Do you believe in second chances?

That is the question posed by the indie film Baliw/Crazy that topbills Ryan Eigenmann as Angelo Martinez, an orphan who grows up to be a serial killer.

As a child, Angelo is abused by his parents and despite the efforts of Fr. William O'Connor (Jaime Fabregas) to rehabilitate him, the young man is still haunted by the demons of his past. Angelo crosses paths with the family of Michael Fernandez, played by newcomer Joshua Deocareza.

A shouting match between the hotheaded Angelo and the parents of Michael—played by Joel Torre and Liza Diño—leads to the bloody massacre of the family. However, fate intervenes—allowing Michael to live.

Many years later, Michael crosses paths again with the murderer of his family. What choice will Michael make? Will he offer forgiveness or exact revenge from the so-called "Lost Angel?"

FIL-AM PRODUCTION. Written, produced and directed by Redd Ochoa, Baliw is his fifth feature-length film but the first to be shot in the Philippines. The 35-year-old director was born here in the country but was raised in California. He founded his own filmmaking company, Redd5Luke Productions, to create this film that was shot in seventeen days.

Redd attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and took up Film and Television Directing at New York University. He is also an accomplished thespian, having been part of numerous New York stage productions.

Baliw was considered in this year's Tribeca Film Festival in New York. However, Redd informed PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) through a text message that "due to the extended deadline that was given to us, our Director's Cut couldn't feasibly meet the said deadline."

The first exclusive public screening of Baliw in the country will take place on May 23-29, 2007, under IndieSine of Robinsons Galleria.

The indie film received an R-18 rating from the MTRCB.

Date: May 23-29, 2007

Venue: IndieSine, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA cor. Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City

Trailer courtesy of Redd Ochoa