The year is 1892 in Maguindanao. Bal Intan, the teenage daughter of a Moslem chieftain sought refuge at an abbey of Catholic nuns, who gave her the Christian name Clara after her eventual baptism. Meanwhile, her younger cousin Dumingal, the playful son of the current datu, witnessed how the sudden appearance of giant diabolical "bird" foretold the violent decimation of their entire village.
The acting and the actors were mostly unremarkable. Quennie Lyne Demoral played Clara like sleepwalking through a dream. Alaska Ordona played Elena, Clara's companion in the abbey, who must be wondering how come she was responsible for Clara's behavior, not the nuns. Krigi Hager played the conflicted soldier Jorge with a persistent question mark on his facial expression. Child actor Ameir Hassan, who played Dumingal, gave one of the better performances, together with Adnan Zaid Juanday, who played his datu father.
The film was written and directed by Gutierrez Mangansakan II, who seemed to be experimenting with various film forms with his three cinematographers, namely Arnel Barbarona, Bagane Fiola, and Willie Apa. The photography of the whole project felt like a major throwback to the early days of film. The Clara segment felt like Murnau. The Dumingal segment felt like Conde. The pace of storytelling was likewise
The Clara part was in black and white, while the Dumingal part was in color. It actually felt like two separate short films which were just barely connected to each other. The family connection between Clara and Dumingal was hardly even felt nor necessary. The other connection involved the Spanish officer Jorge and his affinity with Filipinos, which was never elucidated further. There was even a short epilogue about Clara, Dumingal and the "bird", but it still did not help me see the point of it all. 3/10.
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Screening Schedules of "Masla A Papanok":
OCT 22 (Monday)
3:30 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6
OCT 23 (Tuesday)
8:30 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6
OCT 24 (Wednesday)
1:00 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6
1:30 PM -- SM Megamall
4:00 PM -- SM Fairview
6:30 PM – SM Fairview
OCT 25 (Thursday)
1:30 PM -- SM Southmall
4:00 PM -- SM Megamall
4:00 PM -- Trinoma
6:30 PM -- SM Manila
8:30 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6 (Gala Screening)
OCT 26 (Friday)
1:00 PM -- Robinsons Galleria
4:00 PM -- UP Town Center
4:00 PM -- SM Southmall
9:00 PM -- SM Fairview
OCT 27 (Saturday)
1:30 PM -- SM Fairview
3:30 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6
4:00 PM -- SM Southmall
6:30 PM -- SM Megamall
9:00 PM -- SM Manila
OCT 28 (Sunday)
1:00 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6
3:30 PM -- Robinsons Galleria
6:30 PM -- SM Megamall
6:30 PM -- SM Southmall
OCT 29 (Monday)
4:00 PM -- SM Fairview
8:30 PM -- Gateway Cinema 6
9:00 PM -- SM Megamall
OCT 30 (Tuesday)
1:00 PM -- Robinsons Galleria
4:00 PM -- SM Manila
6:30 PM -- SM Fairview
9:00 PM -- SM Southmall
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