This is the last set of Cinemalaya 2014 reviews. It would be unfair to compare this year to 2013, as last year had some of the festival's best output.
Competition Films
Mariquina
I have to say I was wrong when I said 1st Ko si 3rd is the saddest film in this run of the competition. It's actually number two for me. This film is number one.
Present Day: Imelda Navarro (Mylene Dizon) runs a clothes factory. One day she learns that her father has passed away. Her father Romeo (Ricky Davao) was one of the best shoemakers in Marikina. However, Imelda is not particularly close to her father, and through cleverly ordered flashbacks we learn why.
Marikina was once a major producer of quality shoes, with thousands of shoemakers in the area. Now the number has dwindled.significantly, thanks to global competition and increasing costs. There's still a shoe making industry, but it's a shadow of what it used to be. Much like the shoe industry, Romeo mirrors this decline; he suffers a lot as his business and his craft - his very reason for being - comes under threat.
At its core, Mariquina tells a very personal story, that of Imelda's relationship with her father, from her perspective. We never really learn why Romeo killed himself, although we can guess. Much like last year's Sana Dati (the director of Sana Dati wrote both films) this film is about emotions not expressed, words not said, feelings not brought to the surface. Mylene Dizon (and her younger counterpart) is perfect for the role, and Ricky Davao proves once again how awesome he is: vulnerable and heartbroken, yet an enigma to his daughter.
A technically superb film, with and exquisitely tender soundtrack, Mariquina is an emotional wringer that will make tears fall. I'm glad to say I saved the best for last. 8.5 shoes/10.
K'na The Dreamweaver
K'na The Dreamweaver is a story that sounds much like something passed down through oral tradition - the very legends and folk tales it pays tribute to.
K'na (Mara Lopez) is a Dreamweaver, daughter of the village chief (Nonie Buencamino). She trains alongside her grandmother Be Lamfey on how to convert her dreams into intricately patterned works of art. There is one problem, however. She is as yet unable to have dreams.
Soon events outside her scope will test her and force K'na to choose between love and duty.
The story of K'na is very simple, but is decorated with rich visuals, a great soundtrack and decent acting performances. Like I said earlier, the story flows like a folktale. I am a bit concerned by the notion that it's an approach that not everyone will appreciate.
K'na is a richly textured look into a culture, the T'Boli people of South Cotabato. All the characters speak the T'boli language and speak of the customs. The world of K'na is an isolated one, with the story limited to the lake and the communities around it. It's all alien yet fascinating to me, as such glimpses into these cultures is a rarity.
There really isn't much more to say about this film. It's not a film for everyone, and it is relatively simple as films go, but it's a treat for those willing to explore the nuances of another culture.
7 dreams/10.
Short Reviews of Non Competition Films
Mauban: Ang Resiko
Like the title (IMO not the best title choice, but whatever) this movie takes place in Mauban, Quezon. Resiko is a term used for money that is set aside for "having a good time" - in this case, drinking the night away.
There's a lot of drinking in this movie. Dudut is a winemaker who makes what I think is a type of rice wine (Lambanog?). He and his wife Lota are drunk most of time. Meanwhile, their brother Junior fishes out in the sea. All of that drinking obviously will not lead to anything good, and it predictably does not.
The family dynamics between the different members are tested and explored in this film as they encounter and resolve conflicts which include the following: competing with dynamite fishers, getting drunk all the time, or experiencing hazards to their health. The problem is it takes forever for things to get off the ground, and when they do, things resolve themselves too quickly for anything to set in emotionally.
It's okay, but it's a bit forgettable. 6 fishes/10.
Closing Film
A Thief, A Kid and A Killer
Cinemalaya 2014 ends with this film, a comedy/thriller by Korean American director Nathan Adolfson.
Felix Roco is Nico, a down on his luck loser who proposes to rob a jewelry store of a bag of black market diamonds. He enlists the help of two corrupt cops, another person, and his cousin. Of course, things get horribly wrong and Nico + his cousin hide out in an apartment complex, where Nico meets Max, a young kid who lacks that Rexona (tm) confidence. Nico forms a bond with the kid as he tries to get out of the situation.
The movie is funny in a lot of parts, and is bolstered by great performances from Roco and Epi Quizon, who plays the cousin. However the film doesn't feel whole for some reason and is a bit too jumpy and ADHD-ish in parts.
Watch if you have nothing else to do. 6.5 diamonds/10.
Aaaaand that ends Cinemalaya 2014. All that's left is the awards night later tonight. But then, there's a twist to this tale. Stay tuned.
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