Sa Silaw (Shorts B)

Rating:	★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

SURREAL


Surreal, bizarre, weird – three words to describe Reinzi L. Balao’s Sa Silaw. But this silent flick is not your typical Chaplin-like, no dialog film. Its strangeness lets u think as you go along with it – and it may lead to boredom in some ways.

The flick’s offered unusual story is about a young lady named Selya (Katherine Gaytano), who lives in a two-sided, contrasting world. Her character personifies both good and evil beings: she preaches the Word of God on different buses on mornings, and transforms into a nocturnal prostitute afterwards. And the weird thing is that she tries to escape that reality by blinding herself, she focuses a flashlight directly to her eyes and one moment a flashback occurs. Sa Silaw has a really weird story.

Balao’s aim, whatever it was, did not actually capture the viewers’ for the attempt itself was dull as the movie goes along. The technique used was not effective, the approach was off, the idea was a mess, and therefore it was a no-no. It failed to let the audience understand and left their minds hanging, an indication that the whole silent flick was boring, uninteresting, and ineffective.

The sequence of events played a role of making the audience more bored. But the shots though were impressive, for the balance of lighting and contrast was done artistically. The musical score somehow managed to give more life on every scene, it even gave justice in some ways, but that was not a strong factor for the film because the whole packaging still went dull. Nevertheless, artistry was still seen on Balao’s silent flick.

Like Tolentino’s Orasyon, Sa Silaw was featured in a black and white format through out the film that may have triggered its dreary effect. But compared to Orasyon, this film was too strange that it came to a point of boredom, unlike in Orasyon where the black and white setting did go well and added an eerie factor to it.

The strangeness of Balao’s Sa Silaw happens to be the edge of this short, silent flick among others. But his intention, whatever it was, failed because of that edge. Needless to say, the film was really weird, bizarre, and surreal.

Orasyon (Shorts B)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

IMAGINATION


A short flick with intensifying effect of both imagination and creativity, Orasyon by Rommel Tolentino successfully attacked the viewer’s minds – and pulse rate as well!

Orasyon is about an old woman (Federica Figalan), a devout Catholic, who still believes that she would be visited by her son despite the long time they’ve spent apart. And that she experienced a test of her faith towards God and her belief on seeing her child again by the personification of a helper (Gloria Austria), who is actually an opposite of hers.

The clash between good and evil is a common theme for a story, but seeing Orasyon is different. Aside from the fact that it was a short flick, it still managed to tell a story about the battle of light and darkness completely. And the way Tolentino’s creative thinking of portraying the bad side to an imaginative being is a good and effective technique for the film. In fact, the whole story itself is a plus for Orasyon.

Another technique commendable was the idea of having the whole film in black and white. That approach made the short film more eerie and created an impression of frightening moments which actually scared viewers. The shots and transitions were not perfectly executed though. Having two, or sometimes one, scenes captured in different angles and shown at the same time on half and half of the screen was not eye-friendly. It was a sore for the viewers because it divides their attention, which results to confusion. Nevertheless, the musical score did not fail to make scenes more frightening. It was properly embedded on scenes, which actually made it more intensifying, terrifying, and entertaining at the same time.

Tolentino’s Orasyon creatively shaped the viewer’s imagination and effectively presented the ever-popular battle of good and evil in a different way. Yes, it was scary.

Putot (Shorts B)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

POVERTY


Poverty, without question, is a major dilemma up to now for the country. And with Jeck Cogama’s written and directed short flick Putot, poverty was once again mirrored and delivered for awareness.

The struggle of a pre-teenaged boy (Carl Patrick Taylan) about his everyday life in a squatter’s area is the story of Cogama’s creation.

Half realistic, half unlikely, Putot’s story was a combination of two. Realistic, for it depicted well the true nature of living in a squatted area, where people worry about their everyday food and the possibility of expulsion from their so-called claimed area. Unlikely, for the story incorporated an insane father and a love affair with a young girl. But the build up of the story was quite commendable, for the character developed into a boy who would fight for his life and his loved one’s. Though the young lover’s attempt of retreating to another island was the conclusion for the film, it still did not made impact and will not be that memorable for the audience. The attack and technique did not go well on this short movie.

Like Parang Pelikula, the flick also reflected realistic scenes which added an impression of reality to the viewers. It captured the very heart of a squatter’s life. The transition and editing, on the other hand, was also an added asset for the flick. It helped in maintaining the idea of poverty through out the rough ups and downs of the story. The sounds also helped creating the ambience more realistic as well.

Cogama’s Putot showcased the real drama of life in a squatter’s area. And though poverty is a common theme for films nowadays, it still served as a refresher for the audience because of its unlikely sides on the story.

