Review on Tu Pug Imatuy

Nowadays, it’s rare to be given a glimpse of a good film from a local setting, and a film that was made because of the support of the crowd. That’s why I consider this entry from Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino a real gem.

I finally had the chance to watch Arnel Barbarona’s Tu Pug Imatuy. Woe for those who missed it on the big screen. The film clearly depicted who the invaders and the defenders are, as well as the oppressors and the rescuers. It did not delude its audience with characters that who seemed not who they are. It really showed who the monsters are and who the real sagasas are according to the real essence of the word’s mystic meaning.

However, I will discuss more about the symbolisms that exploded right in front of me.

The wild boar is an obvious one, as well as the puppies, and the mongo seeds. Who the real wild boar was hunting is a nice paradox. How quick mongos grow compared to the time it takes a tree to grow also depicted the characters and their plights in the film.

The cinematography delivers well but there are scenes that could still be improved as sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s going on, especially when it’s nighttime. But when you understand the narrative, this inconvenience is pretty easy to ignore. One of the superb ways that the filmmakers used the magic of cinematography was the way the military are out of focus while treading the forest. The camera focuses on the leaves instead, and puts the army on the backdrop, which happens a lot. It gives voyeurism power towards its audiences, making us feel like we are the forest observing the intruders or we are the sagasas ourselves.

Another element used so well in the film and that I really applaud on was the use of the sound. It’s as if the sound engineer of the movie was possessed by Mother Nature’s Hans Zimmer or John Williams. The sound of the gangis was used to heighten the tension. This seemed to be a no-brainer, which actually what made it genius. And it was used like it wasn’t used before, which is why it’s eargasmic and hair-raising at the same time.

The main actress of the film is another element worthy to be discussed. She is a Manobo Lumad who doesn’t seem to be acting at all. If she were not a real Manobo, then she deserves an award for the authenticity she brought to the character she played. If she is a real Manobo, then she acted as an authentic human being, and that in itself is commendable. She shed just enough tears to transcend her pain. One could say, “I would shed just the amount of tears she shed if I’m in that particular situation she was in.”

I’ve heard stories about the production team’s financial constraints and limited resources. But if they were able to bring that caliber to the table, I can only imagine what they can pull off with a big budget. It is in my opinion that they will put Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed my Father” to shame.