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EVERYTHING
STAYS

Gabe, a Filipino-American high school senior, has led his younger cousins through childhood; but as the summer after graduation winds down, his cousins have one last chance to tie him down in Illinois, forcing Gabe to decide what’s more important: his family or his future?

TOGETHER (OPENING)

The score's lulling push-and-pull theme represents reconciliation and grief in this mother-daughter scene. Expanding into the credits, this cue is also a tonal representation of the entire film, thus having the largest instrumentation out of any of the tracks: large string ensemble (violin, viola, cello, bass), harp, piano, and synth. The theme repeats in reverse halfway through the credits, creating a musical palindrome, touching on the idea that memory is a reflection in the mirror of life events.

SAY GOODBYE

To mimic the movement of the car and Sam's swirling state of mind, the score starts with rolling chords over a hint of low, atmospheric synths. As the scene transitions into the home, darker synths take over the landscape while cascading harp harmonics, reversed cello, and high violin flautando fade in and out - these sweeping tides follow Sam's emotions as she tours each space. 

WHERE I WANNA BE

This piano-dominant cue builds up to the moment of "discovery" - when Sam finds a photo of her mother. I created a home-audio-like recording to create warmth for something tactile and intimate as flipping through a photo album. The piano line rises over a wash of reversed strings, which aurally turns the clock back to match the concept of going back in time through memory.

ES Full
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CAST

Writer & Director | Cole Bacani
Original Score | Maia Thomas & Cole Bacani
Starring | Ryan Gatus, Sari Arambulo, & Nicole McCullough
Producers | Norrie Palmer, Lily Norris, Akshay Ravi & Cole Bacani
Executive Producer | Jason Y. Lee & Jim Oesterreich
Director of Photography | Brian Tang
Production Designer | Abel Ryan
Editor & COVID Compliance Officer | Joseph DeRose
1st Assistant Director | Pierson Carlsen
Production Sound & ADR Recordist | Reid Andersen
Colorist | Joseph Yao

PREMIERE

Premiere:
6/26/21
Palm Springs International ShortFest

All showings:
Palm Springs International ShortFest
LA Shorts International Film Festival
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 
Hollyshorts Film Festival 
New York No Limits Film Series
San Diego Asian Film Festival

 

AWARDS

Four Academy Award-qualifying film festival selections: 

Palm Springs International ShortFest
LA Shorts International Film Festival
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 
Hollyshorts Film Festival 





 

© 2020-2025 Maia Thomas Composition All Rights Reserved

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