The horror indie film Numbalikdiwa will have a weeklong screening at IndieSine from May 2 - 8, 2007. Roberto "Bobby" Bonifacio, Jr. directed the Audience Favorite Award winner of the 2006 Cinemanila International Film Festival.
According to the blog of the makers of the film, Numbalikdiwa is an ancient, macabre ritual where the dead assumes the body of a living person. Like cannibalism, it involves the ingestion of the deceased's ground meat and bones as part of the ritual. With the help of the Sasigloho, an ancient tribal deity, the dead assumes the identity of the living and continues to live his/her life accordingly, granting near immortality to the one who practices it.
The film opens with the story of Karissa (Meryll Soriano) and Anton (Ping Medina). A tragic incident spurs Anton to seek the help of his Lola Nimia (Estrella Kuenzller) who is the last of the clan with knowledge of the Numbalikdiwa. She has always wanted to teach Anton this ancient ritual and have him perform it on Karissa upon her death, thereby making her immortal.
However, Karissa is infatuated with Carlos (Albert Martinez), a successful professional who frequents their barbecue stall with his girlfriend Portia (Maricel Soriano). Tension evolves between Karissa and Anton as the former dreams of a life that is not hers to begin with and the latter wishing only happiness for his one true love.
The frequent insistence of Lola Nimia to pass on the Numbalikdiwa legacy to Anton creates a whirlwind of conflict in the mind of her grandson. And fate always seems to take a turn for the worse.
Screening date: May 2 - 8, 2007
Venue: IndieSine, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA cor. Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City