‘Smaller and Smaller Circles’ premiere next week

From the producers of “Heneral Luna” comes a film based on F.H. Batacan’s award-winning novel, “Smaller and Smaller Circles.” The crime thriller adaptation directed by award-winning filmmaker Raya Martin will premiere to the Filipino audience on Dec. 6.

The story revolves around two Jesuit priests, Fr. Gus Saenz, a forensic scientist played by Nonie Buencamino, and his trusted protégé Fr. Jerome Lucero played by Sid Lucero. The priests are trying to help the authorities track a serial killer preying on boys in in 1990s Manila.

The PG-13 thriller devised to urge the viewers to delve into issues and themes that continue to menace society until now, discusses the dark psyche of a psychopath and how impunity in society plays a role in the makings of “bad people.”

Buencamino, the lead actor of the film, explained how deep the problem of impunity is, and how this is manifested when society sweeps things under the rug. He also mentioned that the movie also talks about mental health.

The pre-screening of the film held at the University of San Carlos Law and Business School Building struck up a conversation on how the story’s theme is socially relevant.

Monina De Mesa from TBA studios quoted the film’s producer Ria Limjap as saying, “Filipino audiences deserve to see all kinds of cinema. While certain forms will always be more popular, films that provoke critical thinking and raise awareness should also be enjoyed... ‘Smaller and Smaller Circles’ is that kind of movie—a movie which tells a unique story that they might find familiar.”