Overseas Documentaries You Should See (ODYSSEE)

Experiential Learning

Overseas Documentaries You Should See (ODYSSEE)

Overseas Documentaries You Should See (ODYSSEE) presents an exciting academic and practical challenge to students - producing a digital documentary overseas. Every year, the theme revolves around the big idea of "Heritage in the Age of Digital".

Students (ODYSSEERS) look at a city or a country and its people for inspiration, personal stories and authenticity, brain-storming for and pitching interesting story ideas while organising logistics of the trip. In teams, students then head overseas for their fieldwork, gaining knowledge about the broader social, cultural and economic implications of the place and its people while putting their filmmaking skills into practice.

Explore: ODYSSEE 2026

In 2026, a group of 15 students travelled to Manila for an immersive field experience, exploring the question: What shapes Filipino identity?

Across diverse teams, students documented a range of lived realities, from pressing social challenges such as flooding and land reclamation to culturally celebrated icons like pageantry, music, and dance. Through conversations with locals and firsthand observation, they captured how communities continue to adapt, celebrate, and persevere, offering nuanced perspectives on everyday life in the city.

Beyond the field experience, students navigated real-world challenges, adapted on the ground, and built meaningful connections with the communities they documented — gaining insights that extend far beyond the classroom.

ODYSSEE 2026: Musika Ng Bayan (Music of the People)

What defines the Filipino spirit? Beyond the surface-level stereotypes lies a profound connection between melody and resilience. This documentary dives into the heart of Filipino Music to find out the role of music in building this unique identity. For these musicians, it’s not about the applause; it’s about fostering a community where everyone belongs.

Musika Ng Bayan is a story of how a nation finds its strength to rise above any hardship through the power of a shared beat and an unbreakable, melodic joy.

ODYSSEE 2026: What We Dance For

The Philippines boasts over 1,000 traditional folk dances, prompting the government to mandate their teaching in Manila schools' PE classes as a means of cultural preservation.

Through the perspectives of students, educators, and a dance expert, What We Dance For examines the disconnect between policy and reality, revealing the paradox that emerges when preservation becomes compulsory. At stake is not just a collection of movements, but the Philippines' living cultural identity.

ODYSSEE 2026: The Weight of Water

In the Philippines, floods have become more than a seasonal disaster.

Anchored by journalist Mara Cepeda, the documentary examines the structures that allow the crisis to persist and the widening distance between those in power and those left to bear its consequences.

Yet even under this weight, something endures. In the face of exhaustion, uncertainty, and seemingly stagnant change, communities continue to speak out, rebuild, and resist.

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Film currently being submitted for competition.

Public viewing will be available after the competition period.

ODYSSEE 2026: What Makes A Queen

Set within the Philippines’ globally renowned pageant scene, the documentary follows a young woman preparing for her final shot at Binibining Pilipinas, one of the country’s most prestigious national beauty pageants. She chases not only a crown but a chance to find her voice, revealing the hidden system of designers, trainers and sacrifices behind the making of a queen.

Through her journey, alongside a veteran bootcamp trainer and a dress designer, the film explores how pageantry extends beyond beauty, becoming a space shaped by purpose, advocacy, community and sacrifice.

🎬

Film currently being submitted for competition.

Public viewing will be available after the competition period.

ODYSSEE 2026: Where The Water Feeds Us

As the coastlines of Manila Bay make way for land reclamation projects, the livelihoods of over 2 million fisherfolks are in the Philippines are under threat. The documentary follows Romel Escarial, a small fisherfolk, who once provided abundantly for his family, until his mussel farm was demolished without his knowledge to make way for the New Manila International Airport (NMIA). Today, he opens a roadside stall selling instant noodles and coffee to get by.

While these projects are sold as a gateway to progress and economic prosperity, who truly pays the price?

Explore: ODYSSEE 2025

In 2025, an eager group of 15 students travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, to explore the country’s rich and diverse cultures while crafting authentic, student-led narratives that offer fresh perspectives on Thai life and communities.

Among the works produced during the trip, รอยล้อ (Wheel Tracks) went on to win in the Student Film category at the New York Tri-State International Film Festival, and later received two Silver awards at the Crowbar Awards for Documentary and Directing.

Another documentary from the same cohort, Sparkling Diamond, also earned two Bronze awards at the Crowbar Awards for Documentary and Cinematography — further underscoring the strength of the students’ storytelling and production craft.