In My Mother’s Skin and Where Is The Lie participated at the Sundance and Slamdance Festivals, respectively, marking a good beginning for the Filipino film industry this 2023
Sharing our own art to the world is the kind of news that never gets old for the Philippines. The way we claim “Pinoy Pride” definitely gives an emphasis to the pride we have of our rich culture, history, and being. It already goes without saying that our television and cinema roster is part of what makes us proud. This 2023, we are marking our film presence outside the country even more with In My Mother’s Skin and Where Is The Lie.
Fairy-thriller for thought
For this year’s Sundance Festival, In My Mother’s Skin is the only foreign language film under the Midnight category. Notable horror-slash-thrillers have premiered under the Midnight category such as The Blair Witch Project, The Babadook, It Follows, Hereditary, and Saw.
According to the synopsis posted at the film fest’s website, the narrative features a dark take on the country’s rich folklore. Cebuano writer-director Kenneth Dagatan sets the film at the end of World War II, yet another period filled with stories of abuse, despair, and desperation. In Utah, actresses Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Beauty Gonzalez join Dagatan for the premiere of the said film.
The film will premiere on Amazon Prime soon, with details yet to be announced by both the director and the streaming service.
Of love and catfishing
Meanwhile, the Slamdance Festival is an exhibition of films and shorts organized by Slamdance Channel, a carefully curated channel to stream their own list of motion pictures.
Director and screenwriter Quark Henares also traveled to the US for the Slamdance screening of Where is the Lie? (Marupok AF), a story based on the trending catfishing Twitter exposé back in 2020.
Goin’ Bulilit alumna EJ Jallorina top bills the picture, along with Royce Cabrera, Gaby Padilla, and Maris Racal. Maris plays the role of Beanie Landridos, a sociopath who takes advantage of Janzen Torres by catfishing her.
Photo Credit: @quarkhenares (via Instagram)
While the series of tweets by Henares stands as an inspiration to the film, there is so much to unpack by the whole movie itself.
