INT. NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE STUDIES – HISTORY
DEPARTMENT – TOKYO – DAY (MID-2006)
A small SHINTO SHRINE stands beside the old door of a
locked room.
An ELDERLY MAN, dressed in a formal dark suit, approaches
solemnly, accompanied by a GUARD. His demeanor reflects
allegiance to a thousand years of Japanese history and
spirit.
He pauses before the shrine, clasps his hands in prayer,
and bows with reverence.
At the water font, he performs the ritual cleansing of
hands and mouth. He bows twice, claps twice, then makes a
single deep bow.
The GUARD unlocks the door. It opens slowly, releasing an
ancient, musty smell.
The ELDERLY MAN enters and switches on a light, revealing
rows of 1950s–60s steel shelving packed with boxes and
files. Ancient objects are stacked against the walls.
Near the door stands an old, heavy WOODEN LECTERN, topped
with a large, timeworn BOOK.
The ELDERLY MAN stands at attention a meter from the
lectern, then approaches it respectfully, ready to open
revered historical records; delving into the spirits of
soldiers past.
The GUARD stares stiffly ahead, his peripheral vision
tracking the old man’s every movement.
The ELDERLY MAN slowly opens the book to the index. His
aged eyes scan the pages.
He sees the name of the COLONEL.
COL. YOSHINOBU TIRADA SUMINO
(SUBTITLES)
He maintains a formal expression, careful not to reveal
emotion.
CLOSE ON: his eyes as he reads.
He learns there are three levels of access.
He turns the pages to the THIRD LEVEL; the most secure.
He sees the name again on the index page.
The discovery is new to him.
His head tilts slightly forward, eyes fixed, as he
quietly reads.
"SPECIAL SERVICES
TO THE EMPEROR"
"TO BE OPENED
ONLY WITH
PERMISSION OF
RELATIVES"
(SUBTITLES)
A slight shiver.
He closes the book, steps back, bows, turns, and exits.
FADE OUT.
INT. ELDERLY MAN’S HOME – NIGHT
The ELDERLY MAN makes a surreptitious phone call.
He confirms the name to a trusted Japanese friend; making
a special request. He is unaware of its final destination
or the true motive behind the search.
CLOSE ON: the ELDERLY MAN, his voice hushed as he speaks
into the phone.
CLOSE ON: the telephone receiver; then his face; then the
unseen contact in Australia on the other end.
FADE OUT.
SCENE 2
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Discipline and Determination at the Military Academy
EXT. JAPANESE MILITARY ACADEMY – PARADE GROUND – DAY
(MID-1930s)
Archival black-and-white FILM FOOTAGE.
A hundred YOUNG CADET OFFICERS, including YOSHINOBU
TIRADA SUMINO, stand at rigid attention.
A HARD-FACED INSTRUCTOR barks commands as the CADETS
march in perfect unity. The parade ground echoes with
SHOUTS and YELLING, discipline enforced with brutal
precision.
Sweat beads on SUMINO’S brow as he and the other CADETS
struggle to maintain formation. Each mistake draws a
stern reprimand.
CUT TO:
INT. MILITARY CLASSROOM – DAY
SUMINO sits in uniform, hunched over classroom notes.
Around him, the future officers of the Emperor’s army are
equally absorbed in their studies.
CLOSE ON: SUMINO ; eyes steely, jaw set ; pushing
through hardship alongside his peers.
FADE OUT.
SCENE 3
Genres:
["Historical Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Chaos of War: Pearl Harbor and Lingayen Gulf
EXT. PEARL HARBOR – OAHU, HAWAII – DAY (DECEMBER 8, 1941)
Archival FILM FOOTAGE.
JAPANESE PLANES buzz overhead, releasing torpedoes toward
battleships and bombs onto airfields.
Quick cuts: burning ships, violent explosions, men
shouting; chaos everywhere.
VOICE OVER (V.O.)
describes the shock of the attack and the abrupt
escalation into full-scale war.
FADE OUT.
EXT. LINGAYEN GULF – PHILIPPINES – DAWN (JANUARY 1942)
Rough seas churn beneath a gray-and-black stormy sky.
FIFTY JAPANESE SHIPS ride the heavy swells.
TRANSPORT SHIPS unload troops into smaller barges in the
heaving water. Uncharted reefs claim several vessels,
threatening the collapse of the battle plan.
Planes fly low, strafing the shoreline. ARTILLERY and
MORTARS explode along the beaches.
JAPANESE TROOPS; including LIEUTENANT YOSHINOBU TIRADA
SUMINO; wade ashore under intense fire from FILIPINO
DEFENSIVE TRENCHES.
Some defenders fight bravely. Others panic and flee into
the hills.
Archival footage overlays the violence; men fall,
explosions erupt, officers scream orders amid confusion
and terror.
FADE OUT.
Genres:
["War","Historical","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Shadows of Resistance
EXT. BATAAN PENINSULA – DAY (APRIL 9, 1942)
Archival FILM FOOTAGE.
U.S. AND FILIPINO TROOPS, exhausted and demoralized,
gather along a dusty roadside.
Emaciated bodies, ragged uniforms, hollow faces. They
wait for orders from their JAPANESE CAPTORS.
JAPANESE GUARDS bark harsh instructions.
Archival images show long columns beginning to move; the
infamous DEATH MARCH begins.
EXT. POW CAMP ROUTE – DAY
The sun burns overhead as captured AMERICAN AND FILIPINO
POWs shuffle forward, bodies weakened by weeks of siege.
JAPANESE TROOPS brandish rifles and bayonets, shouting
orders to keep pace.
Guards show no mercy for the weak.
Staccato images: sweat-drained faces, cracked lips,
desperate thirst.
A handful of lucky men find an opening in the chaos and
sprint into the nearby hills of the ZAMBALES MOUNTAINS,
dodging bullets and pursuing soldiers.
FADE OUT.
SCENE 4
EXT. ZAMBALES MOUNTAINS – NIGHT
A few U.S. ESCAPEES huddle with FILIPINO ESCAPEES beneath
dense foliage, eyes darting at every sound. Paranoia
hangs thick; betrayal is an ever-present threat.
Small fires are forbidden. They sleep rough in cramped
hollows beneath hanging branches. No weapons; only a
native machete, the BOLO KNIFE.
CUT TO:
EXT. ZAMBALES MOUNTAINS – DAY
A makeshift camp. TATTERED, DIRTY UNIFORMS. WHISPERED
WORDS. Long stretches of tense silence and constant fear.
INT. MOUNTAIN HIDEOUT – NIGHT
A battered RADIO crackles softly in the darkness; the
guerrillas’ fragile lifeline to AUSTRALIA.
Desperate messages are sent. Coordinates are shared for
potential supply drops.
They dodge patrols and avoid lighting even the smallest
fire to cook rice.
JAPANESE INTELLIGENCE sharpens; signals are triangulated,
trails pursued.
Quick cuts: crouched shadows racing through tall grass;
anxious faces pressed to the dirt; the loud voices of
JAPANESE SOLDIERS closing in.
FADE OUT.
EXT. NORTHERN PHILIPPINE REGIONS – DAY / NIGHT
Archival-style footage.
Groups of FILIPINO GUERRILLAS and U.S. ESCAPEES move
stealthily through rugged terrain, watching distant
villages, faces drawn and wary.
Rebels stage hit-and-run attacks on JAPANESE PATROLS;
swift and brutal. Distant gunfire echoes. Men vanish into
foliage.
JAPANESE REPRISALS follow.
LOCAL VILLAGERS are rounded up by angry soldiers,
interrogated under harsh threats.
A few are taken; never to return.
The local population remains subdued, living in fear.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Silent Retribution
EXT. PHILIPPINE VILLAGE – NIGHT
Loyal FILIPINO GUERRILLAS slip into a sleeping village,
guided only by moonlight.
They enter a small hut where COLLABORATORS are
identified. Silent, swift justice is carried out with
grim precision.
A rough, heavy SACK is carried out; containing FIVE
SEVERED HEADS.