Parang Pelikula (Shorts B)

Rating:	★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

NOSTALGIA


Hubert Tibi’s Parang Palikula is a short film full of feel-good, nostalgic moments which incorporates its over-all package.

The film is about two childhood friends, Pilo (Reiner Revilla) and Justin (Joel Masagnay), whose friendship was tested by trust, self-fulfillment, and time itself.

Its story was a bit confusing, for it never presented well the point of who really was on deathbed through out the film. The attack was not clear enough, and it made the flick a struggle for the viewers. Nevertheless, the story was still commendable for it showcased an inspirational act, and that was the part where one of the boys stole their treasured money savings and donated it to a local parish. It was a bit of surprise for it was unexpected for a boy who always peed on walls with signs “bawal umihi dito” together with his best pal. The contradiction technique was effective.

The flick’s editing should also be blamed for the confusion, because its manner was not clear enough to visually explain what was happening on the story. But it still managed to build up development wherein realization for the audience took place. Moreover, the scenes that were shot on the railways were not good enough because some of it were against the light; but some shots were also effectively interesting and funny, like the boys’ playful act of peeing on walls. The sound also added a mutual effect of interesting and funny moment.

Parang Pelikula is a flick for the best of friends and cliques who wants to establish a better relationship among them. Surely, nostalgia about the precious moments with friends will shower the minds of the viewers at the end of the film.

Puwang (Shorts B)

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

ENVY


Puwang is a short flick which reflects one of the most common family problems associated with man – envy. Written and directed by Anna Isabelle Matutina, her approach of showing the practical side of the story enables the audiences to actually relate with her creation without difficulty.

It is a story of a sister’s (Roence Santos) enviousness towards her sibling and her father’s (Elmo Redrico) negligence of somehow acknowledging her efforts as his daughter. For since the beginning, the father’s favoritism fills up the spaces between the family, which he favors his son (Bon Reyes), who eventually became prodigal but was still loved by the father.

The story was simple, but it moved the viewers. A point of realization was observed at the end part, where the daughter still failed, after years and years of trying, to let her father know that she deserved his attention. It was really a heartbreaking moment when the son suddenly showed up on the hospital once again, and while the daughter was in absence for she was having a nap, the son was the last person the father saw before his last breath. Her efforts of taking care of their worn out father became useless because she was not able to comfort her father up to the last minute that he was living. The desperation within her of fulfilling that punched a realization to the audience, and it was a turn point where one can actually really relate to her condition. The attack was effective enough.

Editing was smooth, plus the fact that its shots also indicated clarity. The transition and sequence of events were properly executed that it enabled easy understanding. On the other hand, the musical score was also fit through out the flick. Each scene has a distinct sound which further emphasized its portrayed emotion.

The whole package was eye-friendly, realistic, and has a sense of simplicity with a crisp. Puwang deliberately tackled the issue of envy effectively, not only as a common family problem, but as a part of the seven deadly sins as well.

Rotonda

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

PUZZLING


A film of cyclic events in an interrelated plot, Rotonda envisions the kind of indie films today that tackles real social issues in a very puzzling sort of manner. Directed by Ron Bryant, the film constitutes enthralling examples of how life really phases in such a very crowded, busy place.

With a mixture of perplexity and genuine occurrences, the story revolved – literally – in a place where people’s everyday lives meet. Just like the films Jologs and The Grudge, Rotonda featured a connected life story of one different person to the other – in a very artistic way because each character’s doing is relevantly connected to the doings of the other characters involved. And the surprising thing was, the thread of the diverse people concerned in the film relied on a very unlikely thing – a marked one thousand peso bill.

The people involved in this rollercoaster ride of tale were a certified drug addict, a retired mad policeman, a feeble loser, a pathetic prostitute, and an infamous fading journalist. These five characters were portrayed by highly-acclaimed actors, Miguel Lorenzo Javier, Celso Ad Castillo, Epy Quizon, Meryll Soriano, and Mark Gil respectively.

Bryant’s brilliant mind and idea of having interwoven characters was such a refresher for the audiences, for it did not fail to catch their attention and interest towards the film. Something that was not-so-new, the approach of the film was still an evident effective technique.

On the other hand, parallelisms were also observed on the film. A literal example of this was Gil’s marked one thousand peso bill, it was first seen on him, and at the end of the film, it was returned to him again. The story itself is very much similar to the lives of the people living in Rotonda, that’s why it had an impact to the audience and it managed to sustain their interests as well. The way it reflected a simple yet tolerable life worked.

Again, contrary to other films which are entitled with a place’s name, Rotonda also differs in a sense that the story was so simple yet it reverberated on the viewers for its very realistic appeals.

