SYNOPSIS:
Corruption is a process. Jestoni “Jess” Biag, early 20s, is a notorious snatcher victimizing people in bustling streets around Quiapo Church. As a routine, he steals wallets, gadgets and jewelries, which he will trade for a meager amount of peso---enough for him to survive and to support his family. Today, Jess will be captured by the police for snatching a cellphone of a call center agent, Ma. Grace Rosuello (Bangs Garcia). It’s his first time to undergo investigation. And as he goes in the process from Barangay Hall Clinic, Police Station to the Fiscal’s Office, we will witness how human rights violation bluntly executes, and how culture of corruption deviously perpetuates in this chain of institutions. In the end, despite the fact of proving Jess as guilty of committing theft, he will still get his freedom. But this freedom shackled him to a cycle upholding the predicament of his life.
TRAILER:
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FILMMAKER’S PROFILE:
Lawrence Fajardo studied film and theater in University of St. La Salle Bacolod and through internships with Peque Gallaga, Lore Reyes and Erik Matti. His breakthrough in the film making circuit was when his short film entitled “Kultado” won the Special Jury Prize in Cinemalaya 2005. The same film bagged the Best Short Film Award at the Gawad Urian in 2006. In addition, “Kultado” has also been exhibited in Singapore, Germany, Los Angeles and Italy, and was an official entry to the Clermond Ferrand Short Film Festival held in 2008. In 2007, “Liwanag sa Dilim”, another short film he directed, was a finalist in Cinemalaya Short Film Cateogry and was chosen to be shown at the Cinema Damare in Sicily, Italy. His biggest breakthrough in his filmmaking career was through his third film “Amok”, a finalist in the New Breed Category of the Cinemalaya 2011. It got rapturous reviews during the festival and won Best Editing and Best Sound. It was shown in Busan International Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival and Detective Fest 2012 in Moscow, Russia where it won the Special Prize of the Jury Award. Locally, the film got 11 Gawad Urian nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. He is also a film editor with credits such as Milo Sogueco’s “Sanglaan”, Auraeus Solito’s “Boy”, Jobin Ballesteros’ “Colorum”, Dennis Marasigan’s “Anatomiya ng Korupsyon” and Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Bisperas”. He is currecntly busy with TV directing and other editing projects as well as facilitating the Film Production workshop in Bacolod every summer.
MAJOR CREDITS:
Cast: Nico Antonio as Jess, Bangs Garcia as Grace, John “Sweet” Lapus as complainant, Art Acuña as Inspector Domingo, Nor Domingo as PO1 Damian, Jake Macapagal as SPO1 Santiago, Wendy Valdez as Idang, Susan Africa as Ester ad Philip Nolasco as Tantan.
Production: Director-Lawrence Fajardo
DOP-Louie Quirino
Story and Screenplay-Zig Dulay
Executive Producers-Josabeth Alonso, Armando Lao, John Victor Tence
Line Producer-Krisma Maclang-Fajardo
Associate Producers-Angel Garces-Antonio and Ron Capili
Editor-Lawrence Fajardo
Musical Scorer-Joseph Lansang
Sound Designer-Addis Tabong and Wildsound Ami
Asst. Director-Zig Dulay
Production Manager-Philip Buena
Production Design-Lawrence Fajardo