RATING: 8/10
Nowadays, it's rare to be given a glimpse of a good film from a local setting, and a film that was made because of the support of the crowd. That's why I consider this entry from Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino a real gem.
I finally had the chance to watch Arnel Barbarona's Tu Pug Imatuy. Woe for those who missed it on the big screen. The film clearly depicted who the invaders and the defenders are, as well as the oppressors and the rescuers. It did not delude its audience with characters that who seemed not who they are. It really showed who the monsters are and who the real sagasas are according to the real essence of the word's mystic meaning.
However, I will discuss more about the symbolisms that exploded right in front of me.
The wild boar is an obvious one, as well as the puppies, and the mongo seeds. Who the real wild boar was hunting is a nice paradox. How quick mongos grow compared to the time it takes a tree to grow also depicted the characters and their plights in the film.
The cinematography delivers well but there are scenes that could still be improved as sometimes it's hard to tell what's going on, especially when it's nighttime. But when you understand the narrative, this inconvenience is pretty easy to ignore. One of the superb ways that the filmmakers used the magic of cinematography was the way the military are out of focus while treading the forest. The camera focuses on the leaves instead, and puts the army on the backdrop, which happens a lot. It gives voyeurism power towards its audiences, making us feel like we are the forest observing the intruders or we are the sagasas ourselves.
