Of Sinners and Saints

This independent film is really worth watching. I catched it in a small film festival in Italy in the city of Siena. Good cinematography for a low budget indie film, great scores. Maybe, sometimes, the score is too much "Hans Zimmer like" but it overall add value to the story which, telling the truth, it is not so original. But it is the way the story is told. It starts rather slow. In the first 30 minutes of the film nothing seems to happen. Not to bad anyway, because the director get us close to the main character, Father Leonardo, an Italian missionary in the Philippines, and the shots are nice. The film builds nicely as it reach the mid part and from there it's a crescendo till the final dramatic scene which is really impressive, with "Sergio Leone style" close ups and pointed guns you hope won't fire. It is sad to know that in the Philippines children are exploited this way and that authorities don't do their best to make these things stop.

Yes. Finally. After watching Brillante's Mendoza films ( I liked a couple of them though) and the tedious work of Lav Diaz i bumped into this little gem on TubiTv. It was free and I gave it a try. After the first 15 minutes I was tempted to pass but I told myself to just wait 10 minutes more. And I did the right thing. It turned out to be, in my opinion, a well crafted and well directed film with good acting and a great interpretation of the lead actor which is also the director of this film. I can say that he has a great eye and can frame the scenes in a very engaging way. It's a religious film. I don't really watch that sort of film but I was attracted by the art work. A priest with a gun? Let's check it out. It's a surprising film with a surprising end, something you don't really expect and makes your blood freeze. I watch a few more film from this director Soriquez but this, is by far, his best work. Great musical score. If you are interested in the dilemma between human and celestial, this is a film not to be missed.

Well crafted independent film. Usually in the Philippines low budget indie are shaky camera, bad photography, not enough character development. This film is different. The camera is steady, sometimes almost too steady where I could have appreciated a good hand held one. The music is exceptional even though sometimes is too "Hans Zimmer like". I would have appreciated a much more minimalist score in some introspective scenes. As far as the content is concerned, I was really touched, as a woman, by how it deals with violence against women. It really makes you hate the"contrabida" (the tagalog word for "antagonist") Polo Ravales for how he treats women. Usually he plays macho and gwapo roles in pinoy movies and TV and I was really impressed seeing him as the bad guy. Regarding Soriquez, director and lead actor, what to say...good job! But if he wants to direct and act as a lead he has to make sure he has really good camera operator and DOP backing him. Just my thoughts....

This hidden gem is both inspiring and entertaining. The story is not that original but the way it is treated is really good also thanks to the good cinematic sensibility and good eye of the director. The film starts slow and ends fast paced and exciting with an excellent orchestral music the scores a unexpected ending. The acting is excellent as well. It's an inspiring film about faith, sacrifice and redemption without the intention of indoctrination.

This film is a very rare example of a Filipino Independent film done with less than 200,000 USD but with an International appeal and standard of execution. The plot is well engineered and fills the gaps of a screenplay that could have been better. There is great acting in this film, starting from the actor/director Ruben Maria Soriquez that delivers a very good performance and ending with Raymond Bagatsing that gives prove of an uncommon intensity portraying Father Carlos, the head priest of a poor area in Manila. The music is superb, composed by the talented Italian musician Franco Eco as well as the cinematography by the upcoming cinematographer Apollo Anao. The film is full of pathos but not the cheap one found in tons of soap opera in the Philippine TV. It's not declared with tears and screams but subtle and whispered. Thumbs up for this film.