English Title : Mindanao
Original Title : Mindanao
Date of Production : 07/2019
Languages : Maguindanaon, Tagalog
Subtitled : English
Production Country : Philippines
Running Time : 124 minutes
Category : Fiction
Short Synopsis:
SAIMA, is a mother to an ailing child of cancer, and a wife to a combat medic deployed in an offensive war in the southern Philippines. The story is merged with the epic tale of the warrior-brothers Raja Sulayman and Indarapatra against the two fire-breathing sea serpents. The heroes’ conquests and tragedy mirror Saima’s harrowing reality. Death caused by an illness is ugly, death caused by a war is ugly, but when is death futile?
Long Synopsis:
SAIMA spends the final days of her sickly daughter AISA at the House of Hope in Davao City while waiting for her husband MALANG, a combat medic, to come back home from an offensive operation in the province of Maguindanao. Saima witnesses how other patients have triumphed over cancer while some did not. Malang witnesses how death awaits on the battlefield as he tries to save the wounded soldiers…some survived, some did not.
Saima mirrors the harrowing life in Mindanao by retelling the epic tale of Rajah and Sulayman to Aisa – a story of two warrior brothers who fight against the dragons, Ginto and Pula. The crayon images of the tale interweaves the battle realms of Malang and of Aisa. Despite the bleak circumstances, Saima remains hopeful that both daughter and husband escape the impending death.
Main Cast : Judy Ann Santos and Allen Dizon
Director : Brillante Ma Mendoza
Producer : Brillante Ma Mendoza
Writer : Honee Alipio
Creative Consultant : Armando Lao
Editor : Diego Marx Dobles
Director of Photography : Odyssey Flores
Music : Teresa Barrozo
Sound Mix : Hiroyuki Ishizaka
Busan International Film Festival (Official Selection)
Tokyo International Film Festival (Official Selection)
Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival (Official Selection)
Hainan Island International Film Festival (Official Selection)
Kolkata International Film Festival (In Competition)
Cairo International Film Festival (In Competition)
Metro Manila Film Festival (In Competition)
AWARDS (INTERNATIONAL & LOCAL)
41ST CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2019
Best Actress Award for Judy Ann Santos – Agoncillo
Henry Barakat Award – “Best Artistic Contribution’ for the film Mindanao
45TH METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL 2019
Best Picture
Best Director – Brillante Ma Mendoza
Best Actress – Judy Ann Santos Agoncillo
Best Actor – Allen Dizon
Best Child Performer – Yuna Tangog
Best Sound – Hiro Ishizaka
Best Visual Effects – TeamApp
Gatpuno Antonio J Villegas Cultural Award
Fernando Poe Jr Memorial Award
Gender Sensitivity Award
Best Float – Mindanao