The sack is delivered as a trophy to the GUERRILLA GROUP
LEADER, LIEUTENANT ROBERT LAPHAM, a U.S. escapee.
JAPANESE ADMINISTRATORS establish firm control across the
wider region.
The mood among the locals darkens. The rural population;
subsistence farmers hardened by tradition; now faces a
stark choice: caution, collaboration, or resistance.
SCENE 5
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Tension in the Hospital
EXT. SMALL REGIONAL HOSPITAL – ROSARIO – DAY
TRUCKS screech to a halt outside the small hospital.
STRETCHERS, laden with wounded soldiers, are rushed
inside by NURSES.
JAPANESE SOLDIERS and OFFICERS storm the entrance, their
sharp voices echoing through the corridors. The MATRON
shouts orders, directing her staff.
INT. HOSPITAL – VARIOUS – DAY
Overcrowded wards spill into the hallways. SOLDIERS lie
on the floor, blood pooling beneath injured limbs.
The COLONEL strides in; formidable, controlled anger
radiating toward the Matron and staff.
Fear ripples through the room. GUARDS take up positions
at each doorway, eyes fixed and unblinking.
The COLONEL surveys the wounded. His gaze sharpens as he
notices a YOUNG NURSE working steadily among the injured.
The nurse tends to wounded men on the floor. She flinches
at the ferocity of the Colonel’s voice.
The COLONEL exits.
The COLONEL returns, overseeing the arrival of fresh
casualties from outside. He speaks harshly to the MATRON.
**COLONEL**
(ordering)
“I will speak to that nurse.”
The MATRON refuses; stern, protective.
The YOUNG NURSE trembles, aware her life may hinge on a
single encounter.
The COLONEL exits again.
The nurse resumes her duties, visibly shaken. Nearby
NURSES whisper, watching her closely.
The COLONEL re-enters and walks directly toward the
nurse.
His demeanor remains rigid; formal military bearing,
commanding voice; flanked by FOUR GUARDS.
The YOUNG NURSE, eyes wide, scared, lowers her head
submissively.
Nearby NURSES whisper, wary and afraid.
Palpable fear. Refusing the COLONEL would be dangerous.
The COLONEL approaches; formal, unexpectedly polite. He
offers her money for cloth.
COLONEL
(discreetly)
For you. Buy material for a dress.
NURSE
(softly, very wary)
Thank you, Sir.
She accepts the modest sum, aware of its significance; a
rare gesture in an atmosphere of fear and suspicion.
A refusal would be insulting; and perilous.
Her traditional values clash with a reluctant respect for
the gesture.
The nurse moves on, continuing her work, determined to
preserve her dignity amid growing suspicion.
Hospital staff quietly report her actions to GUERRILLA
FIGHTERS.
She is observed.
Branded a COLLABORATOR.
FADE OUT.
SCENE 6
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Market of Judgment
EXT. ROSARIO TOWN MARKET – DAY (MAY 1942)
Bustling STALLS line a dusty street. LIVE CHICKENS
squawk. Vendors BARTER produce, the air thick with
CHATTER.
Armed JAPANESE TROOPS patrol the edges of the market,
alert and watchful. GUN EMPLACEMENTS crouch behind
SANDBAGS. LOCALS avert their eyes in forced, meek
submission.
The YOUNG NURSE, modestly dressed, weaves through the
crowd, moving from stall to stall.
She selects DRESS CLOTH, carefully counting out crisp new
JAPANESE–FILIPINO CURRENCY.
VENDORS notice the transaction and recognize her. Some
remain polite, but their expressions reveal thinly veiled
disdain.
Hidden among the shoppers, a few GUERRILLA FIGHTERS cast
sly, disparaging glances her way.
WHISPERS ripple through the crowd as she leaves with her
purchase; the stigma of collaboration settling heavily on
her shoulders.
She cradles the cloth close, acutely aware of the
undercurrent of judgment, yet quietly moved by the simple
sincerity of the COLONEL’S gift.
SCENE 7
Genres:
["Historical Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Stitching in the Shadows
INT. NIPA HUT – NIGHT
An OIL LAMP casts a soft yellow glow over a sparse BAMBOO
TABLE.
The NURSE carefully spreads out the DRESS CLOTH, then
places a paper PATTERN with deliberate precision. She
pins the paper to the fabric.
She squints in the dim light, guiding the cloth beneath
her hands.
A small, fragile smile of contentment crosses her face.
The only sounds are SCISSORS snipping and the gentle,
steady rhythm of SEWING.
She shapes a modest, CALF-LENGTH DRESS, suitable for
public wear.
Outside, the darkness conceals GOSSIP and SUSPICION.
Neighbors have seen her with the COLONEL.
She continues working, shutting out the tension of the
village and the hospital, quietly stitching each seam
with care and resolve.
SCENE 8
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
A Tense Invitation
INT. ROSARIO HOSPITAL – EVENING
The YOUNG NURSE prepares for the night shift, nervously
organizing bandages and medicine.
A hush falls as the COLONEL enters once more; less angry
now, but still commanding.
He approaches her with unexpected politeness and
civility.
Their exchange is awkward. Her fear remains unspoken.
COLONEL
(softly)
Nurse… would you join me for a meal?
NURSE
(timid, torn)
Yes, sir.
She senses the danger of being alone with him, but a
blunt refusal is impossible; her safety is not
guaranteed.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
A Tense Dinner
INT. COLONEL’S RESIDENCE – NIGHT
The NURSE sits at a neatly set dining table. A MAID has
prepared the meal.
Her posture is rigid. Her eyes rarely meet the COLONEL’S.
Their first meal together unfolds in strained politeness;
soft, awkward conversation and fleeting eye contact.
Tradition and modesty restrain any closeness.
Outside the door, GUARDS linger.
Time passes.
Beneath the formality, a quiet chemistry begins to stir
between the nurse and the COLONEL; the fragile beginning
of a relationship, slow and fraught.
It is not safe for the nurse to live alone.
SCENE 9
THE COLONEL MOVES THE NURSE
Genres:
["Drama","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
A Fragile Connection
EXT. JAPANESE GARRISON – DAY
An OFFICER’S CAR pulls up, escorted by armed JAPANESE
GUARDS.
The NURSE steps out, wearing a simple dress and clutching
a SMALL BAG. She is visibly nervous.
Whispers ripple among nearby LOCALS; rumors trail her.
She is now a marked target for GUERRILLA attention.
INT. COLONEL’S RESIDENCE – DAY
The COLONEL leads her inside.
He opens the door to a PRIVATE BEDROOM; a MODERN BED with
CLEAN SHEETS, a stark contrast to her humble BAMBOO HUT.
She sets her small bag down, glancing around,
overwhelmed.
She unpacks her few possessions, awestruck by the
surroundings: a LARGE DINING TABLE beneath MILITARY MAPS,
OIL LAMPS flickering softly.
MAIDS prepare evening meals. GUARDS stand watch at the
entrances, alert and unmoving.
Night after night, the COLONEL and the NURSE sit together
at the table, sharing meals.
Conversation slowly warms. A tentative COURTSHIP develops
over several weeks.
Traditional, modest laughter. No flirting; only quiet,
mutual respect.
They grow closer as guards maintain constant security
outside.
FADE OUT as they share a hesitant embrace.
The nurse stands between poverty and privilege, stepping
into a dangerous new life.
SUPER: Nine months later.
SCENE 10
MATERNITY WARD
Genres:
["War","Romance","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
A Stormy Birth
INT. ROSARIO HOSPITAL – MATERNITY WARD – NIGHT (MONSOON
SEASON)
RAIN pounds the roof. OIL LAMPS flicker, casting unsteady
light over tense faces.
The NURSE, now a MOTHER, lies in LABOR; pain-wracked, her
cries rising with each contraction.
JAPANESE GUARDS stand at the entrances, rifles at the
ready; their presence both intimidating and oddly
reassuring.
A BABY’S CRY suddenly pierces the ward.
A BOY.
Hospital staff move efficiently through their duties, but
exchanged GLANCES betray subtle judgment and disapproval.
