Ben & Sam is a 2010 Filipino indie film, directed by Mark Shandii Bacolod

Mark Shandii Bacolod

Mark Shandii Bacolod is a Filipino director, producer, talent manager, and image specialist. He has directed three films: Ben & sam, Fidel, and the short film 5 Minutes.Bacolod is currently directing his fourth film, Sponsor....

 and starring Ray An Dulay, Jess Mendoza, Micah Munoz, Ana Abad Santos and Tara Cabaero. The movie is about two campus kings who are in love. The film, which premiered at the 2010 Queer Love Film Festival on February 17, 2010, was written by Archie Del Mundo

Archie Del Mundo

Archie Del Mundo is a Filipino scriptwriter and film director. He has written 6 produced film scripts since 2009, and 3 more unproduced screenplays currently in production stage...

.

Plot

Ben is haunted by painful memories of his abusive father, and is suffering even more at present due to his increasingly eccentric mother. He is eventually toughened by this condition. Sam, meanwhile, is still grieving the murder of his activist boyfriend. Both boys turn to recreational activities to forget their painful precedents; Ben becomes involved in basketball

Basketball

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

, while Sam takes up dancing.

Although Ben is surrounded by friends, he is unhappy, until a deep emotional connection and mutual admiration brings Ben and Sam together. Although Ben is confused, Sam is persistent and sincere, and their liaison

Affair

Affair may refer to professional, personal, or public business matters or to a particular business or private activity of a temporary duration, as in family affair, a private affair, or a romantic affair.-Political affair:...

 eventually blossoms into something deeper.

Special screening

The film was featured at the 2010 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival as part of the July midnight shows.

Cast

• Ray An Dulay as Ben
• Jess Mendoza as Sam
• Micah Munoz as George
• Ana Abad Santos as Arlene
• Tara Cabaero as Sugar
• Simon Ibarra as Mr. Quirino
• Malouh Crisologo as Dean
• Angeli Bayani as Prof Castro
• Jerri Barrios as Coach Mario