Wish U Were Here is an art film and music video that makes use of technologies from the art-installation sphere such as projection mapping and holograms to take the viewer on an ethereal journey through five different countries, complementing the vocalists’ ruminations about a lover from the past. With a retro aesthetic established by the use of old CRT displays and projectors, the film’s stylization compliments the song’s theme that past lovers exist only in our memories and dreams; this is a perceptual sphere that the retro mediums used in the film emulate. All of the track’s musicians are of Filipino descent, and by juxtaposing Manila with New York, the film seeks to expose the international community to Filipino artistry by associating Manila with an already established cultural hub in Tribeca, New York. With its all-Filipino cast of musicians, the film also aims to inspire the Philippines’ global diaspora of creatives.

Directed by Luis Villanueva (USA)