“When the night stands still”, interview with director Liryc Dela Cruz

February 24, 2025

Liryc Dela Cruz, director of When the night stands still on belonging both to Italy and The Philippines

“When the night stands still”, interview with director Liryc Dela Cruz Chiara Nicoletti

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Liryc Dela Cruz is at the 75th Berlinale with his directorial debut feature “When the night stands still – Come la notte“.

The film, set in Italy is a co-production between Italy and the Philippines and it follows three Filipino siblings, all domestic workers in Italy, reunite in their older sister Lilia’s inherited villa.

The idea came to Dela Cruz as he proceeded to mix up all the tales he heard from friends in Italy and turn those stories into a film.

While depicting the dynamics and interactions between these three siblings, Dela Cruz’s idea was to explore, on a very deep and personal level, the silent corrosive legacy that colonialism has left on the Filipino psyche.

Founder of “Il Mio filippino collective“, when asked if he feels more italian or philippine, Dela Cruz admits to feel both and that, despite all its contradictions and often racism, he still feels very connected to Italy as his land.

Plot

After years of separation, three Filipino siblings, all domestic workers in Italy, reunite in their older sister Lilia's inherited villa. As the night deepens, their long-awaited reunion stirs old memories and unspoken grievances. The air is thick with the weight of what has been left unsaid over time, as the siblings navigate the delicate distance that has grown between them. In the stillness of the villa, they wrestle with an unnameable ache, their shared history unfolding in fragments, revealing the quiet yet profound marks of absence, longing, and fractured connection.

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

Guest

Liruc Dela Cruz

Film

When the night stand still

Festival

Berlinale

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