(Part One)

The 20th edition of Cinemalaya showcases 10 full-length feature films in competition. Here are my thoughts on the first five I have seen.

‘Alipato at Muog’

JL Burgos presents an investigative documentary on the disappearance of his older brother, activist-farmer Jonas Burgos, the poster boy for the country’s desaparecidos (disappeared). Burgos combines footage and interviews — juxtaposed with his own narration, which sounds like pained journal entries. The documentary fearlessly points to the military and powerful political figures as the forces behind Jonas’s disappearance.

But the heart of the documentary is Jonas’ mother, who, for 16 years, has kept the embers of hope burning as she and her children dig for the truth and demand justice. She is the fortress, the unwavering support, for the cause of the desaparecidos.

For those unfamiliar with the case, the documentary opens the door to the fascinating and terrifying conspiracies and evidence surrounding Jonas’ abduction. However, the documentary could have been tighter, clearer and more focused. It tends to drag in the midsection, and the animation feels forced — more of an interruption, like a YouTube ad.

Despite these craftsmanship issues, the documentary’s subject matter is undeniably compelling, and your heart goes out to the Burgos family, earnestly hoping for their closure. (2.5 out of 5 stars)

‘Balota’

Kip Oebanda, known for the unforgettable 2018 film Liway, returns to Cinemalaya with Balota. Loosely inspired by true events, the film depicts electoral violence in the country. It also serves as the director’s tribute to real-life heroic teachers and poll watchers who risk their lives on election day.

The story focuses on the town beauty, the crass Teacher Emmy (a very committed Marian Rivera), who, handcuffed to a ballot box, fights tooth and nail to stand up for what is right. The film seethes with the director’s cynicism and anger; however, his comedic, hysterical and cheesy theatrical treatment dilutes what could have been a strong, impactful commentary. It clearly aims to be a crowd-pleaser with no subtlety at all. (2 out of 5 stars)

‘Kono Basho’

Visual artist-turned-filmmaker Jaime Pacena’s split-screen triptychs in his opening credits strongly call to mind Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours. The film then quickly unfolds into a slow-burn drama about two estranged half-sisters, the Filipina Ella (Gabby Padilla) and the Japanese Reina (Arisa Nakano), who must come to terms with the death of their father.

Set in Rikuzentakata, a tsunami-torn city in Japan, the drama is beautifully ruminative and restrained. Pacena, who also wrote the screenplay, focuses on his characters’ repressed emotions, which surface from time to time. Nakano, as the sensitive painter Reina, who is gripped by a more profound sense of loss, gives a luminous performance.

Dan Villegas’ cinematography evokes a strong sense of place. The visuals are painterly — both melancholic and dreamlike. Amid the pretty scenery, you can sense the undercurrent of the characters’ resentment, anger, guilt and intense grief.

This nuanced slice of family drama deeply examines the many facets of trauma, from having a half-sibling to surviving a natural disaster and the sudden death of a parent, all compounded by language and cultural barriers.

The sisters’ simmering drama bleeds into another layer of emotions upon the discovery of their father’s collection of visual documentation of the 2011 historic tsunami. We get a glimpse into the natural disaster’s long-term effect on his psyche and its impact on his complex relationship with his daughters from two different women.

Padilla lends believability to Ella’s anger, which is a secondary emotion to her fractured heart. No melodramatic explosive conflict here, as the entire film is rooted in emotional conflict. However, an incident triggers a shift in Ella’s perspective, and we all learn a lesson or two on tolerance, patience and compassion, especially towards our family. (3 out of 5 stars)

‘The Hearing’

Lawrence Fajardo brings an urgent story to the screen — a major social ill: the abuse of deaf children. The film borrows elements from Spotlight and Anatomy of a Fall, but it is rough around the edges and sometimes crude.

The first 30 minutes are tedious to watch as it alternates between sound and silence. While the intention is clear, the technique is ineffective.

The camera often acts as the eyes of its main character, played by the brilliant Enzo Osorio. Fajardo handles the scenes with Osorio with delicacy and a profound understanding of a voiceless child abused not just by anyone, but by a religious authority.

The Catholic Church is known for its global sex abuse cases, with abusive priests simply reassigned. This film sheds light on new information — the lack of sign-language education, especially in rural areas, and the plight of a vulnerable group in the Philippines. When it comes to legal matters, the conditions become simply harrowing.

There is a parallel story led by an excellent Ina Feleo, but it weakly intertwines with Enzo’s tale. Her character is also voiceless and abused, and no one can hear her pleas except her deaf aunt. However, her story need not be as lengthy.

The courtroom drama has clunky dialogue — seemingly rushed and lazy. But all the film’s flaws are redeemed by its powerful story and the equally powerful performance of Osorio. I shed a tear quite a few times. (3.5 out of 5 stars)

‘Kantil’

Joshua Caesar Medroso’s queer science fiction Kantil is bogged down by its many ideas.

The film forces an ineffective love story into its social commentary — between two boys from different social classes, with a bit of a Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight vibe. Medroso’s passion is clearly for the plight of the oppressed poor, specifically the informal settlers in Purok 12, Tibungco, Davao City, where the filmmaker grew up. However, by inserting concepts of aliens (both literal and metaphorical) and supernatural occurrences, among many others, his message gets drowned.

I have always liked Arnel Barbarona’s cinematography, and there are glorious visual compositions and lensing here. However, the quality is a bit inconsistent, with some scenes suddenly lacking a cinematic feel.

Kantil is rambling. It lacks a singular focus and fails to emotionally connect the audience to its large cast of characters. Its two-hour runtime feels like an eternity, an endurance test. With its sexual and violent themes, its Parental Guidance rating is absolutely wrong. (0 out of 5 stars)

The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival runs until 11 August in select Ayala Malls Cinemas.