The NEW MOTHER lies exhausted beneath MOSQUITO NETTING,
breastfeeding her newborn son; MIKADO.
The COLONEL arrives, quietly proud. He gently cradles his
son.
Unspoken fears linger; danger for a mixed-heritage child
in both Japanese and Filipino society.
JAPANESE ARMY INTELLIGENCE has warned of GUERRILLA PLANS.
Mother and child are now MARKED.
The mother shivers at whispered stories of INFANTICIDE.
She pulls Mikado closer, holding him with fierce, silent
resolve.
MOTHER RETURNS TO THE COLONELS HOUSE
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Tenderness Amidst Turmoil
INT. COLONEL’S RESIDENCE – DAY (MONSOON SEASON)
The MOTHER, weak but determined, rests on a low BED,
nursing her healthy baby.
MAIDS move quietly through the room; bringing food,
tidying, careful not to intrude.
In the evenings, after duty, the COLONEL often takes the
baby into his arms. His face remains controlled, but the
emotion beneath is unmistakable; affection tempered by
worry.
GUARDS maintain round-the-clock security, inside and out.
The COLONEL is frequently away, consumed by regional
security matters. TRAINS rumble past in the distance.
SUPER: Six months later.
Rain-soaked days blur into clear mornings.
The small family steals brief moments of tenderness, yet
the threat of violence never recedes.
Mother and child rarely venture outside, their lives
governed by the rhythms of occupation.
Within six months, she is pregnant again.
SCENE 11
STEAM TRAIN NORTH
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Journey into Uncertainty
EXT. ROSARIO TRAIN STATION – DAYBREAK (DECEMBER 1942)
A STEAM TRAIN looms in the misty dawn, hissing as it
prepares to depart.
The COLONEL, the MOTHER (early pregnant), MIKADO; now
twelve months old; and FIFTY TROOPS board for a long
journey north.
INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE – MOVING – DAY
The MOTHER sits with her MAIDS, making soft, nervous
small talk.
Outside the window, rural landscapes roll past; VILLAGES,
RICE FIELDS, isolated NIPA HUTS.
EXT. REMOTE RAILWAY LOCATION – NOON
The train slows and comes to a halt. No station; just
THREE NIPA HUTS beneath old MANGO TREES, with GUARDS
already in position.
The MOTHER, confused, climbs down onto the dirt.
A MAID carefully hands down the baby. Other MAIDS lower
the LUGGAGE.
LOCAL SOLDIERS stand guard, protecting the railway from
sabotage.
One nipa hut belongs to EDUARDO’S FATHER; a GUERRILLA,
now hiding in the hills.
The train PULLS AWAY.
The group; the COLONEL, MOTHER, child, maids, and
soldiers; moves east across the rice fields toward a
steep hill range.
WALK TO THE WATERFALL SITE
EXT. RICE FIELDS NEAR ROSARIO – EARLY AFTERNOON
A harsh, burning SUN beats down.
The COLONEL, NURSE/MOTHER, MAIDS, and SOLDIERS walk
single file along the narrow, raised edges of brown rice
stubble fields.
The MAIDS carry the baby and hand luggage with care,
heading toward a CLUSTER OF HUTS beside a DRY WATERFALL.
An ENCAMPMENT comes into view; alive with activity.
Surrounding TREES frame the waterfall basin. WORKERS and
SOLDIERS crowd the site.
MINERS dig and haul. GUARDS shout orders.
The work is urgent and chaotic.
An OFFICERS’ AREA is roped off, heavily guarded, bayonets
fixed.
INT. COLONEL’S HUT – DAY
A large TABLE is covered with detailed ENGINEERING
DIAGRAMS and rolled SCROLLS.
OIL LAMPS flicker as ENGINEERS confer over plans, the
COLONEL presiding at the head of the table.
Nearby, the MOTHER and baby settle into a simple hut
under constant guard; a stark, primitive existence with
few comforts.
Water and grain sit in large POTTERY and EARTHENWARE
JARS; common storage vessels destined to play a role in
the burial to come.
SCENE 12
AT THE BASE OF THE DRY WATERFALL – JANUARY 1943
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Endless Labor Under Oppression
EXT. BASE OF DRY WATERFALL – DAY
Blazing heat and oppressive HUMIDITY hang over the basin.
FORTY MINERS labor with PICKS, SHOVELS, and BUCKETS at
the bottom of the now-dry waterfall.
What was once a prewar SWIMMING HOLE is being dug DEEPER,
LONGER, WIDER.
The excavation slowly takes shape; a LINEAR, RECTANGULAR
PIT carved deep into the earth.
LABORERS pass buckets hand to hand in a HUMAN CHAIN,
dumping debris into the beds of waiting TRUCKS.
JAPANESE SOLDIERS stand guard, rifles with fixed BAYONETS
gleaming as they enforce harsh discipline.
NCOs bark commands at the sweat-soaked men.
SENIOR OFFICERS oversee the work from the rim, assessing
progress and issuing orders.
The COLONEL watches; his authority felt at every level.
The pit deepens under relentless sun and labor.
Urgency builds with each passing day.
EXT. WATERFALL WORKSITE – DAY
A convoy of TRUCKS idles beside the excavation.
MINERS heave dirt and rock into the truck beds beneath
the stern gaze of GUARDS.
The heavily laden trucks pull away, heading three
kilometers toward a LARGE RIVER.
SAME LOCATION – LATER
The trucks return, now loaded with RIVER STONES.
Weeks pass in relentless cycles; ceaseless transport,
shouted orders, grinding labor.
FADE OUT.
SCENE 13
FILLING THE NEW RECTANGULAR BLOCK – FEBRUARY 1943
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Race Against the Monsoon
EXT. BASE OF WATERFALL – DAY
Lean, muscular MINERS, their skin darkened by the
unforgiving sun, work in coordinated rhythm.
CEMENT and RIVER STONE are mixed in rough troughs.
LABORERS pour the thick mixture into the deep pit,
forming a solid block that stretches ELEVEN METERS from
the base of the waterfall.
GUARDS scream orders, driving the men at a frantic pace.
The MONSOON looms; heavy rains and a thunderous waterfall
only months away.
The miners race against time, sweat mixing with concrete
as the pit hardens into a massive protective
fortification.
They have only THREE MONTHS to complete the next phase.
SCENE 14
MINERS DIG THE SHAFT & TUNNEL – MARCH 1943
Genres:
["Historical Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Under Pressure at the Waterfall
EXT. BASE OF WATERFALL – DAY
A newly finished CEMENT BLOCK, ELEVEN METERS long, lies
at the base of the waterfall.
Stripped to the waist, MINERS work in rotating shifts.
They climb down a vertical shaft via a BAMBOO LADDER
toward the new work face; a narrow tunnel.
Above the shaft stands a large BAMBOO TRIPOD fitted with
a PULLEY SYSTEM. TIN BUCKETS clatter as they are raised
and lowered.
Below ground, flickering OIL LAMPS illuminate sweat-
soaked, strained faces as the miners dig deeper into the
earth.
CLOSE ON: MINERS, faces streaked with grime, hammering
and chiseling through the HARD SEABED.
Above, JAPANESE GUARDS grow increasingly agitated,
shouting orders down into the shaft.
GUARD
(shouting)
Work faster! Faster! Presto! Presto!
The frantic pace continues; less than THREE MONTHS remain
before the first monsoon rains arrive.
SCENE 15
MOTHER INSIDE THE HUT
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
A Sanctuary Amidst Chaos
INT. COLONEL’S HUT – DAY / NIGHT
The humble NIPA HUT, guarded outside, feels calm compared
to the chaos of the worksite.
The MOTHER sits on a woven MAT, gently tending to baby
MIKADO; feeding him, soothing him, playing softly.
MAIDS move in and out, bringing SIMPLE MEALS and TEA.
Outside, the muffled backdrop is the harsh BARK of
GUARDS’ voices drifting from the excavation.
Soft exchanges between the MOTHER and MAIDS; concern,
gossip, small comforts; blend with the affectionate
sounds of a baby.
A BAMBOO (SAWALI) FENCE offers a fragile sense of
privacy.
