Liz Bautista’s short film on finding care in a fast-paced world is equal parts intimate and relatable.
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The hustle is real, but that doesn’t mean it’s always right. Social media has made taking on the grind and being on the move 24/7 a badge of honor. If you aren’t moving or working, you’re deemed lazy. And while it’s not wrong to want to be productive, this mindset can also lead to neglecting rest. This perspective is especially potent in a big city like Metro Manila where it feels like slowing down and finding time for yourself is impossible. But believe it or not, it is, and it serves as the basis for a short film from creative Liz Bautista. When urban centers feel like the last place for self-care, Liz’s short film finds comfort in the chaos.
REST IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Liz Bautista, a Manila-born but now Paris-based artist and writer, premiered her short film entitled Tender Mechanisms at the Intersections Art Summit in Bangkok earlier this year and recently held a screening last April 25 at Gravity Art Space in Quezon City as part of Reconnecting Intersections. The program celebrates the artistic bridges formed between artists, disciplines, and communities and also serves as a look back at shared experiences, ideas exchanged, and the subtle but powerful shifts that occurred when creators came together beyond borders.
In Tender Mechanisms, the intimate work explores the tension between softness and strength in urban sprawl, focusing on the self-soothing practices that help us navigate a chaotic world. The video follows a protagonist through surreal, fragmented moments in urban landscapes, where acts of care and emotional repair become visual metaphors. Growing up in Manila, Liz found solace in prayer, movement, and sleep amidst the city’s constant activity. These familiar acts underpin Tender Mechanisms and continue to provide comfort and connection in a new environment.
Big cities aren’t known to be the best places to care for your mental health and well-being, and if there are ways to do so, it’s usually adapted to meet the needs of city life. It’s a dynamic and duality reflected in the film’s title: mechanical yet tender, protective yet exposed, artificial yet deeply personal. In these spaces, Tender Mechanisms celebrates the imperfect, intimate ways we care for ourselves, embracing the beautifully flawed essence of being human.
Erratic movements, the quiet surrender to sleep in both private and public spaces (we’ve all been there), and the reflective shimmer of silver fabric transform these gestures into expressions of coping and adaptation in caring for ourselves. One of the major motifs of the film, silver fabric, serves as a mirror that not only reflects the environment but also invites viewers to consider their own methods of self-preservation, offering a chance for introspection and a deeper connection with our personal processes.
All this to say, Tender Mechanisms speaks to and touches upon our need for self-care in environments that may feel wrong to do so. We’ve all dealt with the struggle at one point or another in the push and pull of personal needs with the demands of modern living. Whether it be balancing school and personal life or taking on the pressures of young adult responsibilities, we’ve all been there.
But instead of succumbing to the doom and gloom of grind and hustle culture, Tender Mechanisms invites viewers to see perseverance differently that, while imperfect, speaks to something more. Those quick naps on your school desk might seem like small moments that aren’t a big deal, but they add up. And honestly, that’s not a bad way to see life these days.
To learn more about Liz Bautista and her work, you can follow her on Instagram.
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