All the actors in the film were commendable, especially Gil and Soriano, who both starred on other indie films on this year’s Cinemalaya. Their versatility was shown here for they portrayed their characters with justice. Gil, as expected, created a whole new person in his character that reflected a break-hungry journalist which a lot of mass communication students can really relate to. And, Soriano depicted the life of a woman in disgrace very effectively, for her aura indulges the audience to not only sympathize with her condition, but also to believe her that she is true, a real prostitute.

The film’s editing was notable, for it helped carrying out the true story behind the movie’s puzzling events. The transitions created an impression of developing conflicts, and a developing plot as well. And since the editing was superbly done, the executions of shots were also fit for every scene in the movie. It visualized the real environment of the crowded Rotonda, where people go here, there, and everywhere, in a very busy mode. And yes, this only shows that the film really was realistically done.
Musical score was very realistic too. It helped the film show the true color of Rotonda. One can distinguish the busy and crowded, to the bound and not-so-quiet areas of the place with the aid of the film’s sounds. It added an impression of reality all through out the film’s entirety.

Rotonda is a not so typical sort of indie flick of today, for it is comprised of a well woven story and characters which is also related somehow to the other. Puzzling as it may seem, still, the movie reflected a side of everyone’s life – poverty. And it worked.

Donsol

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

EXEMPLAR


An exemplar of the true meaning of quality local films, Donsol is surely on its way on captivating the minds and hearts of its audiences. Written, produced, and directed by PLM – CMC alumnus Adolfo Alix, Jr., the film is set to bag awards in and out Cinemalaya and the country for it features breathtaking sceneries, juicy acting, and a heartwarming love story of heartbreak and the healing power of love.

Arranged in a well embedded manner, the film is about Daniel, a young B.I.O. (Butanding Interaction Officer) who happens to find himself being drawn to the mysteriousness of Teresa, a tourist who returns in Donsol bearing the scars of her past. Together, they both discovered in each other the essence of love’s mending as time passes by.

Truly, love is an ocean of emotions.

The film did not fail to emphasize that quotation, because aside from its very emotional, moving, and touching story, it also featured actors whom interpretations on their characters were an added X-factor for the film’s entirety. Daniel was played by young actor Sid Lucero, who is known to be born on a family of well renowned actors in the country. Lucero wowed audiences not only with his stunning looks, but also with his portrayal of his character. He was so effective in his manner of acting, and he even made it as if he was really the one he’s portraying! From the looks, to the actions, and to his accent as a Bicolano, everything was perfectly done. It was really splendid, very believable! Acting blood is truly flowing on his veins. Then again, Angel Aquino as Teresa was a surprise here. From the fact that she was not first known on this field, she managed to pull something that audiences were not expecting, at least, for a renowned model like her. Contrary to what people thinks, this lady can really act. This movie was one of her few appearances wherein she is found serious – seriously acting and inspiring people as well. She crossed the borders of modeling and performing with such profound acting prowess, and that was observed here in Donsol. With Lucero and Aquino, a team of powerhouse support cast consisted of Cherie Gil, Jaclyn Jose, Bembol Roco, Mark Gil, and Simon Ibarra also delivered acting on such high standards as well, equally and remarkably.

Unlike other commercial films that was also entitled with a name of a certain place (particularly the film’s setting, where the story mainly evolved) such as Milan and Dubai to name a few, Donsol differs in the sense that it did not abused and romanticized the whole place thing. The story was – yes – simple, but it was artistically depicted. No dull moments, no cheesy scenes, and not even a single sign of ambiguity. Though there were elements of parallelism evident – the myth about the butandings being alike Daniel and Teresa’s situation, it was not bad and boring at all. In fact, it even gave a realization for the viewers, and also an impression of a well-built story with significance and connection. Everything was blissfully conjoined together.

As to its shots, it made audiences mouth-opened, drooling in awe for more of spectacular sceneries. The film featured perfectly captured scenes on each angle appropriate for it, and it was one of Donsol’s edges among the other entries on this film festival.

The editing was smooth. Every transition gave an impression of very eye-friendly visuals. Both the shots and the transitions were perfectly fit together, and thus making this film both enjoyable and moving to watch.

Another plus factor was the movie’s musical score. It helped a lot on emphasizing the highlights on the flow of the film’s story. It was so effective that it helped the sustaining of the audience’s interest on watching the film.

The over-all execution of the film was superbly made. All the aspects of the film’s entirety went hand-in-hand, making the movie a catch itself on the list of independent films on this year’s Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

Donsol is, without a doubt, one of the most promising indie films of the year. Exceptional among others, it surely guarantees a breathtaking experience for its audiences. Truly, this is an exemplar of the true meaning of a quality local film.