At times, the MOTHER overhears JAPANESE OFFICERS shouting
orders at NCOs, their commands echoing from the nearby
site.
Untrained in mining, she listens closely to what the
MINERS say among themselves. Her fluency in ILOCANO
allows her to piece together the true nature of the
excavation.
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Silent Secrets
INT. COLONEL’S HUT – DAY
The MOTHER sits cross-legged on a simple BAMBOO MAT. Baby
MIKADO sleeps beside her.
Her face tightens with anguish as she pulls a small,
cloth-covered DIARY close.
MOTHER (V.O.)
How do I record this without endangering my
child and myself? Loyalty to the Colonel…
loyalty to my son and unborn child?
She opens the diary carefully, turning to a blank page.
She begins to write; choosing words that appear harmless:
notes on the COLOR of the nipa huts near the railway line
where the train stopped, the POSITION of the old MANGO
TREES.
She knows that if the KEMPEITAI, the secret police, ever
read the diary, she and the baby would be summarily dealt
with.
She pauses, tense, and listens.
Satisfied she is unobserved, she closes the diary and
hides it deep within baby Mikado’s blankets.
SCENE 16
DIGGING THE TUNNEL – APRIL 1943
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Labor in the Shadows
INT. TUNNEL – NIGHT
MINERS crouch inside the rough, narrow tunnel.
HAMMERS and CHISELS strike the hard seabed in relentless
rhythm.
Labored breathing echoes. Sweat drips under the dim glow
of a flickering OIL LAMP.
BUCKETS filled with dirt pass hand to hand along a
cramped HUMAN CHAIN.
The air is STAGNANT and CLAUSTROPHOBIC.
Only TWO MONTHS remain before the monsoon rains threaten
to flood and destroy the entire project.
At the tunnel entrance, backlit by lamplight, the looming
SHADOWS OF JAPANESE GUARDS stand watch; silent and
unyielding.
One MINER pauses, wiping sweat from his brow, peering
into the tunnel’s seemingly endless darkness.
SCENE 17
STEAM TRAIN ARRIVES
Genres:
["Drama","War","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Tension at the Railway Line
EXT. VILLAGE RAILWAY LINE – MORNING
A STEAM TRAIN slows and grinds to a halt beside a cluster
of NIPA HUTS.
COLONEL (O.S.)
(shouting)
Stay inside the hut!
INT. COLONEL’S HUT – CONTINUOUS
The MOTHER anxiously peers through a narrow gap in the
bamboo wall, clutching her sleeping MESTIZO BABY.
EXT. TRAIN AND TRUCKS – CONTINUOUS
SOLDIERS leap from TRUCKS parked alongside the train.
They strain to unload HEAVY BOXES fitted with ROPE
HANDLES.
Shouted ORDERS fill the air as box after box is
transferred from train to trucks.
Fully loaded, the TRUCKS pull away, heading toward the
WATERFALL SITE.
The TRAIN powers up and departs north toward SAN FERNANDO
PORT.
TRUCKS ARRIVE AT WATERFALL SITE
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Gold Under Command
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAY
The convoy of TRUCKS halts near the newly excavated
SHAFT.
ENGINEERS supervise as WORKERS assemble; tense, waiting
for instructions.
SOLDIERS bark commands at the MINERS.
The MINERS unload the BOXES and stack them on the ground.
SOLDIERS pry open the lids.
Inside; rows of YELLOW GOLD INGOTS.
The MINERS load several ingots into each BUCKET,
suspended beneath the bamboo tripod, then lower them
carefully to the bottom of the shaft.
SCENE 18
UNDERGROUND: GOLD STACKING
Genres:
["Drama","War","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Buried Secrets
INT. TUNNEL – NIGHT
The tunnel glows with dim, flickering OIL LAMP LIGHT.
MINERS, sweat-soaked and tense, carefully pass each GOLD
BAR down the narrow tunnel toward its far end.
A MINER stands waist-deep in a pit, methodically stacking
the bars with precise alignment.
The grueling process stretches over TWO EXHAUSTING DAYS;
ONE THOUSAND BARS meticulously packed into the pit.
The final bar is passed down.
The MINER places it into position, then climbs out of the
pit.
Other WORKERS immediately begin filling the cavity with
IRONSTONE ROCKS and loose IRON SAND.
SCENE 19
BACK-FILLING THE TUNNEL – LATE APRIL 1943
INT. TUNNEL – NIGHT
MINERS lower BUCKETS of thick, putty-like MUD down the
SHAFT.
The buckets move along the tunnel in a practiced chain. A
MINER methodically back-fills every crevice with damp
mud.
The work is steady and deliberate; earth compacted layer
by layer with WOODEN MALLETS.
Slowly, the tunnel is packed solid with layers of earth
and clay, sealed against intrusion.
THE POTTERY TRAIL
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
The Hidden Trail
INT. TUNNEL – NIGHT (OIL LAMPS)
Yellow, flickering OIL LAMP LIGHT casts dull shadows
along the partially filled tunnel.
Two JAPANESE OFFICERS move carefully through the confined
space.
They press fragments of POTTERY into the damp mud as the
back-filling continues.
The fragments form a narrow, linear trail beginning at
the SHAFT OPENING and extending inward.
The MINERS continue sealing the tunnel with dense mud,
oblivious to the true significance of the pottery line.
The tunnel and shaft are filled up to GROUND LEVEL,
workers trusting their fate to orders they do not fully
understand.
SCENE 20
THE MAP
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Legacy of the Map
INT. COLONEL’S HUT – DAY
The COLONEL, an engineer, sits hunched over a TABLE lit
by a flickering OIL LAMP.
He unrolls a fresh sheet of RICE PAPER and begins to DRAW
the official MAP of the burial site. His pen moves with
crisp, precise strokes; formal engineering Japanese;
marking STONE MARKERS, POTTERY LOCATIONS, and exact
DISTANCES.
This is his sacred duty.
He hesitates, his thoughts drifting to his mixed-heritage
son; aware that neither society will fully accept the
child.
Quietly, he hopes this hidden legacy may one day protect
him.
The COLONEL finishes the map and hands it to a waiting
COURIER, who will deliver it to ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN
MANILA.
SCENE 21
CAMP DISMANTLED – LATE MAY 1943
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
The Hasty Departure
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAY
HUTS and THATCHED SHELTERS are torn down in haste.
WORKERS gather tools and equipment, collapsing FIRE PITS
and erasing all signs of habitation.
Soon, almost no trace remains of the massive burial; or
the months of feverish activity that preceded it.
A few GUARDS remain behind in a nearby village, assigned
to protect the RAILWAY LINE.
JAPANESE OFFICERS and TROOPS board a waiting TRAIN,
departing the site.
They head south toward ROSARIO HOSPITAL for the birth of
a baby girl; YOSHIKO.
SCENE 22
THE MINERS ARE PAID
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Silent Execution
EXT. REMOTE LOCATION – DAY
MINERS, exhausted but quietly hopeful, stand in a line
beside TRUCKS in an isolated CLEARING.
They have been instructed to wait for a car arriving with
their PAYMENT.
Suddenly, TRUCK TARPAULINS are yanked back;
SOLDIERS armed with MACHINE GUNS are revealed.
The camera PANS AWAY, drifting into the distance;
The rattle of machine-gun fire erupts.
A brief, brutal moment.
Silence follows.
Tokyo’s orders: no living witnesses from secret sites.
The air hangs heavy in the aftermath.
Across the countryside, the local population begins to
turn; quietly, irrevocably; against the ongoing
brutality.
SCENE 23
THE GUERRILLAS PREPARE
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Silent Deliveries and Rising Tensions
EXT. BALER BAY – NIGHT (JANUARY 14, 1944)
A SUBMARINE rises silently from the dark offshore waters,
its hull a looming SILHOUETTE.
OUTRIGGER FISHING BOATS glide toward the surf.
Men wade into the shallows, unloading BOXES; ONE TON of
cargo.
CLOSE ON: crates stamped “USA.”
