MANILA, Philippine -- American photographer Tim Fitzharris recently shot a movie in scenic Loboc River in Bohol.

?A Far Away Life,? Fitzharris? debut film, features Filipino actor Joross Gamboa in the lead, with a cast of Boholanos.

For Fitzharris, whose works have appeared in publications like Life, Audubon and Popular Photography, filmmaking was a natural progression.

?I?ve spent many years (since 1971) capturing images around the world,? Fitzharris, who?s based in New Mexico, related in an e-mail to Inquirer Entertainment. ?But my real interest is telling stories... that depict the small dramas of everyday life.?

Fitzharris, whose wife Joy is Filipina, said the film is ?based on actual occurrences.?

He said he wanted to make the world aware of the plight of Filipinos overseas. ?Few Americans appreciate the sacrifice that Filipinos make when they leave their homeland,? he said.

Shooting in the island-province went smoothly, he reported, thanks to the ?excellent, enthusiastic production staff.?

The biggest challenge was the heat, he said. ?We must have used 49 umbrellas! We shot early, or late, in the day.?

Fortunately, most of the scenes were set near Loboc River, ?where we could often cool off with a swim.?

On the first day of shoot, however, Fitzharris lost a camera to the Bohol sea.

?The boat suddenly tipped and the cameraman, tripod and camera fell into the water,? he recalled.

Fitzharris was also impressed with Gamboa. ?He gave his all in each scene. He came up with nice ad-libs that we included in the movie.?

But he said the film?s true star is Bohol. ?It?s a beautiful destination,? he said. ?So this film would appeal to people in the US and Europe where winters are cold and dark.?

Fitzharris hopes to distribute the film in the US and the Philippines and enter it in a major film festival.

His next film will also feature Filipinos. ?It?s a comedy about rural Americans ? hicks or rednecks ? who marry Filipinas,? he said, ?a light-hearted look at the clash of cultures.?