Movie No. 24 (2019): ODA SA WALA

Oda Sa Wala (2018)
Director: Dwein Baltazar
Cast: Marietta Subong, Joonee Gamboa

In the middle of the film, it is conspicuous that isolation is the central thesis of  the narrative. We can feel it in how restrained characters are portrayed, internal conflicts delivered in silence, and cinematography that is suggestive of the general mood. The film tells the story mostly in terms of visual. Characterization is enhanced by production design. Marietta Subong (billed as Pokwang when playing comedic role) is a standout as a spinster who tends their family owned funeral business and whose mundane daily routine is shaken by the arrival of an unknown corpse.

The movie was part of QCinema 2018 Film Festival. It was an exhibition film in 2019 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: August 5, 2019