Directed by Zig Dulay
Spoiler: the scarecrow did it. Just kidding.
Bambanti is a film with a simple premise - it's a tale about a missing watch and the two families involved in the incident. But in the process of uncovering the culprit, a the fragile threads holding the social order unravel, revealing issues of deception, class, privilege, prejudice and influence in a small town in Isabela.
This struggle pitting one class against another doesn't feel forced; but you can feel it in the atmosphere of the film, in every awkward silence, in every action, every glare. Alessandra de Rossi dishes out a fine performance as a woman who seems to have the world burdened on her shoulders. Gorgeous cinematography and shot composition complement the work, and there are some marvelous scenes where the situation is left to speak for itself, without words.
The movie takes you through a lot of twists and turns, and the mystery is eventually solved. But as the end reminds us, despite the outward artifice of manners and pleasantries, gaping wounds remain underneath and will likely never be healed. The scarecrow's innards are hollow.
If films of this quality are any indication, here's to a 2015 with more films rooted in social realism.
Overall Thoughts
This was a fun festival. Despite only showing five films, the quality inherent in each film is apparent. Although attendance was relatively low for each screening, I can only hope positive word of mouth and more quality films down the road help attract more of an audience.
From most favorite to least favorte, I would rank the films this way:
1. Imbisibol
2. Bambanti (a close second.)
3. Balut Country
4. Swap
5. Ninja Party
There are reports that some screenings in some SM Cinemas were shown earlier than scheduled; I personally experienced this during my viewing of Bambanti, which was shown half an hour late. Luckily for me, I had arrived late to the cinema so I missed nothing, but there were a lot of irate senior citizens outside waiting for the movie to start.
For its freshman outing, I have to give Sinag Maynila credit for providing the moviegoing public with some quality films.
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