Wanted: Border. Rome & Juliet. Sa North Diversion Road . Altar. Yanggaw.
What do these films have in common? These award-winning titles are products of Cinema One Originals, an annual filmfest that aims to stimulate filmmaking in the Philippines.
This project is spearheaded by Cinema One channel head Ronald Arguelles, who serves as executive producer of the chosen finalists.
This year, seven film projects were handpicked by an eight-member selection committee from over a hundred submitted screenplays. Each film was given a financial grant of one million pesos.
It is yet another exciting lineup. Cinema One Originals parades its bevy of interesting characters. We have a bolo-wielding vigilante, a balikbayan, a mail-order bride, a prisoner-for-hire, a runner for the Abu Sayyaf, a braggart, and two brothers looking for their father.
Below are capsule reviews of each of the competing films in the festival, together with cast information and honors received during the awarding ceremony held last November 14, 2010. (CLICK HERE to view the complete list of winners)
The films are ranked from the most to least preferred by the writer.
I. Ishmael
Director: Richard Somes of Yanggaw fame
Starring: Ronnie Lazaro, Mark Gil, Pen Medina, and Ria Garcia
Awards: Best Editing (tied with Dagim), Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design
Plot: After being imprisoned for 12 years, Ishmael decides to go back to his bucolic town. To his surprise, everyone has turned into religious freaks worshipping a powerful cult leader who calls himself Ama.
VERDICT. Direk Richard brings a rough-edged aesthetic to a story of revenge and redemption. He just might put action films back on the map.
The climactic bloodshed sees the director re-creating scenes from the golden era of action flicks. It's messy, over-the-top, and brutal. Given a bigger budget, the action scenes could have been rendered more fluidly and executed more convincingly.
With his lust for blood and style to boot, Direk Richard can be considered as the Quentin Tarantino of Philippine independent cinema. (CLICK HERE to read the full review)
II. Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria
Director: Remton Siega Zuasola of To Siomai Love fame
Awards: Jury Prize and Best Musical Score
Plot: Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria charts the last 90 minutes of Terya before she leaves her small rural town to marry an old German guy.
VERDICT. Like his award-winning short film To Siomai Love, Direk Remton shoots his first full-length feature in a single continuous shot. For the entire duration of the film, the camera is transfixed on Terya as she walks to the harbor.
The story revolves around the conversations of the people around her: her parents, her cousin, her fisherman boyfriend, and the recruiter. Its appeal is rooted on the engaging dialogue that brims with authenticity and humor.
