Batad  (2007)

Theatrical Release Information:
Batad

The title refers to a subculture of indigenous people who inhabit the Ifugao region in the central Philippines; the heartbreaking title character of Benji Garcia's finely-felt coming-of-age drama is a boy who works diligently and tirelessly to support his family by selling produce in the Banawe market, while his father hearkens off to a nearby region to repair rice terraces. Introduced to urban life for the first time, the young man reasons that he desires far more than the limited future offered by his village, but before he leaves, he must win the heart of the girl he so loves. And he quickly reasons that the best way -- the only way -- to do this is to save up and buy a pair of fantastic trekking boots that will turn her head. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide