Lex Nillos

Hangaway follows the harrowing journey of a dedicated bantay bukid, a loving husband whose life unravels after being scarred by a traumatic experience. Unable to escape the haunting memory, he turns to a powerful, hallucinogenic plant for relief, but soon finds himself trapped in a maddening spiral between reality and illusion, fighting to hold on to the man he once was.

In 1980s Bacolod, at the height of Martial Law, Teopisto—a principled yet warmhearted barber known for his strictness and gentle hands—works in a once-prestigious barbershop. Within its wall’s, customers from all walks of life reveal their quiet anxieties, loyalties, and doubts—turning each haircut into a glimpse of a nation in turmoil. As the conversations deepen and tensions rise, Teopisto’s long-held neutrality begins to crack as he is pulled into the very currents of change he once chose to ignore.

A short film from University of Saint La Salle - Bacolod.