Critic Reviews

Both everything and nothing happens in Filipiñana, the cutting, confident, and ultimately formally captivating feature debut from writer-director Rafael Manuel.

A rich, densely cinematic film, it is a stunning assured debut from young Filipino filmmaker Rafael Manuel.

Through heightened control of imagery and mood, attention to composition and texture and sound, Manuel turns this simple, languid setting into something far more sinister without ever betraying the beauty of what’s onscreen.

The director shoots the place with a Haneke-like remove that makes every member, caddie, and Chinese tourist feel like they’re conspiring to bury an awful secret of some kind.

Filipiñana could have benefited from a little more story and a little less contemplation. But some of its images remain embedded in the memory.

The actors do well working in Manuel’s specific directing style — one that’s characterized by unhurried dialogue — it’s just that the style doesn’t always resonate, tamping some of its power instead of enhancing it. Filipiñana is a feast for the eyes, but you’ll likely still leave hungry due to the punishingly slow pacing.