ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST FILM
Sunday, July 20, 2008
MARIO BAUTISTA
PEOPLES JOURNAL
Entertainment
The Cinemalaya entry, “BOSES,” was not a part of the original 10 films accepted by Cinemalaya. It was just a replacement for “Antiparang Basag” that backed out. Now, it turns out to be one of the year’s most intensely moving films so far, brilliantly acted by the entire cast and directed with great sensitivity by ELLEN ONGKEKO-MARFIL, based on the script of Froilan Medina and Rody Vera.
The story starts with the camera peeping through a hole showing the already intoxicated Marcelo (Ricky Davao) continuing to drink by himself. Cops arrive with some concerned neighbors to ask Marcelo where he is hiding his 7-year-old son, Onyok (Julian Duque), who he often brutally beats up. It turns out the camera is taking the view of the badly battered Onyok who’s imprisoned inside the cabinet. The cops arrest his dad and Onyok is taken to a shelter for abused kids headed by Amanda (Cherry Pie Picache).
Onyok cannot speak as his vocal chords were damaged when something was rammed down his throat. In a hut behind the shelter lives Amanda’s grouchy brother, Ariel (Coke Bolipata), an accomplished violinist who has become a recluse after his wife or girlfriend Bianca (Meryll Soriano), killed herself. He whiles his time away by playing the violin. The other kids in the shelter think he’s crazy, but Onyok is drawn to his music and the two of them, both lonely and alienated souls, make a connection. Ariel lets Onyok play the violin and the boy turns out to be a prodigy who learns very fast and becomes a virtuoso violinist in no time at all. But Marcelo won’t leave them alone and keeps trying to get Onyok back.
How Onyok finds his voice through music is a heartrending tale that will move you to tears. Coke Bolipata is an award-winning musician in real life who studied at the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York. Julian Duque is really one of his students. The film’s climax, which is a tribute to the beauty of music and its power to heal, shows them playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and you can’t help but feel triumphant for both of them. They’re not only good musicians but also very good actors, playing their respective roles with much persuasion, which is really something considering that they are acting with seasoned award-winners like Ricky Davao and Cherry Pie Picache who are also both splendid in their respective roles.
Just like “Jay”, this film deserves a wider release in theaters nationwide. Fortunately for it, it has been adopted by the UNICEF, DSWD and Council for the Welfare of Children as part of their campaign, Children Against Violence, and will be shown in schools. The applause given to “BOSES” after it’s gala screening at the CCP main theater was deafening. The cast and crew got a standing ovation and they all deserve it. Cinemalaya is ending today but you can catch “BOSES” when it is shown at the U.P.Film Institute on August 04,2008 at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are only at Php 70.00. The Cinemalaya Awards Night will be held tonight at the CCP and we have no doubt that both “Jay” and “Boses” will be winning some of the major awards.