GUERRILLAS move quickly and quietly, scanning the
darkness.
Inside the crates: RADIOS, MEDICAL SUPPLIES, FOOD,
UNIFORMS, WEAPONS, AMMUNITION.
EXT. GUERRILLA CAMP – NIGHT
The men arrive at the GUERRILLA CAMP, rushing to unload.
Every item is precious.
SUPER: By November 1944 ; more than 20 tons delivered by
U.S. submarines.
The guerrillas are now armed, confident, and aggressive.
FADE OUT.
SUPER: Late 1944.
Tension grips the countryside.
FILIPINO GUERRILLAS organize villagers to rise against
Japanese brutality, newly supplied with abundant weapons.
Guerrilla bands execute suspected COLLABORATORS without
mercy.
In retaliation, JAPANESE TROOPS punish and execute
villagers accused of aiding the resistance.
The COLONEL, with the NURSE, MIKADO, and the baby, move
quickly south; avoiding guerrilla-held territory,
searching for a safe passage.
SCENE 24
THE COLONEL, THE NURSE, AND MIKADO – JANUARY 1945
Genres:
["War","Historical","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Evasion in Rosario Hills
EXT. ROSARIO HILLS – DAY (JANUARY 1945)
The COLONEL oversees soldiers DIGGING DEFENSIVE TRENCHES
across the rolling hills.
The terrain; ridges and valleys; offers fleeting cover as
U.S. AIRCRAFT strafe the tree line relentlessly.
The COLONEL, with the NURSE, MIKADO, and the BABY, moves
constantly; scanning the sky, dodging attacks, searching
for safety.
Meager supplies are hurriedly loaded onto TRUCKS. TROOPS
cling to shadows and natural cover.
Anxiety and exhaustion tighten around the family as they
push deeper into the hills; fearful of capture, betrayal,
and execution.
SCENE 25
AT THE WATERFALL SITE – EARLY JANUARY 1945
Genres:
["War","Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Desperate Retreat
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAY
JAPANESE TROOPS withdraw north, skirting the tree line at
the base of the CLIFF as U.S. AIRCRAFT sweep overhead,
strafing the ground.
Dozens of exhausted SOLDIERS stagger past the THREE SMALL
TREES the COLONEL once planted.
MANUEL (19), a villager from the nearby fishing
community, searches for his lost HORSE. As he approaches
the waterfall, he spots it.
Suddenly, desperate JAPANESE SOLDIERS burst from the tree
line, seize Manuel, and tie him to a tree.
Manuel braces for the worst.
A nearby OFFICER slides down the cliff, shouting orders.
OFFICER
(firm, shouting)
We need your horse; go, now!
The soldiers cut Manuel loose.
He snatches his hat from the ground and runs toward the
village.
As Manuel flees, he glances back;
No waterhole remains at the base of the waterfall.
SCENE 26
FINDING SAFER POSITIONS – LATE JANUARY 1945
Genres:
["War","Drama","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Desperate Surrender
EXT. SOUTH OF ROSARIO – DAY / NIGHT
The COLONEL, with the NURSE, MIKADO, and the BABY, moves
south alongside bedraggled TROOPS, traveling cautiously
through tangled TREES.
The baby girl cries too often. With insufficient food for
four, the risk becomes unbearable. She is reluctantly
handed into the care of a local woman.
They hide repeatedly from relentless U.S. AIR ATTACKS.
Grimy and exhausted, they survive on watery rice. MIKADO
complains of hunger.
Day and night, the trio shelters beneath trees, battered
by rain and cold.
Each step south is shadowed by danger.
The COLONEL constantly weighs how; and when; to surrender
safely to U.S. FORCES.
Japanese defensive lines collapse backward. Surrenders
are rare; HAND-TO-HAND fighting continues as U.S. AND
FILIPINO TROOPS advance toward Rosario.
SUPER: August 15, 1945 ; Japan surrenders.
The COLONEL, with his family, surrenders quickly to the
Americans, avoiding capture by guerrillas.
SCENE 27
REVENGE AND RETRIBUTION
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Post-War Retribution in the Philippines
EXT. PHILIPPINE VILLAGES – DAY
Archival PHOTOGRAPHS and VIDEO FOOTAGE reveal brutal acts
of REVENGE KILLINGS and retribution across rural
communities.
U.S. AUTHORITIES recognize the urgency of relocating and
repatriating women who fraternized with Japanese troops,
protecting them from SUMMARY EXECUTION.
SCENE 28
MAKESHIFT CAMPS – OCTOBER 1945
EXT. TEMPORARY PRISONER CAMP – DAY (OCTOBER 1945, NEAR
MANILA)
Thousands of POWs mass behind coils of RAZOR WIRE.
The COLONEL, the NURSE, MIKADO, and the baby girl are
processed; sorted by rank, alleged war crimes, and family
status.
The sun beats down on suffering faces. Severe
overcrowding and poor sanitation trigger waves of
DYSENTERY and MALARIA.
Amid the ordeal, the COLONEL finds a measure of solace;
they have escaped guerrilla vengeance, and U.S. FORCES
show compassion toward families and children.
The family dissolves into the vast crowd of POWs;
resigned to harsh conditions and humiliation, yet
grateful to have survived.
SCENE 29
REPATRIATION BY FREIGHTERS – MANILA TO OKINAWA (NOVEMBER
1945)
EXT. MANILA PORT – DAY
Endless lines of POWs; men, women, and children; are
herded onto TRUCKS under the watchful eyes of U.S.
GUARDS.
More than SEVENTY THOUSAND bedraggled prisoners are
crammed into HOLDING PENS, divided by rank and family
status, waiting beneath a harsh, humid sun.
ARCHIVAL FLASHES: overloaded, rusting FREIGHTER SHIPS
swallow waves of prisoners.
INT. FREIGHTER – BELOW DECK – DAY / NIGHT
Cramped, sweltering conditions. Desperation. Scarce food.
Bodies pressed together in darkness and heat.
Thousands perish en route to OKINAWA and JAPAN.
SCENE 30
OKINAWA POW CAMPS – DECEMBER 1945 (ONWARD TO 1948)
EXT. OKINAWA POW CAMP – DAY / EVENING
Thousands of TENTS and NISSAN HUTS stretch to the
horizon, enclosed by coils of RAZOR WIRE.
The COLONEL, the NURSE, toddler MIKADO, and the baby girl
endure DELOUSING WITH DDT, oppressive heat, and the
constant threat of TYPHOID, TYPHUS, and DYSENTERY.
Primitive SOUP KITCHENS ladle thin rations to endless
queues of prisoners.
There is no privacy.
Survival depends solely on patience, endurance, and quiet
resilience.
SCENE 31
U.S. MILITARY COURT TRIALS
Genres:
["War","Historical","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Trials and Tribulations
INT. LARGE COURTROOM – DAY
Across MANILA, YOKOHAMA, TOKYO, and other cities in Asia,
THOUSANDS are tried and convicted of WAR CRIMES.
Inside the courtroom, dozens of JAPANESE OFFICERS sit in
the dock; among them, the COLONEL.
COURT OFFICIALS read charges and detailed allegations of
wartime atrocities.
JUDGES deliver their verdicts.
The COLONEL is sentenced to THREE YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT.
INT. PRISON VISITING AREA – DAY (VARIOUS)
MIKADO’S MOTHER visits him three times a year, supporting
herself through menial work on U.S. BASES.
Heat and monotony saturate the prison blocks.
Hope flickers only during brief family reunions.
SCENE 32
LIFE IN OKINAWA CAMPS – 1946 ONWARD
Genres:
["War Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Colonel's Release
INT./EXT. OKINAWA CAMP – DAY
Rows of communal NISSAN BUILDINGS rise from muddy ground.
MIKADO and his MOTHER blend into the masses of
repatriated POWs, struggling to adapt to regimented
routines and unfamiliar languages.
Menial labor on U.S. BASES fills their days; structured
schedules, enforced discipline, and an unrelenting
longing for familiarity and home.
SCENE 33
SCHOOLS, CROWDED CLASSES – 1947
INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM – DAY
Rows of CROWDED DESKS, children packed shoulder to
shoulder.
