Adela

(Philippines | 2008 | 90 mins | VIDEO)

VIDEO

U.S. Premiere

Exec. Producer: Noel Ferrer
Exec. Producer/Writer: Adolfo Alix Jr.
Producer: Arleen Cuevas
Writer: Nick Olanka
Cinematographer: Albert Banzon
Editor: Aleks Castaneda
Sound: Ditoy Aguila, Junel Valencia
Cast: Anita Linda, Jason Abalos, Joem Bascon, Kenneth Ocampo

Buried deep within a massive dumpsite on Manila's outskirts is a bustling community, equally isolated from and connected to the outside world. Makeshift dirt roads wind through a maze of trash piles and dilapidated shacks. Young mothers feed their newborn children, overeager hacks trade money for political support, and teenage entrepreneurs sell pilfered goods. Watching over the community is Adela, a widow who's preparing to celebrate her 80th birthday.

A moving examination of the ways in which poverty and old age marginalize Filipino citizens, ADELA is also a tribute to its remarkable lead actress, Anita Linda, a celebrated veteran of Filipino cinema who began her career in the '40s and has worked with filmmakers such as Lino Brocka and Mario O'Hara. Linda brings great humor, wisdom, and world-weariness to the role of Adela, a woman abandoned by society. For her birthday, she anxiously anticipates dinner with her daughter and her family. But as Adela goes about the day's errands—getting a manicure, cooking, visiting her husband's grave, and searching for her missing wedding ring—she realizes that a family reunion is unlikely.

Using long takes that frequently unfold in extreme long shot, ADELA captures the intense isolation felt by its protagonist. When the film offers a rare close-up of Adela, the effect is overpowering: the hardships of a forgotten generation are projected onto her weathered, tear-strewn face.

-- Jonathan L. Knapp

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