WE’VE SO FAR seen five films in Cinemalaya. Two are highly recommended, “
Patikul” and “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank”, and the other three are disappointments (we’ll write about these three later). Joel Lamangan’s “Patikul” is the touching drama of coffee farmers who fight for the right of their kids to get a good education. It would surely win awards in the Directors Showcase category as it conveys its socially significant message meaningfully. “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” is an absolutely brilliant satire on filmmakers who romanticize poverty and have all sorts of ideas about filmmaking, ranging from relevant to weird and outrageous.
“Patikul” is well acted by Marvin Agustin as the ill-fated school principal, Allen Dizon as the leader of the coffee farmers who wants to give his son a better future, Glaiza de Castro as the dedicated teacher who continues what Marvin has started in their school, Dimples Romana as Allen’s supportive wife, Ciara Sotto as a caring muslim mother, Jaime Pebanco as a farmer whose teenage son joins the Abu Sayyaf, and child stars Martin de los Santos and Angeli Nicole Sanoy as the brightest students in their school who are at center of the film.
