Just before Raymond Red was the first Filipino to be given a Golden Palm in Cannes for his short film Anino (2000), he read a news report about a Filipino who hijacked an aircraft and then jumped out with a home-made parachute. In Manila Skies, Red wonders what drives someone to such an absurd deed and at the same time why his land just doesn’t make progress. According to a news item in the film, 80% of the population lives in poverty. So too the protagonist Raul, a country boy who desperately and vainly searches for work in Manila. With his friends, all sharing his fate, he commits a robbery but panics at the high point and flees before finally breaking out of the vicious circle with violence. A realistic portrait with several magic realistic moments, filmed with the very sharp Red One system, a reaction to the grainy, hand-held style that is now popular in Filipino independent cinema.
Film details
Productielanden
Philippines, USA
Jaar
2009
Festivaleditie
IFFR 2010
Lengte
104'
Medium/Formaat
-
Taal
Tagalog
Première status
European premiere
Director
Raymond Red
Producer
Raymond Red, David Hukom, Roger Garcia
Principal cast
Raul Arellano, Marissa Sue Prado
Screenplay
Raymond Red
Cinematography
Raymond Red, Raymond Red
Editing
Raymond Red, David Hukom, Jay Halili
Sound design
Ditoy Aguila, Junel Valencia
Production company
PelikulaRed, Ignite Media Inc., Pacific Film Partners