The Cinemalaya 2008 film Boses is graded "A" by the
Cinema Evaluation Board, allowing it to receive a 100 percent tax rebate. This
makes Boses the second Filipino film this year to be given a unanimous
grade of "A" after the Sharon Cuneta starrer Caregiver.
A source reveals that the CEB members found the film to be well-crafted and showed "deeply-felt acting by both veterans and newcomers, evocative photography, creative editing and effective design and found it not only beautiful but meaningful as well, without being preachy and admirably understated."
According to Direk Ellen, the Movie and Television Review
and Classification Board gave Boses a PG-13 rating with the remark that
"although there is need for adult supervision, it should be viewed by everyone
from grade school up."
Directed by Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, Boses tackles the healing power of music by telling the story of an abused child (played by Julian Duque) who regains his voice by learning to play the violin under a reclusive musician (portrayed by renowned violinist Coke Bolipata).
Ricky Davao is cast as the abusive father while Cherry Pie Picache is the head of the children's center where the character of Julian is temporarily sheltered.
In celebration of National Children's Month this October, a free screening of Boses will be offered at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Dream Theater this Saturday, October 11, at 2:25 pm.
On October 18, councilor Dennis Alcoreza and the Tondo Asenso Community Foundation will screen the film at the Don Bosco Parish Gym in Tondo for the parents, teachers and children of district 1.
Boses will also be the opening film of the four-day film festival at FEU Manila starting November 18. This event is organized by the President's Committee on Culture, the Film Society and the Office of Student Affairs.
Internationally, it will have screenings at the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival on October 11 and 13. Another Cinemalaya entry, Brutus, will also be showcased in the same film fest but under the Green Cinema section.
The heartwarming tale about the friendship of a boy and a reclusive violinist will compete at the Women's International Film and Television Showcase in West Hollywood slated for December 4-7, 2008.
Direk Ellen is hoping to screen her film in selected mainstream theaters in Metro Manila by late November or early December. Boses is being endorsed by the Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines.
For inquiries for special screenings, please send an email to boses08@gmail.com or call Laarni Aranas at 09198274100. They would like to inform the public that they are pre-selling tickets to schools and organizations with a package for a free screening for their beneficiary communities.