2001-2010 Arthouse Philippines Raya Martin

Raya Martin – Independencia [+Extras] (2009)

adminApril 22, 2021

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This unique film from acclaimed Filipino director Raya Martin re-imagines his country’s past as an elemental humanist epic.

Fleeing the American invasion of the Philippines in the early 20th Century, a mother and son retreat into the jungle where they make a home. Time passes; a wounded woman is rescued; the mother dies; a child is born. The family survive isolated from the growing chaos engulfing their country, but a storm approaches that threatens their existence as American troops draw nearer…

Ingeniously staged on studio sets that evoke the lost period of early and silent cinema, Independencia’s mesmerising visual aesthetic creates a lush metaphor for the mythical history and identity of the Philippines and incisively explores the intersection between national history and cinema history.