Two films, wrapped in fog and smoke though in varying shades, have the woman as an unreachable ideal: Keith Sicat's WOMAN OF THE RUINS and Alvin Yapan's DEBOSYON

 

 WOMAN OF THE RUINS

109 min, Philippines, 2013

In Tagalog with English subtitles

Cinema One Originals, Kino Arts

Directed by Keith Sicat

Stars Alessandra de Rossi, Art Acuna, Chanel Latorre with Elizabeth Oropesa, Peque Gallaga

 

 

 

DEBOSYON

82 min, Philippines, 2013

In Bikol with English subtitles

Cinemalaya Foundation, Voyage Studios

Directed and written by Alvin Yapan

Stars Paulo Avelino, Mara Lopez

 

 

Two films made by male directors, have as the woman as an unreachable ideal, an object that is unfathomable, either in the here or in the afterworld.

 

In Keith Sicat's WOMAN OF THE RUINS, a woman is swept ashore years after a devastating earthquake left an island in ruins, who may or may not be the protagonist's wife, Maria (Alessandra de Rossi), since she has no memories of her own, it unsettles the husband, Pasyon (Art Acuna) to unspeakable violence and destruction.

 

In Alvin Yapan's DEBOSYON, a mysterious woman appears to a young man, Mando (Paulo Avelino) who falls from a tree in his attempt to reach for a beautiful orchid; the woman, Salome (Mara Lopez) claims to be the mythical Daragang Magayon, who thus becomes his quest.

 

Wrapped in fog and smoke in varying degrees of shading, both films play on the duality of the primal/mythic and the engineered/communal aspects of the individual; because vastly incoherent in their storytelling, there is difficulty in reaching for meanings each narrative aspires to.

 

WOMAN OF THE RUINS, though rendered less effective by inadequate exploration of space - to cite: what explains the implied isolation of the island that makes it inaccessible - nonetheless, it is able to capture the proper mood of threat and fear through its unified visual and aural design.

 

On the other hand, DEBOSYON, while it could have worked better had its special effects expanded to its conclusion wherein the viewer is lifted to the realm of the mystical, after distracted by a lengthy depiction of Catholic religiosity, the film impresses us with its use of native language and folk music. (For this viewer, it always help in assessing the film to have the gorgeous Paulo Avelino, even made unrecognizable by parting his hair in the middle. I am just kidding.) Added plus: The onscreen chemistry of its young leads, Avelino and Mara Lopez, is something to behold).

 

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WOMAN OF THE RUINS won the Audience Choice Award at the 2013 Cinema One Originals festival; Peque Gallaga was awarded Best Supporting Actor.

 

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SINE! says:

 

WOMAN OF THE RUINS

XO (crossover appeal): *

A+ (arthouse potential): **

C> (cult film fav): *

H! (hometown prime): **

 

DEBOSYON

XO (crossover appeal): -

A+ (arthouse potential): **

C> (cult film fav): -

H! (hometown prime): ***

 

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