Filipino director Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan's Vox Humana explores indigenous identity, cultural preservation, and modern challenges through a fresh cinematic lens. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the film highlights authentic narratives while breaking stereotypes.
The Sundance Film Festival has once again returned to Utah turning Park City and Salt Lake City into lively centers for filmmakers, storytellers, and film enthusiasts from around the world.
The Festival will take place from January 23–February 2, 2025, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, with over half of the projects available online from January 30–February 2, 2025, for audiences across the country to discover bold independent storytelling.
As one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, Sundance provides a platform for new and emerging filmmakers to showcase their stories, share their unique perspectives, and connect with audiences on a global scale. This year, the festival is celebrating its legacy of showcasing diverse perspectives, including the work of Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, a rising Filipino director who directed a short film Vox Humana.
We sat down with Filipino director Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan to gain a deeper understanding of his compelling film Vox Humana. Eblahan, an independent writer and director of Ifugao and Visayan descent, is making a significant mark in the film world by showcasing indigenous Filipino identity through his work. Vox Humana explores themes of cultural preservation and the ongoing struggle of indigenous communities in the face of modern challenges.
Eblahan shares that he grew up in the northern Philippines, specifically in the Cordillera Highlands, which is indigenous land. At 18, he moved to the United States to study cinema in Chicago, driven by a scholarship and a passion for American cinema. He highlights how filmmaking is not a common path in the Philippines, where most people pursue more traditional careers. However, Eblahan was drawn to cinema as a way to express his cultural identity, especially with a focus on indigenous themes.
He explained:
“Filmmaking isn’t a typical route in the Philippines. Many families want their children to become doctors, engineers, or lawyers. It's a path that feels more secure to them. But for me, I had a strong pull to tell stories about my heritage and my people, even if it meant stepping away from those traditional expectations.”
Eblahan emphasized how his cultural background profoundly influences his storytelling. Vox Humana not only highlights the beauty and resilience of Filipino indigenous cultures, but also calls attention to the importance of preserving these traditions in the face of globalization and colonization. The film’s title, which translates to “human voice,” symbolizes the fight for cultural identity and self-determination.
Eblahan reflected on the uniqueness of his perspective as a filmmaker, emphasizing that no one else could have made Vox Humana the way he did.
He shared, “Filmmaking is really how you can mark your own identity, no matter what the concept is... if you have the same idea as someone else, it's going to be a different movie, the way you make it versus how they make it.”
Eblahan's deep connection to his roots and his personal journey through indigenous landscapes and urbanization make his storytelling one-of-a-kind, underscoring the authenticity and importance of his work in today’s cinematic landscape.
Film festivals play a crucial role in elevating unique voices and giving filmmakers like Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan a powerful platform. As one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, the Sundance Film Festival is known for showcasing bold, innovative stories that might not otherwise be seen.
Eblahan himself spoke to the importance of such events, stating, “Film festivals, especially Sundance, provide filmmakers the opportunity to share their culture, their identity, and their experiences with a wider audience. It’s a space where independent voices like mine can be heard, and where the stories that matter—like Vox Humana—can resonate globally.”
As Eblahan prepares to present his film at Sundance, the festival's ability to amplify diverse narratives remains a powerful force in shaping the future of Filipino cinema. This isn’t the first time Vox Humana has received recognition—earlier in the year, it won the Best Live Action Short Film award at the Chicago International Film Festival and Best Short Film at the Festival Du Nouveau Cinema De Montreal.
Eblahan’s Vox Humana is not just a cinematic exploration of identity—it’s a challenge to the historical portrayal of indigenous people in film. As he puts it, “We really wanted to reframe how the Filipino indigenous is portrayed cinematically. We wanted to sort of break down stereotypes… we have them on trench coats, looking mysterious, doing cool stuff… something out of the norm than how we’re usually portrayed in the world of cinema.”
His goal is clear: to showcase indigenous people in a fresh, dynamic light—one that embraces modernity, complexity, and nuance. “Indigenous films made by indigenous people can look like a crime thriller, Western, sci-fi film,” he continues. “We have complex stories as well that we're dealing with in the modern world. We're not just savages or victims of colonization—we’re here, and we can look cool in a trench coat as well.”
With this film, Eblahan hopes to break down barriers and change perceptions, creating space for indigenous voices to be heard in a new, powerful context. Vox Humana is more than just a film—it’s a call for indigenous stories to be seen and respected on a global scale.
Vox Humana will screen in Park City on January 27 at 9:30 PM, followed by a screening in Salt Lake City on January 28th.
Single Film Tickets for in-person and online screenings will be available for purchase at the Festival site at festival.sundance.org/tickets. For online screenings, select online Single Film Tickets ($35) for feature films and episodic projects or the Short Films Pass: Online ($50).
World premieres of projects across program categories will feature Jennifer Lopez, Benedict Cumberbatch, Diego Luna, Conan O’Brien, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Ayo Edebiri, Olivia Colman, André Holland, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Bowen Yang, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Lily Gladstone, Dev Patel, Emily Watson, John Lithgow, Marlee Matlin, John Malkovich, Rose Byrne, Dylan O’Brien, Lili Reinhart, Willem Dafoe, and more.
Take a look at the Festival Program Guide to browse the features, episodic works, short films, screening times, and backstories about the filmmakers.
Visit the 2025 Sundance Film Festival site for additional information.