Cinemalaya Day 4. I was able to screen 3 full length films in competition. Brutus, Boses and Namets.
BRUTUS. (by Tara Illenberger) tells the tale of two Mangyan children, hired by illegal loggers to smuggle wood from the mountains of Mindoro, as they embark on a dangerous journey to deliver the goods to the lowlands. In the process, they discover a world run by the greed of men, a world governed by ideologies that bring about the armed conflict that plagues the Mindoro highlands, the home of their own people.
I didn't know what to expect when I entered the theater for BRUTUS. True enough, I got surprised on how thick the plot went towards the middle of the film. It is not a linear environmental film, it is about looking for your own identity amidst all the flaws of the society and people around you. The film was well crafted. Stunning was the cinematography. The story was unconventionally great as well. It was able to put enough turns for people to remain attentive to the movie.I have nothing against the film. It was well made. I just can't see the push that could bring it to the festival's top prize.
BOSES. The film that got a standing ovation. The film was so good I decided to make separate blog for this. Click here.
NAMETS (by Emilio "Jay" Abello) is a colorful celebration of food as well as love, and the love of food above all, which is central to being Negrosanon and being Filipino. It follows the flirtation between Jacko and Cassie, two Negrenses who grew up in Bacolod, and whose lives revolve around food. The film will be shot on location in Negros Occidental and will be primarily in Hiligaynon, the language spoken in that region.
After the movie...I was so hungry. If over-the-counter fast food can be considered as comfort food, NAMETS can be considered as a comfort film. The film was not too fancy. The story was simple and easy to follow. It was light and funny. I have nothing much to say...it was just ok. One things that made NAMETS interesting for me were the interstitials in the movie...4 hilarious sub plots which were not connected to the film. It's a nice film to watch if you just want to enjoy...and feel hungry.
Photos: Cast of Namets, Christian Vasquez and Angel Jacob