MIKADO sits among hundreds of young MESTIZO CHILDREN;
isolated, withdrawn.
Once protected by privilege, he is now ordinary,
frequently bullied, struggling to learn, always aware of
being different.
U.S. GOVERNMENT TEACHERS enforce regimented lessons in a
noisy classroom ruled by strict discipline.
SCENE 34
COLONEL RELEASED FROM PRISON – MID 1949
Genres:
["Historical Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
A Quiet Commitment
EXT. PRISON GATE – DAY
The COLONEL stands outside the gate, wearing a cheap,
modest SUIT.
Emotion swells as he sees MIKADO and his WIFE waiting for
him.
They share a brief, silent embrace; small smiles, unseen
tears.
Together, they walk quietly toward their NISSAN HUT,
reunited at last as a family.
FADE OUT.
SCENE 35
MARRIAGE – LATE 1949
INT. ARMY CAMP CHAPEL – DAY
The COLONEL and the NURSE stand together with six-year-
old MIKADO.
Simple FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS decorate the small chapel. A
handful of new FRIENDS attend.
The proposal has been gentle. The ceremony is honest and
brief.
They exchange vows quietly, committing to a new life as a
united family.
There is no honeymoon.
The next day, the MOTHER returns to domestic work.
The FATHER keeps long, diligent hours as a CLERK at an
engineering company.
They share a secret; the hidden DIARY, destined one day
for Mikado.
Evenings pass in muted conversation, sometimes settling
into a knowing silence, heavy with all that remains
unsaid.
SCENE 36
SCHOOL YEARS – 1948–1958
INT. PUBLIC SCHOOL / CAMP CLASSROOMS – DAY
MIKADO sits among crowded rows of students, fading into
the background as a mediocre pupil.
Bullying is constant; at public school and throughout the
camp; his mixed heritage marking him as a target.
Lessons continue, but Mikado struggles to connect,
earning little recognition beyond his quiet resilience.
SCENE 37
OKINAWA, FOURTEEN YEARS LATER – EARLY 1961
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Aviation Triumph
EXT. AIRFIELD – DAY
MIKADO, now nineteen, stands beside a SMALL AIRPLANE,
reviewing his notes.
An INSTRUCTOR marks the test sheet.
PASS.
Mikado breaks into a proud, genuine grin.
SCENE 38
MOTHER RETURNS TO ROSARIO – MID 1961
INT. U.S. NISSAN HUT – EVENING
The MOTHER, homesick and tormented by thoughts of the
daughter, YOSHIKO, left behind in mid-1945, sits quietly.
At last, she voices her wish to return home.
The COLONEL comforts her, fully understanding. He then
turns to MIKADO.
COLONEL
(to Mikado)
Stay close to your mother; and protect her.
They gather their small SAVINGS, preparing for the
journey ahead.
SCENE 39
RUSTY CARGO / PASSENGER FREIGHTER – LATE 1961
EXT. PORT – EARLY MORNING
CROWDS surge across the WHARF. HORNS blare. BAGS and
CRATES jam every available space.
The MOTHER and MIKADO board a rusty old FREIGHTER,
jostling for a place to sit.
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Journey of Resilience
EXT. MANILA PORT / BUS – DAY
They push through the dense crowds of MANILA PORT to
reach an aging BUS.
On a dusty, potholed road north, surrounded by LIVE
POULTRY and VEGETABLES, they sweat, sway, and doze as the
bus rattles on.
At last, they step down into the glaring sun.
They begin the long walk; four kilometers; toward the
remains of her old home.
SCENE 40
ARRIVAL AT FAMILY PLOT – DECEMBER 1961
EXT. OVERGROWN FIELDS – AFTERNOON
The MOTHER and MIKADO arrive at a vacant plot where the
old NIPA HUT once stood.
Now there is only LONG GRASS and bare earth.
The MOTHER is shaken by the emptiness. She draws strength
from childhood memories, determined to rebuild.
EXT. FAMILY PLOT – NIGHT
They sleep in the open, the night breeze their only
comfort against mosquitoes.
EXT. FAMILY PLOT – DAY (FOLLOWING DAYS)
They cut BAMBOO for walls and gather THATCH for a roof,
slowly constructing a simple bamboo hut.
For months, the MOTHER searches for YOSHIKO, asking
questions, following faint leads.
She finally learns Yoshiko is living with a wealthy
family; 200 KILOMETERS AWAY, in MANILA.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
A Heartfelt Reunion
EXT. GATED MANILA HOME – DAY
The MOTHER, dressed in ordinary clothes, approaches a
gated residence.
YOSHIKO (17) appears.
They embrace tightly.
INT. GATED HOME – DAY
Mother and daughter sit together on comfortable chairs,
talking quietly, making up for lost years.
EXT. GATED MANILA HOME – DAY
The MOTHER, smiling and fulfilled, embraces YOSHIKO once
more.
She turns and walks away; returning to her distant hut,
heart lighter than before.
SCENE 41
MOTHER DIES – EARLY 1963
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Enduring Solitude: A Journey of Grief
INT. NIPA HUT – DAY
The MOTHER grows steadily weaker, stomach pain dominating
her daily life.
MIKADO tends to her; solemn, gentle.
A CATHOLIC PRIEST administers last rites.
EXT. LOCAL CEMETERY – DAY
A simple pauper’s burial.
MIKADO and two NEIGHBORS lower a reused CASKET into the
ground, then shovel dirt over it.
Mikado stands alone.
Silent.
GRIEVING
INT./EXT. NIPA HUT – DAY / NIGHT
MIKADO, distraught, mourns inside the empty hut.
He turns to the DIARY, seeking comfort in memories of his
parents.
After twelve months, he commemorates his mother’s passing
with ILOCANO PRAYERS, releasing her spirit.
THREE DECADES PASS in poverty and solitude; subsistence
living, rebuilding the hut every few years, selling
chickens and ducks at the market.
The DIARY, wrapped in its cloth bag, becomes his only
tangible connection to family.
SCENE 42
MIKADO QUIETLY VISITS THE WATERFALL – 1980s
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Silent Journey of Reflection
EXT. RURAL ROAD – DAY (DRY SEASON)
FLASH ; THREE SECONDS
The THREE SMALL TREES stand like silent beacons.
FADE IN.
MIKADO, carrying the DIARY, rides an old JEEPNEY forty
kilometers north; sweating, tense.
From the highway, he walks the final three kilometers
along gravel roads, then follows old CARABAO TRACKS into
a densely wooded hill range.
Hidden by trees, he approaches the overgrown WATERFALL
AREA, searching for the three unusual TREES planted by
his father.
He finds them; tall, strong, still growing.
A quiet promise.
Hope for the future.
Mikado turns away, retreating forty kilometers south.
He remains silent; for TWENTY YEARS.
SCENE 43
MIKADO VISITS THE VILLAGE – EARLY MARCH 1994
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Secrets of the Waterfall
EXT./INT. VILLAGE – DAY
MIKADO overhears villagers speaking in hushed tones;
activity at the waterfall. LOUD EXPLOSIONS. MEN DIGGING.
He moves quickly through the village, then walks along
the RAILWAY LINE where the train stopped in 1943.
He arrives at a newly built CEMENT BLOCK HOUSE and asks
to speak with the OWNER.
EXT. CEMENT BLOCK HOUSE – DAY
Outside, beneath a large MANGO TREE; noted in the diary;
Mikado meets CHAIRMAN EDUARDO and EDUARDO’S FATHER, a
former guerrilla.
They sit.
MIKADO
I have information that can help the project
at the waterfall.
My Japanese father was a Colonel.
He buried the object.
My mother kept a diary.
There were three cobu-cobu huts;
green, white, brown;
He points to where the huts once stood.
MIKADO (CONT’D)
Eduardo, your hut had a raised bamboo floor;
painted green.
Mikado then gestures to where THREE LARGE MANGO TREES
once stood; cut down decades earlier.
The now-elderly former guerrilla stares, stunned.
