The Sleepy Head Doodles

I'm never a fan of Judy Ann Santos, but after learning about the plot and hearing people (which I don’t have close affinity with) rave about the film, I decided to head out for the cinemas the other night to see Ploning.

I learned that the Philippine Cinema Evaluation Board gave Dante Nico Garcia’s first film with an A-rating, but I spared myself from reading the extensive critics’ reviews so I could watch it without prejudice. Well, in a way, I was optimistic about Ploning after I’ve read earlier write-ups in the UPFI e-group, but I shook the thought off, so I wouldn’t be disappointed.

And now I’m delighted to say that I wasn’t disappointed. It was pure joy to see the simple life in the quiet rural town of Cuyo, Palawan depicted in film. Judy Ann and the rest of the cast gave an impeccable performance. Their speaking in Cuyunon seemed effortless which added to a very convincing portrayal of the life in the countryside. About half of the time, they all speak the dialect, and I’m amazed by how our seasoned character actors blended in the rich local culture.

The story is simple, but certainly, there’s beauty and wisdom in its simplicity. Watch out for that discourse on love by Ploning, Celeste, Nieves, and Alma. I’ve seen the subject of love discussed in so many films, but that scene was something. How I wish I captured all the lines verbatim so I could have something inspiring to post on my daily journal.

Likewise, I have to praise Charlie Peralta for the brilliant cinematography reminiscent of the imposing camera work in Massimo Troisi and Michael Radford’s Il Postino. This made watching this film a real visual delight! The music, especially on the opening and end credits, is inexplicably evocative. I’ve been raving about this for days now, and I can spend hours and hours talking about all the great elements that make up this treasured gem of a film! :-)

It’s sad to know that a lot of my friends miss out on watching this for the shallow reason that they’re not a Judy Ann fan. Well, I’m not a Juday fan myself, but I watched it with an open mind and an open heart. And for that, I feel blessed that I did not pass up the chance of seeing perhaps one of the finest Filipino films ever produced in this generation.

Kudos to Dante Nico Garcia and the cast and crew of Ploning!

Edit: Arlo, I know you make better reviews, and I think your words perfectly describe the very essence of the movie. So allow me to post this... Hehe!

Ploning tells us that silence means more than words, that time comes full circle, that space is non-existent for the power of emotions connects and binds us and ultimately, it tells us that we are remembered by the love that we give. - Arlo De Guzman, in his review of Ploning