When it comes to hangout spots in the Metro, there’s no shortage of new places popping up. From coffee shops to comedy bars, there’s always something new to try and check out. The only question left is — what’s the vibe?
This time around, we checked out the bunker down right under Comuna: Somewhere Else.
A couple of weekends ago, we headed over to Comuna, a community space and creative hub in Makati, a spot known for its cafes and galleries. Down the basement, Comuna is home to a secret bunker and media space: Somewhere Else.
We got to hangout with the minds behind the space, Helene, Santiago, and their team NJ, Julia, and Uno as they geared up for a screening of Mike de Leon’s Batch 81. Somewhere Else is mostly known for their film club but the space also houses a cafe, and depending on the day, they also have listening room sessions, and creative workshops.
Helene & Santiago always wanted to experiment with community building, so when the opportunity presented itself, they went all in and took the chance.
“This is us trying to show proof of concept to ourselves. Why can’t we just do the thing, instead of always putting it off to someday? We used to say, let’s wait until we have enough money to rent or build a bigger space. But why not just build it now and build it in public? And more importantly, why not build it with other people and allow them to shape that vision with you?”
Santiago explained that the cafe idea grew organically, “We’re a media club, but we don’t charge for the media itself. To keep it supported, what we do is we have a club fee which gets you a drink and a zine written and produced by us. And so, the cafe was a way to support the community building efforts.”
Every step in building Somewhere Else is done with intention. This eventually bleeds even into the movie selection process, Helene expresses that “We like to choose films that can facilitate the kinds of conversations we feel are important. So, a lot of the films we choose prompt us to interrogate the way we live our lives.”
“Sometimes our community will say, “Oh, this is such a bunker film.” That probably means it was a film that provoked some sort of internal reckoning, which then naturally ,promoted conversation. A “bunker film” makes you go, “I just have to talk about this with someone.”
After holding a few film club sessions, Somewhere Else’s community slowly grew, and they had regulars coming back. Little by little, these regulars would bring or recommend the space to their friends.
In the spirit of building the space in public, Helene & Santiago foster the relationship with their community. After a couple of sessions facilitating the film club, people intuitively knew how to connect with each other. In return, that kind of energy made it easier for newcomers to feel at ease.
“There’s something powerful about a purposeful space. When people come together, and the space is purposefully built for a specific experience–there’s a sense of ritual. A mundane activity becomes meaningful. The people who go to that space go there intentionally, and they come in wanting that kind of experience ”
Making an artist space was always the intention, especially with Helene and Santiago admitting their introverted nature. They wanted to have an alternative spot to both meet people and socialize for those who prefer something more laid back, “The benefit I suppose of being an introvert is that, you know, scarcity breeds innovation. So since yung social energy namin, sobrang scarce, we just have to be super innovative. In the film club, you don’t talk. You can just watch,and then after, there could be something to talk about.”
Not even a year in, Somewhere Else is on track building their space, and their community follows along with them. Aside from media clubs and listening room sessions , they’ve also launched the Night School initiative, an alternative model of learning that is taught and led by Filipino artists themselves. As Helene tells us:
“We’ve always asked ourselves: How can we spend our days doing the things that bring value to our lives and our community? Where can we find the place that allows us to do that? We feel lucky we get to build that kind of place. And we do it because we feel like Filipinos deserve Filipino art created by Filipinos.”
Closing things off, sooo what’s the vibe? Somewhere Else offers a space not only to watch bunker films but also a spot for thoughtful conversations and hangouts. It’s also a place where creatives get to discover like minded people, offering a third space to meet people outside of the usual nightclubs and bars.
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