Dagim will send shivers up and down our spines when this gritty tale of hidden identities opens in the 6th Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival from November 10 to 16 at the Shang Cineplex of the Shangri-la Mall in Edsa.
Directed by Joaquin Pedro Valdes who also wrote the screenplay with J. Eliseo Sandico, this horror-drama stars Martin del Rosario, Samuel Quintana, Bembol Roco, Marc Abaya, Luis Alandy, Rita Iringan, Jojit Lorenzo, Manuel Chua and Daniel Fernando. Dagim’s production crew is also a powerhouse. Take Onishi is director of photography while award-winning Leeroy New is the production designer.
Two farm brothers Jun (del Rosario) and Diego (Quintana) are grieving the disappearance of their father. Frustrated with the police’s futile efforts, the boys themselves instead looked for their father. Their search eventually takes them to the foreboding mountain town of Hukayan where they meet Lila (Rita Iringan), whose fragile beauty convinces the boys to escort her home, lest she fall prey to the brutal military patrols that roam the area.
Lila lives in a village deep in the forest of Panimdim, part of a tribe led by her brother, the charismatic Pido (Marc Abaya). A gracious host, Pido introduces the brothers to the ways of the tribe, where they live a simple existence of brotherhood and equality, far from the corruption and greed that rule “civilization”. Jun is enamored by the possibility of living in Panimdim, but when he realizes that nothing is as it seems, it may already be too late, as Pido will already initiate a new member of the tribe, his brother Diego.
When Valdes completed the screenplay of his film, he considered primarily its dark twist, considering what his characters are concealing about themselves. He enthused “I researched and came across the word ‘Dagim’ – an archaic tagalog for rain clouds, Nimbus clouds…specifically dark clouds. Dagim is so interesting and tonal that it rhymes with lagim but maintains an earthy and truly primal aspect. Thus I chose it as the title.” Dagim is not Valdes’s first foray into filmmaking, though it is his first main feature film. The Film and Audio Visual Communication graduate from the University of the Philippines, and trained under renowned filmmakers and cinematographers, already produced and directed a short film entitled ‘Bulong,’ cited the Best Thesis Film during UP’s centennial year and garnered praises from the Short Film Corner of Cannes, France; Sapporo, Japan; and won top prize in the Short Narrative Category in Beijing, China.
Dagim will unravel with characters who are not what they seem to be when the 2010 Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival kicks off from November. Will Joaquin Pedro Valdes emerge as the new wonder boy of the horror drama genre? Find out the winners in The 2010 Cinema One Originals Awards Night on November 14 at the Dolphy Theater of the ABS-CBN.
The 2010 Cinema One Originals Film Festival event is an annual project of Cinema One. Cinema One is the movie channel on cable owned and operated by Creative Programs, Inc.
Cast
Martin Del Rosario – Jun
Samuel Quintana – Diego
Chase Vega – Teban
Olive Nieto – Sisa
Bembol Roco – Tolome
AA Fernandez – Ligaya
Rita Iringan – Lila
Angelina Kanapi – Babae sa Hukayan
Luis Alandy – Sgt. Humabon
Xeno Angeles – Private Torres
Burns Gallofini – Private Soriano
Paul Dimapilis – Private Lazaro
Marc Abaya – Pido
Cholo Laurel – Bannog
Chrome Cosio – Danny
Jun Jun Quintana – Benny
Alchris Galura – Tebats
Miguel Vasquez – Liit
Jojit Lorenzo – Ugkoy
Paolo Rodriguez – Kano
Nicco Manalo – Ferdi
Manuel Chua – Baras
Francis Franzuela – Inggo
Lena-Mitzi Ong – Lena
Rosa-Lara Unika Zapata – Rosa
Daniel Fernando – Elias
Crew
Director – Joaquin Pedro Valdes
Executive Producer – Ronald Arguelles
Producers – Butch Jimenez, Joaquin Pedro Valdes
Original Screenplay – Jheremy Sandico, Joaquin Pedro Valdes
Story – Joaquin Pedro Valdes, Jheremy Sandico, Andrew Drilon
Director of Photography – Takeyuki Onishi
Production Design – Leeroy New
Make up and Special Effects Design – Precious Medina
Assistant Director – Joshua Deocareza
Senior Art Director – Mikey Red
Art Director – Veronica San Antonio
Script Continuity/Post Supervisor – Eileen Remoroza
2nd Unit Director – Aiza Jane Idanan
Make Up – Kate Hernandez
Sound Recordist – Farish Banalnal
Sound Supervisor – James Tabin
Editor – Carlo Francisco Manatad
Line Producer – May Francisco
Production Managers – Jerson Guiwa, Maria Teresa, Raymond Adora, Tanya Guarino
Production Assistants – Lynn Ching, Igine Jose
Talent Coordinator – Jefferson Cabral
Key Grip – Dante Dollete
Gaffer – Joey Bognot
Camera Assist – Alex Montemayor
Camera Operator – Marco Limjap
Grip – Dante Payumo, Oscar Reyes, Ibarra Ortiz, GV Genturina, Jhe Ensinas
Utility – Daniel Basangan, Donald Gaa
Electrician – Ed Nola
Generator Operator/Caretaker – Bert Asombrado
Driver/Caretaker – Arman Batan
Tattoos by Republic Tattoos
To view the rest of the Entries:
Cinema One Digital Film Festival 2010
