Julian, a soldier, is stationed on a deserted island in the Philippine archipelago while in the capital city of Manila a coup d’etat ensues. The island is far removed from the chaos of civilization, still boasting a rather a primitive natural habitat. The only things connecting Julian with civilization are his walkie-talkie, radio and TV. As he stands guard on this deserted island, he begins to sense another presence. As the film progresses, Julian begins to lose his grip on what’s real and what’s imagined. When Julian loses touch with his base because of his own confused state, two soldiers are sent to the island to check on him. One of the soldiers tells the story of another once stationed on the island, who in turn spoke of a mermaid that he was in contact with, and how he was later driven to suicide. Adolfo Alix Jr.’s <Kalayaan> tells the story of a man stripped of all the trappings of civilization and his close encounter with nature in a surreal and poetic style. (KIM Byeongcheol)