JUST as Sophie pulls off from another tender kiss, Paul closes his eyes, savoring the warmth of her arms wrapped around his neck. The sensation is familiar, comforting, perfect—too perfect. Suddenly, Sophie’s body glitches, fragments of pixels disrupting her smile. Reality crashes down as Paul stares at his now frozen wife. With a hollow voice, he whispers, “Restart simulation…”
The haunting scene serves as the thematic core of “Love Eternal”, a short film written and directed by Dominic Czarnota that delves into the intersection of human grief and technology. As Paul struggles with the loss of his wife Sophie, he turns to advanced VR simulation, recreating her as a digital avatar—an act that entangles him in a morally complex journey and leaves the audiences questioning what truly makes love eternal.
Escaping Grief
Anthony Sayo, who takes on the challenging role of Paul, delivers a raw and deeply emotional performance that captures the universal human experience of grief—so intense that it compels the need to escape, yet ultimately leads him into an even more painful reality, one unsurprisingly freeing.
Upon the initial reading of the script, the Bulakeño actor immediately recognized a connection to the character. “When I first read about Paul, I thought it was very human and relatable. I’m a person who wears my heart on my sleeve—I believe in vulnerability. As humans, we want love and want to hold on to it. What if technology could keep a ‘love’ alive? I believed in the story and was glad to be part of it.”
Bringing Paul to Life
As an artist, Sayo drew inspiration from his own emotional experiences. “There’s a saying that when artists feel something, they feel it twice as deeply,” he reflected. “There were moments in my life when I felt broken. Those vulnerable experiences became the foundation of my craft, allowing me to wield my talent to really create an impact.”
His approach to accessing profound emotions has deep roots in his artistic background. “Before acting, my creative outlet was piano. I always play the saddest songs—’Memory’ from Cats, ‘Broken Vow’ from Meteor Garden. By playing piano, I can tap into those deeper feelings easily.”
The Art of Vulnerability
Sayo was drawn to acting from a young age and has always been inspired by the resilience of the human spirit. “Love Eternal,” however, explores the opposite—a story of what happens when the human spirit breaks.
“But I think to feel defeated is also very human,”Sayo reflects on his biggest takeaway from the film. “To show humanity through art, through film, is beautiful. And I feel happy to have collaborated on this project, which allowed me to explore this space as an artist and performer.”
A proud Filipino talent, Sayo has demonstrated his versatility in previous films, including “Mantis Club” (2022), among many others. He will soon star in upcoming projects such as the comedy “The Bissell,” premiering at the L.A. Independent Filmmakers Showcase Film Festival from May 15–26, as well as the horror thriller film “Murmur” and the crime thriller film”Lethal Altitude”, both set for release this year.
Alongside Sayo, Love Eternal stars Anika Kulander as Sophie and Brooke Bayer as Ada.
Following its successful run at Kansas City’s Panic Fest, “Love Eternal” has been officially selected for the Fort Myers International Film Festival. The event will be held in Southwest Florida from May 14 to 18, with the short film set to screen on May 17 at 3:00 p.m. at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center.
(By Ronette Tibay)
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