Some nights I feel like… watching a good local queer film—and Some Nights I Feel Like Walking delivers exactly that. Written and directed by Petersen Vargas, the film follows a group of young hustlers on the streets of Manila after an unfortunate turn of events sets them on an unexpected journey.
With direct insights from the cast and crew, let’s walk through the film with our High Five Movie Review of Some Nights I Feel Like Walking.
A Grounded Story Told Like a Dream
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking tells a tale as old as time: poverty—how every day is a struggle for survival and how the least fortunate must do the unspeakable just to get by. It reveals a story seen only in the darkest corners of the city, capturing the struggles of real people and delivering a narrative that feels more lifelike than fictional.
In a talkback session, Petersen Vargas—the film’s writer and director—said the film is an attempt to situate Manila in those small, often-overlooked pockets of the city while also illuminating them. “When we give these places light, care, and attention, perhaps people won’t be so judgmental.”
While the film is grounded in reality, tackling serious matters like drug use, prostitution, and corruption, its treatment feels surreal. It balances raw truth with visuals that are poetic and dreamlike, creating a waking dream experience. Often blurring the line between reality and fantasy, the film uses lucid, enticing imagery, making it feel like you’re dreaming with your eyes wide open.
Burning with Meaning
Still from Black Cap Pictures
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking explores loss in many forms. From losing a friend to mourning who they once were, these losses ripple through the story and ultimately shape who the characters become. What begins as survival transforms into finding acceptance and belonging in the lingering warmth of embers left by all they’ve lost.
Miguel Odron, the actor who portrays Zion, shared his thoughts on the ordeals that the protagonists faced in the film. “I think this ‘loss’ for Zion and for these boys becomes something symbolic for them in terms of finding family with each other,” he said
Writer/director Petersen Vargas shared that they worked with Singaporean cinematographer Russell Morton, choosing fire as a visual motif for the film. “It’s fire that bonds these boys, that burns what they own, that also represents what they can own. It’s a lot of things,” Petersen explained.
Fire also embodies the other burning themes—lust, intimacy, vulnerability, yearning, and longing. Not all of these are tied to the physical body, as the story explores desire on a deeper, more emotional level, shaping the characters, the narrative, and its identity as a queer experience.
Raw Queer Truth
Photo from Petersen Vargas
Authenticity is a crucial element in queer media, as these are stories that are often unheard. Some Nights I Feel Like Walking stands as a genuine example of queer representation—both in its narrative and in the people who brought it to life. Reflecting on its creation, Petersen Vargas shared, “This is the film I go back to every year to reconnect with who I truly am as a person and as an artist.”
The film is helmed by a director no stranger to telling queer stories (2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten, Hello Stranger), and that expertise shines through once again. Adding to that authenticity, two of the cast members—Tommy Alejandrino, who plays Rush, and Miguel Odron, who plays Zion—are openly gay and proud members of the community, and their portrayals reflect that pride.
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking is a strong and heartfelt attempt at capturing queer struggles and experiences. It is not perfect, but it carries the weight of care and sincerity from its filmmakers. It doesn’t hold back on explicit scenes, yet it empowers the audience by presenting queer stories as they should be—honest, raw, and unapologetically real.
Natural Performances
Cast from left to right, Argel Saycon as Bayani, Miguel Odron as Zion, Gold Aceron as Miguelito, Tommy Alejandrino as Rush, Jomari Angeles as Uno | Photo from Petersen Vargas
Here’s a fun piece of trivia: Some Nights I Feel Like Walking almost featured a completely different cast. The film’s writer and director revealed that Miguel Odron (Zion) was the only cast member who remained throughout the film’s multi-year production. “It was you (Miguel Odron) and a different cast. There were even different permutations,” the director shared.
Who the rest of this initial cast was will remain between Petersen and Miguel, but what we do know is this: the final cast of this film didn’t just act—they embodied.
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking features a new crop of actors with Miguel Odron and Jomari Angeles lighting up the screen as Zion and Uno. Their chemistry is as magnetic as a moth to a flame. Their moments together pulse with vulnerability and unspoken tension, making every glance feel like a confession.
Considering that most of the cast are relatively new, it’s remarkable how they inhabit these roles with such sincerity and weight. Their performances immersed the audience into the characters’ pain, fears, and longing. You don’t see fictional roles on screen—you see real people with stories, wounds, and fragile hopes.
A Journey in Every Sense
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking is a collection of journeys. The characters travel from the urban jungle of Manila to the distant, reclusive town of Painawa. Along the way, each of the boys grapple with their own internal battles—turning the road trip into something far deeper than a mere physical journey.
Its conception is as layered as the film. Petersen Vargas shared, “I wrote the storyline of ‘Some Nights I Feel Like Walking’ way back in 2017. From that year until 2018, I didn’t have a proper first draft until it made its way to the Ricky Lee Workshop. It was in Sir Ricky Lee’s workshop that I was able to fully develop it.”
That long creative process mirrors the story’s own depth and evolution. Altogether, the film’s technical craft and narrative layers transform the road trip into both a literal and spiritual odyssey—one the audience becomes part of as they watch.
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking will pull you into the flames of its striking visuals and captivating story. In the end, what you take away will be uniquely yours. No matter how you interpret it, this is a film where meaning always finds you.
SEA Wave rates Some Nights I Feel Like Walking 4 out of 5 waves.
Visit linktr.ee/SomeNightsIFeelLikeWalking to find out where this film is screening near you.