#Respeto #Cinemalaya2017 (R-13)

CAST AND CREW

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Abra as Hendrix

Isang binatang nangangarap na rapper ang mangangahas na sumuong sa maduming mundo ng underground hiphop. Makikita niya itong paraan para makalaya sa "squatters" nilang tinitirahang malapit nang ma-demolish. Isang kilalang bugnuting matandang makata na napag-iwanan na nang panahon at pag-asa ang magiging daan para makamit niya ang respeto ng madla. Gayun din, muling maapuhap ng matanda ang simbuyo para muling magsulat at ang respeto para sa kapwa--na kaniyang iwinaksi dahil sa mga kaganapan noong Martial Law.- Facebook Page

Dad had a dinner meeting with one of his close friends and classmates so mom and I took the opportunity to watch a Cinemalaya 2017 entry.  There were two movies that were going to be shown at seven in the evening, so the lady at box office let us choose.  We chose RESPETO and it was a great choice(I'm sure the other one, Bagahe, is also...).  The audience applauded.  Besides being a thought provoking film, the scenes were real as real could be, the situations were sordidly authentic, memories of Martial Law came flashing through my head(and I must say my version of Martial Law is the sanitized one, but around 1983, I became aware of the horrors it brought to many people because of the "matandang bingi" and the woman who noisily prays the "rosary"o(Saranggola ni Pepe by Nonoy Gallardo as sang by his wife, Celeste Legaspi)) and I suddenly was inside Doc's head(Dido Dela Paz).

Abra as Hendrix, is amazingly good here. Because of his diminutive stature, he easily portrayed his character, add to that his charm and his talents.  He played Hendrix like he was born to do this.

This, I believe, is Dido Dela Paz's best performance so far.  

Nor Domingo (Fuentes/Doc's son)did his job so well that I wanted to kick his ass or throw rotten tomatoes at him.

Chai Fonacier played Betchai so well that I felt for her when she was being violated by Fuentes(played by Nor Domingo).

This is Ybes Bagadiong(Payaso) first full length film feature(at least, that's what it says at imdb) and for a first timer, he is very impressive.

Thea Yrastorza(Ate Connie) and Brian Arda(Mando) have good chemistry(and you would love to hate them too).

Kate Alejandrino plays Candy like a true kalapating mababa ang lipad na dapat respetuhin dahil siya ay taong naghahanap-buhay, at di dapat babuyin.  May karapatan din siyang mahalin at magmahal.  (Don't let me translate that---just think of Jodie Foster in THE ACCUSED, just lessen the perpetrators to one...I know, I know, the situation's not really the same, but...).

Loonie and Abra, though they do compete with each other at times(FlipTop etc.), are not really archenemies, but in this film it seems like it.  Loonie in this film is the A-hole rapper, "Breezy G" and it seemed like he was not acting at all.

The bit players/extras did well too, especially the professional rappers and the poets. 

Sigh...

Respeto shows that even in the midst of extreme poverty, we could gather golden nuggets of wisdom, but even so, the reality of that same extreme poverty exists, making people lose respect for life, for others and oneself. 

 Loonie as Breezy G

When an amateur rapper and a seasoned poet are thrown together in a moment of violence, they learn to write verses with new found clarity.-Cinemalaya 2017

DIRECTED BY: 

Treb Monteras II

MAIN CAST: 

Loonie(Breezy G), Abra(Hendrix), Dido Dela Paz(Doc), Chai Fonacier(Betchai), Ybes Bagadiong(Payaso)

CREDITS: 

Writers: Njel de Mesa and Alberto Monteras II

Editor: Lawrence Ang

Cinematographer: Ike Avellana

Sound: Andrew Milallos

Musical Score: Jay Oliver Durias of South Border 

Production Design: Popo Diaz

KUDOS TO EVERYONE involved in this film.