a year, with principle photography in Cebu and Palawan completed in twenty days. Post-production was done internationally by New York-based editor Adrian Ramos with sound design done in Los Angeles and music composed in London.

Waves had a special premiere in Ayala Center Cebu last September 2014. Recently the motion picture was screened in Singkuwento International Film Festival, Manila this February 2015 and NYFA Theater in Burbank, California this March 2015.

Catch Waves this June 24 and take pleasure in one more visage of summer via cinemas nationwide.

Please check here in iSTORYA for updates of Waves local screening schedules, venues and promos!



Diem Judilla
iSTORYA League of Writers

Diem Judilla is currently writing his MA Thesis in Cinema Studies at the University of San Carlos School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design and teaching subjects for the USC Fine Arts Cinema undergraduates. He’s still the creative director of SineBuano and is still involved though covertly in weekend activities to promote and develop Cebuano cinema.