DAYBREAK: Respectable Gay Flick

Cinemanyak Rating: 7.0/10
IMDB Rating: N/A
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Seldom do I see a Filipino indie gay film that carries a solid storyline, bears fantastic acting and shows stunning cinematography. DAYBREAK by Adolfo Alix Jr. proved that "gay-topic'ed" films can go beyond sex and can go deeper.

Known for his picturesque approach to films (watch Donsol, Kadin and Batanes), Adolfo's awesome camera treatment was in DAYBREAK (see the trailer below). A Cinemalaya regular, Adolfo was able to create another film which defies formula. The screenplay is simple, but very powerful. It is not pretentious. Very subtle, but it will hit you hard in the end. Coco Martin is an indie expert. Few actors can do such a role, bold yet respectable.

DAYBREAK is definitely one of the best Filipino gay oriented film I've seen in years.

DAYBREAK happens entirely in one place: a rest house in Taal, Batangas. In a single narrative time, we discover what happens to two men spending one night contemplating whether to break up or continue their relationship. William and JP allow us to know their biggest lies. Memories and dreams, truths and lies, fears and desires, betrayal and honesty, love and hate are all closely entwined in this night. Will the light of the sunrise bring this intimacy to an end?

Adolfo always treats the screen as his canvas, and he is not afraid putting colors over it. I once thought that this approach will not work commercially (after Donsol and Kadin in Cinemalaya). But after Batanes and Daybreak, I could fearlessly say that Adolfo Alix Jr. will be one of the biggest names in Philippines cinema.