"Selda" to have one-time screening at Robinsons Galleria

Filmmakers Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos follow up their highly-acclaimed debut film Ilusyon (Rated A 2005, Cinemanila IFF 2006, Pusan IFF 2006) with the tragic tale of three characters in Selda. The film stars Sid Lucero, Emilio Garcia, and Ara Mina. It also stars Michael de Mesa, Allan Paule, Soliman Cruz, and Ping Medina.


Set in two contrasting environments that undeline the same premise of imprisonment, Selda tells the story of Rommel (Sid Lucero), a young man who accidentally kills a boy, resulting in his incarceration. Inside the jail, he befriends another inmate, Esteban (Emilio Garcia), who becomes his rock support and protector. Seven years later, Rommel is living in the province as a farmer, together with Sita (Ara Mina) his wife. Esteban tracks down Rommel in hopes of renewing a brewing love affair. Rommel and Sita welcome Esteban into their lives, until their intimacy crosses borderlines and results in the undeniable scourge of self-discovery.


Selda is a return to classic forms and delivers a stylish, deliberately-paced treatise on love. This indie film is a sublime and disquieting portrait of a young man whose search for happiness, innocence and true love is laden with guilt and doubt.


The one-time screening of Selda will take place at Cinema 3 of Robinsons Galleria on Sunday, December 23, at 4 pm. The regular run of Selda at IndieSine is tentatively set for February 2008.