Movie No. 142. Cinemalaya 2013: NUWEBE

Nuwebe (2013)
Director: Joseph Israel Laban
Cast: Jake Cuenca, Nadine Samonte, Barbara Miguel

The film is inspired by the actual story of a nine-year-old girl, who, at 9, is one of the youngest mothers in the Philippines. The girl got pregnant from the sexual abuses of her father, played by Jake Cuenca.

The film is a mix of the usual narrative and documentary styles of telling a story in movies. The director used the 'ant hill' as symbolic representation for the sexual advances of the father to his daughter. For me this move or decision is somewhat cowardly but I understand the concerns of the director about showing scenes suggestive of the incestuous rape.

The topic of film is very controversial. That's just it. I think the film just rides on the touchiness of the topic. I can't even feel it as a character study. Or maybe, it's merely presented as an almost-documentary. The ironies presented are almost a cliche.

Rating: 2.5/4.0

Date seen: July 29, 2013