Movie No. 56 (2014). Cinemalaya X: MARIQUINA
Mariquina (2014)
Director: Milo Sogueco
Cast: Mylene Dizon, Ricky Davao, Che Ramos, Bing Pimentel, Barbie Forteza, Dennis Padilla
The old and new Marikina are in the backdrop of the movie, but it's not about Marikina. In some integral scenes though, we see hints of how the shoemakers of Marikina had faded into almost oblivion. But again, the movie is not about them. Maybe, we can think of what happened to the once glorious industry of Marikina as allegory of the main story. In the opening of the film, we see Imelda (Mylene Dizon) dealing with the demands of her stressful job as owner of a ready-to-wear clothing factory and then receiving the news about the suicide of her estranged father. It's intriguing to see her indifference and coldness toward the supposedly sad news. This was the scene that attracted my interest. As expected, the next scenes that move back and forth in time give hints of what caused the father-daughter estrangement. But there are some details that the writer and director don't want to share. Well, for me, this works because, in real life, when people tell stories what we hear are their version of the story - a version where some details are actually left out whether on purpose, or simply due to some mental lapse. Making guess about some details makes the experience more worthwhile.
Director: Milo Sogueco
Cast: Mylene Dizon, Ricky Davao, Che Ramos, Bing Pimentel, Barbie Forteza, Dennis Padilla
The old and new Marikina are in the backdrop of the movie, but it's not about Marikina. In some integral scenes though, we see hints of how the shoemakers of Marikina had faded into almost oblivion. But again, the movie is not about them. Maybe, we can think of what happened to the once glorious industry of Marikina as allegory of the main story. In the opening of the film, we see Imelda (Mylene Dizon) dealing with the demands of her stressful job as owner of a ready-to-wear clothing factory and then receiving the news about the suicide of her estranged father. It's intriguing to see her indifference and coldness toward the supposedly sad news. This was the scene that attracted my interest. As expected, the next scenes that move back and forth in time give hints of what caused the father-daughter estrangement. But there are some details that the writer and director don't want to share. Well, for me, this works because, in real life, when people tell stories what we hear are their version of the story - a version where some details are actually left out whether on purpose, or simply due to some mental lapse. Making guess about some details makes the experience more worthwhile.
When Imelda finally succumbs to the memory of her father, a once-famed shoemaker of Marikina, she takes charge to carry out arrangements. Learning that her father does not have shoes on in his coffin, she protests and, with the help of her father's friend, she will find a pair; she wants it to be a great pair as a tribute to his father's body of work. This is coming into terms with the dead.
With its compelling premise, intriguing conflict, and execution, Mariquina is a standout among this year's batch of films in Cinemalaya. It is also important to note that the excellent ensemble great performances of Mylene Dizon, Ricky Davao, Bing Pimentel, Barbie Forteza, and ChE Ramos simply integral to the 'greatness' of this movie.
Rating: 3.50/4.0
Date seen: August 4, 2014
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