| Tribu (Tribe) |
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|---|---|
Official Film Poster of TRIBU (Tribe) |
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| Directed by | Jim Libiran |
| Produced by | Dodge Dillague, Mitchelle Moreno, Jim Libiran, 8 Glasses Productions |
| Written by | Jim Libiran |
| Starring | Havy Bagatsing; Karl Eigger Balingit; Honey Concepcion; Mhalouh Crisologo; Charena Escala; Jamir Garcia; Rey Javier Guevarra; Apollo Labastida; Gilbert Lozano; Shielbert Manuel; Ira Marasigan; Albert Moreno; Resty Perez; O.G. Sacred |
| Music by | Francis de Veyra, Mark Laccay |
| Cinematography | Albert Banzon |
| Editing by | Lawrence S. Ang |
| Release date(s) | 2007 (Philippines) |
| Running time | 95min |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
Tribu (English: Tribe) is a 2007 Filipino crime drama film directed by Jim Libiran, released in its home country of the Philippines in 2007. It stars real life members of gangs from the films setting in Tondo, Manila. The tagline is "Every night, juvenile tribes prowl the streets of Tondo. An explosive hiphop, freestyle gangsta celebration of inner city Manila."
Most of the actors were, in fact, residents of Tondo, Manila itself, and most were actually real life gang members of the area. The filmmaker employed real-life gang members as lead actors in this film. These gangs were from rival clans working together to finish this difficult project triggered a wave of unification and peace in a large part of Tondo's ghettos.[1]
According to Variety Magazine the film "... takes the viewer deep inside a Manila slum blighted by drugs and gang violence, "Tribe" is a disturbing snapshot of a community in chaos." [2]
Critics described it as (a) "...powerful but downbeat portrait of a world ruled by the vicious circle of poverty and crime, focuses on its main victims, the young generation, angrily self-destructing itself out of sheer desperation." [3]
The film received nine awards and 14 nominations: Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, Cinemanila International Film Festival and the Gawad Urian Awards. Tribu also won the Pari de l'Avenir 'Bet for the Future award' at the Festival Paris Cinema awards, the only non-European film to accomplish this.[4] [5]
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Taking place at present times, Tribu tells the story of street life in the slums of Tondo, Manila, a lower class suburb in the northwest portion of the city of Manila. The film is told from the viewpoint of a young ten-year-old boy named Ebet who We follow as he witnesses the deadly lives of teen age gang members in Tondo and the events that lead to their explosive confrontation. The film follows Ebet who witnesses three youths being initiated into the Thugz Angels gang. In the opening sequence of the film, the 10-year-old boy explains the genesis of the tribes. They exist, he says, because the children are poor. They are poor because they or their parents lack jobs. In Tondo, the boy says, you have to be tough or you die. Even a child needs to be tough. But in the hell that is Tondo, he says, even a child can be God.
The Thugz Angels tribe members chance upon a blood-soaked body of a member of another gang. Police arrest a Thugz Angels member for the murder. The murdered teen is a member of the Sacred Brown Tribe, whose leaders vow to avenge their fallen member. They learn that Diablos gang members killed the SBT neophyte. During the wake, SBT members forge a reluctant alliance with the Thugz Angels, and assemble to raid the Diablos lair. The dangerous unlit streets and labyrinthine alleyways in the ghetto district of Tondo in Manila, serves as a claustrophobic backdrop to a random killing that triggers a wild and bloody gang war
The Diablos are older, more experienced, and confident of their fighting prowess. They know that they are being targeted for revenge and prepare accordingly. Ebet lurks throughout the story, an enigma that is part innocent child and cynical adult. His loyalties are a mystery, and all that is clear to us is his love for his drug-addicted mother.
The main roles are played by actual gang members, who use the real names of their gangs in the movie, like O.G. Sacred(real OG of TBS TONDO),Young Cent and Raynoa.[6]
Most of the actors were, in fact, residents of Tondo, Manila itself, and most were actually real life gang members of the area. The filmmaker employed real-life gang members as lead actors in this film. Making a film with gang members on their competing turfs meant Libiran had to contend with the problem that some members of his cast were being hunted by rival gangs or the police. In fact, he said, production was interrupted every now and then by the news that one of his actors had been arrested or shot. During the acting workshop Libiran held for the cast, several of them showed up with weapons.
Tribu has won nine awards and 14 nominations and has been praised in its homeland of the Philippines, the success of the film has sparked an increase in independent filmmaking in the country.
According to the Internet Movie Database,[7] at the Internet Movie Database.Tribu won five awards and received ten nominations. Among those:
Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2007
Cinemanila International Film Festival
Gawad Tanglaw 2007
Notably, Tribu was the only Non-European award to win at the Festival Paris Cinema, Tribu competed with films from France, Japan, China, Haiti, Mexico, Great Britain and Hungary-Germany.[4]
The main roles are played by actual gang members, who use the real names of their gangs in the movie, like O.G. Sacred, Young Cent and Raynoa.[6]