EDUARDO’S FATHER (74)
(in shock)
Every detail the mestizo says is true.
Eduardo and Mikado exchange a look; an understanding.
Mikado and EDUARDO agree to meet again soon.
Eduardo hurries toward the waterfall to inform the
AUSTRALIAN; the MESTIZO, Mikado, has come forward.
His father; the COLONEL; buried the objects.
SCENE 44
AT THE WATERFALL SITE – FEBRUARY 1994
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Mikado's Command
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAY
MIKADO meets the AUSTRALIAN, who listens intently as
EDUARDO recounts the details.
The Australian is visibly surprised; and agrees to
Mikado’s involvement.
Mikado lays out his conditions. He addresses the
assembled WORKERS, calm but authoritative.
MIKADO
(assertive, in control)
Purity of thought and action.
No alcohol.
No women at the site.
No red meat.
A beat.
MIKADO (CONT’D)
And for me; one whole blue marlin
or tuna at each visit.
Mikado directs the workers in ILOCANO.
To the AUSTRALIAN, his English is clear, measured,
precise.
TWO WEEKS LATER
Mikado stands beside the AUSTRALIAN at the SHAFT.
He is ready to supervise.
SCENE 45
WATERFALL SITE
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Revealing the Hidden Tunnel
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAY
MIKADO stands at the base of the waterfall shaft beside
the AUSTRALIAN.
MIKADO
I went to Baguio.
I needed to prove who I was to the
Fil-Jap Society; to be trusted with
the map of the site.
He pauses, dismissive.
MIKADO (CONT’D)
(disparaging)
The way you were doing this is wrong.
You wasted your money.
A beat.
MIKADO (CONT’D)
(with authority)
I will be the teacher.
You will be the student.
The AUSTRALIAN knows better than to argue. He listens. He
waits.
Mikado unfolds the delicate RICE-PAPER MAP; drawn forty
years earlier by his father; and explains the origin and
number of the GOLD BARS.
The Australian studies a feature on the map.
Mikado gestures decisively.
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – CONTINUOUS
Mikado directs the WORKERS to reopen the old shaft at the
western edge of the large exposed block.
At the base of the shaft, he points.
MIKADO
Dig west.
There is a tunnel.
The workers break through a tightly packed wall of ROCKS
and MUD.
A TUNNEL is revealed; its walls and ceiling intact.
SCENE 46
CALLING TO THE SPIRITS ; AND HIS FATHER
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Adventure"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Secrets in the Shadows
INT. TUNNEL SHAFT – DAY
MIKADO descends the LADDER, murmuring STRANGE WORDS.
He crawls two meters into the tunnel, then gently HAND-
DIGS into the mud floor, guided more by instinct than
sight.
He pauses at a soft patch; TWENTY CENTIMETERS BY TWENTY.
His fingers probe deeper.
They touch metal.
A small, flat piece of GOLD.
Mikado slips it discreetly into his pocket.
He climbs back up the ladder, revealing nothing.
Over the next TWO MONTHS, under Mikado’s precise
guidance, the excavation progresses.
The recovered MARKER STONES, tunnel shape, soil color,
and measured distances all prove exact.
Each time the MESTIZO descends the ladder, he quietly
murmurs his prayers.
The AUSTRALIAN notices, finds it peculiar; perhaps
nothing more than a nervous habit.
SCENE 47
BAR SCENE ; DANCING GIRLS
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Adventure"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Uneasy Revelry
EXT. LOCAL BAR – DUSK
MIKADO parks his JEEP and enters with the AUSTRALIAN.
INT. LOCAL BAR – CONTINUOUS
Neon lights pulse. 1970s/80s ROCK MUSIC blares from large
screens.
BIKINI-CLAD WOMEN dance on stage and circulate among
customers.
Mikado and the AUSTRALIAN sit at the BAR and order
drinks.
Mikado is visibly uncomfortable; uneasy amid the brazen
flirting and loud laughter.
The bar girls avoid him. Something about Mikado; his
inexperience, or something deeper; keeps them at a
distance.
THE BAR; FOURTH VISIT
Genres:
["Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
A Night of Panic and Resolution
EXT. LOCAL BAR – DUSK
Mikado parks his jeep close to the entrance.
INT. LOCAL BAR – CONTINUOUS
Mikado and the AUSTRALIAN sit at the bar, facing the
dancers, drinking as the noisy crowd swells around them.
After thirty minutes, Mikado reaches for his WALLET.
His face drains of color.
He rushes outside to check his vehicle.
A GUARD approaches and hands the wallet to the
AUSTRALIAN.
Mikado opens it;
Relief floods his face.
The MAP is still inside.
No more visits to bars.
SCENE 48
THE LACK OF PURITY
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
The Long Game
INT. NIPA HUT – EVENING
MIKADO sits alone in a worn ARMCHAIR, brooding.
He plots how to outmaneuver the AUSTRALIAN, fully aware
that his rival’s finances are running thin.
Mikado chooses the slow game.
The long game.
SCENE 49
DISTRACTIONS TO DUBIOUS SITES
EXT. CLIFF TOP SITE – DAY
The AUSTRALIAN’S depleted finances are now obvious.
MIKADO plays his game; telling the Australian there is an
easier site where a few gold bars can be recovered to
finance the main excavation.
Three futile sites are excavated in succession, designed
to exhaust the Australian’s resources and weaken his
resolve.
Finally, Mikado insists the men dig at the top of a
CLIFF, demanding a TEN-METER BAMBOO LADDER to reach the
cliff face.
MIKADO
There are five gold bars
and a small Buddha.
AUSTRALIAN
(quietly)
Mikado, the ladder can’t be built.
It’s not safe; far too risky.
The Australian looks annoyed, turns away, and walks off.
Mikado remains behind, his expression darkening; surly,
controlled anger simmering beneath the surface.
SCENE 50
AT THE WATERFALL ALONE ; MULTO? (TRUE!)
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
The Watchful Spirit
EXT. WATERFALL CAMPSITE – PRE-DAWN
The campsite lies deserted. The men have gone home to
their families for the week.
The AUSTRALIAN stirs on his STRETCHER.
He opens his eyes.
Just three meters away; hovering above the shaft; is a
small, vertical WHITE COLUMN, like a CLOUD.
Its diameter matches a large fuel drum, but it rises
taller.
He props himself on one forearm, studying it.
The tree line behind the column is completely obscured.
There are no sounds; no traffic, no villagers; only
silence.
He blinks, doubting his senses. There is no morning fog
at the shaded base of the hill.
Terrified, he slowly pulls the sheet over his face.
Moments pass.
He peeks out with one eye.
The column is gone.
A chill settles in.
He feels that something has just examined him; closely.
Later, he will wonder;
Perhaps the MULTO SPIRIT was deciding that success was
not yet deserved.
SCENE 51
THE MISSING GIFT
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Supernatural"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Tensions at the Waterfall
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – MID-AFTERNOON
The MEN have returned to the site.
After two weeks’ absence, MIKADO arrives unannounced.
He scans the area; then notices what is missing.
No GIFT.
No whole fish.
MIKADO
(insulted)
No fish, Where is my fish?!
He storms off.
The DIGGERS bristle at his attitude and the lack of clear
instructions.
ANDRES
(to the workers)
If he is not truthful,
I will fix him.
Bolo haircut.
Weeks pass.
Mikado remains absent. The men grow increasingly angry.
Finally, Mikado is SUMMONED back to the camp.
He returns briefly, issues curt instructions, then
leaves;
Never to return to the site.
The AUSTRALIAN requests a postponement from the OWNERS OF
THE WATERFALL SITE.
He is completely broke.
Broken by Mikado’s machinations.
SCENE 52
THE AUSTRALIAN RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 1995
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Descent into Despair
INT. CHEAP RENTED HOUSE – DAY
For three months, the AUSTRALIAN sits alone, dark-mooded
and defeated.
His FILIPINA WIFE finally confronts him.
FILIPINA WIFE
You have no money.
Fuck off; you’re a loser.
The Australian leaves.
Beaten.
