Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti

Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti

Official Poster
Directed by Mes De Guzman
Written by Mes De Guzman
Starring Nora Aunor
Sue Prado
Mara Lopez
Arnold Reyes
Cinematography Albert Banzon
Production
company
Cinelarga Productions
Distributed by Cinelarga Productions
Release date
  • September 18, 2013 (2013-09-18) (CineFilipino Film Festival)
  • September 25, 2013 (2013-09-25) (Wide release)
Country Philippines
Language Ilocano
English (subtitle)
Filipino
Box office ₱440,236

Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti (lit: "The Story of Mabuti") is a 2013 Filipino drama film and the official entry to the first CineFilipino Film Festival. Not to be confused with the Filipino literary classic by Genoveva Edroza-Matute, De Guzman’s film is actually a morality tale about Mabuti, a faith healer who maintains a positive outlook in life despite her poverty. But that was until she found herself in a moral dilemma after accidentally finding a bag containing P5 million in cash that could bring an end to her family’s problems.[1]

The film was the first collaboration of the award winning actress Nora Aunor and the award winning director Mes de Guzman. The film was shot entirely in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya. The dialogue of the film is entirely in Ilocano, to give the film its authenticity with English subtitles.[2]

The film was also top-grosser of the first CineFilipino Film Festival.[3]

Synopsis

Mabuti de la Cruz, is a 58-year-old healer who lives in poverty-stricken Sitio Kasinggan in Nueva Vizcaya with her surly mother, Guyang (Josephina Estabillo), luckless son Ompong (Arnold Reyes), loveless daughter Angge (Mara Lopez), and her four fatherless granddaughters.[4] Although she came from the impoverished family, Mabuti still look up life in a positive way. Life is hard, but that doesn’t stop the cash-strapped but cheerful grandmother from basking in the simple pleasures of barrio life. Life was always simple for Mabuti until an unexpected twist changed her perception and found herself in a moral dilemma.

One day, Mabuti received a letter demanding payment for an overdue loan compels her to take the five-hour trip to the big city to ask for financial reprieve. Mabuti needed to mortgage their land when Ompong was going abroad to work. On her way back home, she met a friendly stranger named Nelia on the bus who entrusts a bag to her and runs off, only to be killed by the military.[5] Mabuti was so confused of what happened but kept the bag that was entrusted to her. On the way home, she decided to take a peek on what was inside of the bag and to her surprised she saw bundles of money, that she has never seen before. Mabuti suffers a crisis of conscience after she comes upon a bag of money—millions of pesos, at that. She is torn between surrendering it to the authorities and using it to solve the problems that her family faces.[6]

Cast

Review

- Jojo Devera, Film Critic[7]

List of Festival Competed or Exhibited

Awards and Recognition

1st Cine-Filipino Film Festival
Year Category Nominee Result
2013 Best Picture Won
Best Director Mes de Guzman Won
Best Screenplay Won
Young Critics Circle
Year Category Nominee Result
2013 Best film Mes de Guzman Nominated
Best Performer Nora Aunor Nominated
Best Screenplay Mes de Guzman Nominated
Best in Cinematography and Visual Design Albert Banzon (cinematography), Cesar Hernando and Mes de Guzman (production design) Nominated
15th Gawad Pasado
Year Category Nominee Result
2014[11] Pinakapasadong Pelikula Won
Pinakapasadong Aktres Nora Aunor Won
Pinakapasadong Istorya Mes de Guzman Won
Pinakapasadong Sinematograpiya Albert Banson Won
37th Gawad Urian
Year Category Nominee Result
2014[12] Best Picture Nominated
Best Director Mes de Guzman Nominated
Best Actress Nora Aunor Nominated
Best Sound Nominated

References

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