Phillip is trying to help his father Sinto move out of his house. His father has to leave by Friday because his lease is up and his landlord is going to tear down the building. With his mother passed away and no other siblings, Phillip is the only one in his dad's life who can help. Packing up is a difficult process. His dad doesn't want to throw anything away that reminds him of his wife, and he's easily distracted. But the biggest obstacle is the old van that Phillip's mom bought -- Sinto won't go until the van is fixed. But the van isn't the only thing in need of repair when it comes to Phillip and his father. Directed and written by Bernard Badion, this moving short drama charts the travails of a Filipino-American son as he attempts to help his elderly father move onto his next stage in life. But parent and child find their dynamic up-ended during the process, complicated by the unique complexities of immigrant parents with first-generation American children. Those difficulties intersect and compound one another until they reach a breaking point, one that can damage or transform the relationship altogether. Shot with a warm, naturalistic style that often feels like an old family photograph, the measured storytelling is driven by Phillip's growing frustrations as he tries to help his father pack up and move before the landlord demolishes his house.
Sometimes these tussles are gently funny and warmly relatable, as sensible, patient Phillip attempts to maneuver through his dad's stubborn eccentricities. But the process is complicated by Sinto's refusal to throw out or donate anything to do with late wife and mother Lourdes. The biggest of these "keepsakes" is Lourdes's broken old van, where Sinto "talks" to Lourdes on a phone every night. As Phillip and Sinto struggle over the minutiae of packing, the van becomes a symbol of a larger impasse of Sinto's refusal to let go of his wife's memory. Phillip appeases his father by arranging for the van to get fixed, but that solution only leads to other issues, which bring the simmering annoyances and resentments out into the open. As Phillip, actor Eugene Cordero is the film's relatable emotional anchor, deftly portraying the growing weariness and frustration as he deals with Sinto, portrayed by actor Raul Aranas with a certain levity and affection for Sinto's quirks. But as both father and son reach the height of tension, a lifetime of hurt and strife pours out, along with the pain of keeping grief locked away for so long.
Just as father and son hit their lowest point, THE VAN offers the small miracle of a whimsical, low-key magical moment to help Phillip find solace and comfort and admit to his vulnerabilities. In doing so, he's able to make room for his father's perspective, giving Sinto the space to let go as well. Empathetic, heartfelt and affectionate, the film ends with a grace note of freedom and togetherness, with both father and son moving onward into what promises to be a more connected future.
