It’s Okay To Not Be Okay actor Louise Abuel is making his indie comeback through City’s Laundry & Taxes, a short film competing at this year’s SineKabataan Film Lab and Festival.
The coming-of-age mystery follows Miko (Louse), the teenage son of a laundromat owner who stumbles upon a missing classmate’s school ID hidden inside a police officer’s dirty laundry. Together with student journalist Gwen, Miko embarks on an investigation that pushes him out of his quiet complicity.
This marks Louise’s first short film since his breakout performance in Edward (Cinemalaya 2019). He is joined by Mylene Dizon, indie actors Grace Schuke and Clifford Gonzales, and newcomer Arabella Arcega.
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The film is written and directed by Diana Galang, known for The Water We Swim In, a short on gender politics in competitive swimming that screened at the 9th Sorok Short Film Festival Philippines, the 12th Active Vista Human Rights Festival, and the Gandahara Independent Film Festival. Her previous works include Classroom 2022 (Best Picture and Fan Favorite, IKLI: Super Short Film Festival Philippines) and Tara? Takbo! (Best Film and Best Actor, 8th Sorok Short Film Festival Philippines; nominee, 40th Star Awards for Movies; premiere, JCI Hong Kong’s Asia-Pacific Youth Micro Movie Festival).
In a statement, Diana shared, “Being a former student-journalist, I’ve always found words—in any medium—hold immense power to change how we feel, how we perceive the world, and ultimately, how we act.
She added, “CITY’S LAUNDRY AND TAXES is not just a world I built overnight. It is a thought that has lingered within me for years. Such as if I were to be a victim of police violence, would there be someone to fight for me? To speak for me when I can no longer do it myself? These simple questions urged me to write a story that reflects the two faces of achieving justice—one that is done recklessly and one that is done with due process.”
“It led me to write a film reflecting fear, of uncertainty, and the burden of knowing. But more importantly, it is about the quiet strength of choosing to act despite it.”
The project is produced by Earvic Noay of the UP Film Institute, whose credits include JT Trinidad’s Honey, My Love, So Sweet (2025, premiering at Locarno Film Festival’s Pardi di Domani), Denbert Tiamson’s If I Were A Voice (SineKabataan 2024, Queer East UK, Korea Queer Film Festival), and Kenneth Flores’s 1... 2... Strike!!! (Puregold CinePanalo 2025, Pinakaresponsableng Paglikha Award).
City’s Laundry & Taxes and other festival entries will be screened for free from September 5 to 7, 2025 at Red Carpet Cinemas, Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City.