Inspired by true events, "Engkwentro" tells the story of Richard and Raymond, two teenage brothers on opposite sides of a gang war. Richard is the leader of his gang, "Bagong Buwan" ("New Moon") while Raymond is just being inducted into "Batang Dilim" ("Children of the Night"), a rival gang led by charming solvent boy, Tomas.
Complications arise at a deadly midnight "engkwentro" (clash), when Tomas gives Raymond the task of killing his older brother.
All this happens while the City Death Squad lurks the streets. This real-life vigilante group is allegedly backed by the omnipresent Mayor Danilo Dularte Suarez, and is responsible for many unsolved murders of teen gangsters. Today, they are hunting down Richard. Will they take the younger brother, too?
Director's Statement:
In the last decade, over 814 people have been killed by "death squads" allegedly sponsored by local governments in the Philippines. Many of the victims are minors -- supposed gang members, petty criminals, drug dealers, and street children. The Philippine government denies the existence of these vigilantes, and given the continuing inadequacy of our justice system, many Filipinos seem to accept the need for such brutality in approaching the nation's crime problem. The issue is rarely talked about in the Philippines. With "Engkwentro," we want to raise it on an international stage.
Cast & Crew:
Written, Produced
and Directed by
...
Pepe Diokno
Cast:
Felix Roco
...
Richard
Daniel Medrana
...
Raymond
Eda Nolan
...
Jenny-Jane
Zyrus Desamparado
...
Tomas
Bayang Barrios
...
Jo
Celso Ad. Castillo
...
Mayor Danilo Suarez
Jim Libiran
...
Hitman
Moises Magisa
...
Father
Director of Photography
...
Neil Daza
Sound Designer
...
Mark Laccay
Production Designer
...
Leeroy New
Line Producer
...
Amor Olaguer
Production Manager
...
Chie Floresca
Assistant Directors:
...
Bianca Balbuena, Jerson Guiwa
Location Manager:
...
JR Nopia
Editor:
Miko Araneta
Visual Effects:
Orlean Tan, Ralph Crisostomo
A Cinemalaya Presenatation.
Details:
Release Date: July 2009
Running time: 61 minutes.
MTRCB Rating: ---
Filipino, with English substitles.
Color. High Definition. Cinemascope.
Sreening / Festival / Awards:
Premio Orizzonti for new trends in cinema (Venice Film Festival)
Lion of the Future Award for Best Debut Film (Venice Film Festival)
Special Citation (Cinemalaya 2009)
Nominated for 2010 Gawad Urian (Best Picture, Best Direction, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound)
* SUN July 19, 6:15 PM, CCP Main Theater;
(Special screening w/ cast & crew)
* SAT July 18, 9:00PM, CCP MKP Hall
* TUE July 21, 6:15PM, CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
* WED July 22, 3:30 PM, CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
* THU July 23, 12:45, CCP Little Theater
* FRI July 24, 9:00 PM, CCP Main Theater
* SAT, July 25, 9:00 PM, CCP MKP Hall
For ticket sales, call CCP Box Office at (632)-832-1125 local 1406 or call TicketWorld at (632)-891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.