GHETTO STREET MONTAGE
; SCRUFFY CLOTHING
; HOMELESS SHELTERS
; DOLE QUEUES
; BANKRUPTCY PAPERS
; Loss of family
; VAGRANT LIFE
; ALCOHOLISM
; MENTAL BREAKDOWNS
; Menial, temporary jobs
ALONE. late-1996
Unemployed, he begins to WRITE.
He lives in cheap boarding houses, surrounded by
alcoholics and broken men.
Regular PSYCHIATRIST APPOINTMENTS punctuate his weeks.
Night shifts driving TAXIS through empty streets.
Once a year, he returns to the PHILIPPINES;
Clinging to a fragile, fading hope.
SCENE 53
REUNION WITH MIKADO – DECEMBER 2000
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Unspoken Understandings
EXT. HOUSE OF DELO – MID-AFTERNOON
The AUSTRALIAN, a guest in DELO’S family home, rests in a
small bedroom.
Two excited CHILDREN burst in.
7-YEAR-OLD GIRL
The mestizo is here!
The mestizo is here!
EXT. YARD – CONTINUOUS
The Australian steps outside, mentally unprepared.
MIKADO stands beneath the MANGO TREES, speaking quietly
with DELO.
The Australian approaches.
They shake hands; Mikado’s grip soft, slightly sweaty.
Mikado is overly friendly, but beneath the politeness
lies nervousness and awkward restraint.
The Australian feels safer here, shielded by Delo’s loyal
family.
Pleasant conversation about new equipment near the mango
tree, then
AUSTRALIAN
Mikado, what corps did your father
serve in?
MIKADO
Engineers.
AUSTRALIAN
What was your mother’s family name?
A brief pause.
MIKADO
Madriaga. From Tubao.
Mikado produces a LETTER, briefly showing it.
MIKADO (CONT’D)
From my father.
He lives in Hiroshima.
They exchange measured looks.
An unspoken understanding.
They agree to meet again; both bluffing, both projecting
confidence, both sensing they will likely never work
together again.
Mikado’s quiet, subtle plea for help goes unanswered.
He leaves; disappointed.
The Australian watches him go; relieved, yet aware they
both lack the means to continue.
SUPER: Seven years later.
SCENE 54
EXCAVATION WITHOUT MIKADO – 2007
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
The Perilous Excavation
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAY
A shoestring operation. EIGHT WORKERS. A dig site near
the abandoned 1994 TUNNELS.
A new SHAFT descends seven meters through hard-packed
earth before intersecting back-filled tunnels.
Three months of tunneling follow; digging through putty-
like mud, probing north, west, then east.
POTTERY FRAGMENTS trace a winding path through the
tunnels. Blind searching wastes precious time.
The AUSTRALIAN reflects on Mikado’s knowledge.
Where is he now?
EARLY JULY
Water begins seeping into the tunnels; runoff from floods
in the nearby mountains.
The miners rush to excavate a chosen spot where a pottery
patch marks the end of a trail.
Loose IRONSTONE ROCKS sound hollow and ominous as the men
probe deeper.
The Australian hesitates; aware of the danger, the lack
of a secure escape plan.
He orders the workers to withdraw.
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – LATER
The Australian sketches his own SURVEY MAP.
The site is abandoned once again.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Adventure"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
Confronting the Past
INT. AUSTRALIA – VARIOUS
The Australian returns to menial work.
He understands now: working alone with a small group of
Filipino laborers; without a safety plan or protection
from a powerful local family; is effectively suicide.
Anger lingers. He was outmaneuvered by Mikado in 1994.
The loss of family.
The damage to his mental health.
SUPER: Eighteen years of indecision and delayed plans.
Time softens him.
The Australian resolves to find MIKADO.
SCENE 55
ROSARIO – LATE APRIL 2025
EXT. ROSARIO ROADSIDE – MIDDAY
ANDRES and the AUSTRALIAN walk along a dusty roadside
near Rosario, searching for MIKADO near his last reported
address.
They approach a WOMAN selling drinks.
ANDRES
We are looking for Mikado, Mikado Sumino
WOMAN
Mikado died a long time ago.
She points them toward Mikado’s widow.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Echoes of the Past
EXT. SUSAN SUMINO’S HOUSE – DAY
SUSAN lives in poverty on squatter land; a rough BLOCK
HOUSE with a dirt floor.
She recognizes the AUSTRALIAN from 1994.
SUSAN
Mikado died in 2020. COVID.
She shares fragments of Mikado’s story and shows a few
PHOTOGRAPHS of his FIVE CHILDREN.
The AUSTRALIAN, disappointed by the dead end, takes his
leave.
As he walks away, a memory surfaces;
The family name.
MADRIAGA.
TUBAO.
SCENE 56
YOSHIKO – MAY 2025
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
A Meeting of Histories
EXT. HIGHWAY HOUSE, TUBAO, ROSARIO – AFTERNOON
Steep steps rise to a locked GATE.
A MALE SERVANT opens it.
The AUSTRALIAN and ANDRES wait on an immaculate LAWN.
An elderly MESTIZA WOMAN approaches cautiously and leads
them to a shaded seating area.
YOSHIKO
(firm, authoritative)
What do you want?
AUSTRALIAN
I’m inquiring about a mestizo;
Mikado Sumino.
YOSHIKO
My full name is
Yoshiko Madriaga Sumino.
A guarded silence.
Gradually, the tension eases; just slightly; as YOSHIKO
explains her family history. She was sent to relatives
during the 1945 escape.
She produces a thick FOLDER of documents.
Inside: a STATEMENT OF SERVICE from the FIL-JAP
ASSOCIATION detailing her father’s military rank, and
length of service.
The AUSTRALIAN studies the documents carefully, then
looks up at her.
AUSTRALIAN
(meeting her eyes)
Your father was a special man.
His military records are held
in the Third-Level Locked Files
at the Japanese Army
History Department.
To access them, go to the
Philippine-Japan Association
in Baguio and request the files.
Yoshiko’s expression goes still.
Perhaps she already knows.
She nods slighltly.
She grants permission for the documents to be
photographed.
As they part, YOSHIKO extends her arm.
They share a firm handshake.
The AUSTRALIAN is now 75; too old to dig shafts or
tunnels.
But he knows where the target lies.
GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR (GPR) quietly confirmed the
location in 2020.
SCENE 57
WATERFALL SITE – 2026
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Dawn of Remembrance
EXT. WATERFALL SITE – DAWN
YOSHIKO and the AUSTRALIAN walk in silence toward the
site.
The Australian carries THREE SMALL TREES.
Yoshiko opens her mother’s tattered DIARY, carefully
consulting its pages. She gently points to the exact
spots where the earth should be opened and the trees
planted.
The AUSTRALIAN plants the trees.
Yoshiko removes an old PHOTOGRAPH; her father as a young
man; and places it at the base of one tree.
She stands erect.
Bows.
Raises her hands in a quiet SHINTO PRAYER.
Together, they stand beside the trees, gazing WEST toward
the railway line and distant highway.
They imagine the steam train…
Her father supervising the burial…
Her mother holding the diary.
The AUSTRALIAN and YOSHIKO exchange a gentle look.
Both understand the history.
The truth.
More important; respect for her father, and for Japan.
Modern traffic hums faintly in the distance.
Yoshiko and the Australian stand in silence, honoring a
legacy of loyalty, sacrifice, and love.
FADE OUT.
THE END
POSTSCRIPT
In 1996, the Australian writer began assembling records
and details of the excavation once supervised by MIKADO
SUMINO.
In the years that followed, he conducted interviews with
local residents who had lived in the area during 1945,
gathering memories connected to Mikado, the site, and the
missed clues left behind when Mikado chose to break the
Australian’s resolve.
Over decades of research, the Australian traced surviving
relatives, reconstructed wartime movements, and compared
family accounts with archival records in Japan and the
Philippines.
This screenplay preserves what fragments remain; a record
of loyalty, love, and the enduring weight of buried
history.
The physical evidence; pottery fragments recovered during
the 2007 excavation; now rest in a shoe-box, gathering
dust in Central Australia.