Daphne Nitsuga

The fanatic beliefs of an internet mystic, a cult leader, and a rookie cop gone rogue are tested on the hunt for the "Hidden Man" -- an elusive forest-dwelling cryptid that terrorizes their idyllic suburb.

Inspired by Philippine mythology, the story focuses on Apolaki, Mayari, Tala, and Hanan, the four immortal children of the recently passed creator god, Bathala. As each of these deities wrestles with the grief of losing Bathala, their all-powerful actions create ripples throughout the universe. As a noun, mahal is the Tagalog word for love but as an adjective, it transforms into the Tagalog word for costly or expensive. Dedicated to the director's late father, MAHAL is a story of how love comes at a cost.