School is back in session for IV-Rizal, and we’re invited to mess up their seating arrangement and join the class (again).

If you’ve been bugging their Facebook page for a new streaming date (in 2000s GM language, OFC), your day has finally come. Glenn Barit’s “Cleaners” will be back online this Sept. 18, 2021 for us nostalgics, unofficial emo culture members, and Philippine cinema fans, or all of the above. A coming-of-age anthology film made out of photocopied and highlighted frames, “Cleaners” will be up on KTX.ph, Upstream, and Spamflix. IDK about you, but I’m already imagining a virtual watch party with my high school gang.

Set in 2008 Tuguegarao City, “Cleaners” follows different students from a high school cleaners group and their struggle towards being “clean” in an otherwise “dirty” world. Divided into four chapters, each story highlights a student’s internal and external villains, even in the most mundane events like Nutrition Month or a Buwan ng Wika rehearsal. However, these challenges go beyond the four corners of the classroom.

Aside from being recognized as QCinema 2019’s Best Picture and bagging a couple of Gawad Urian nominations, “Cleaners” also topped Letterboxd’s Halfway 2021 list. Here’s the seal-of-approval proof, for your reference.

And don’t worry, this isn’t a question of whether you’ve peaked in high school or not. You just had to be there.

0h,, aNüna?? T4rA n00d! .GM.

Tickets are currently up for grabs on KTX, Upstream, and Spamflix.

Understanding Filipino youth culture through regional cinema

Next stop for PH cinema fans? The Manila Metropolitan Theater

Still from “Cleaners”