When heading to a film festival, you go in knowing that you can’t see anything, and knowing that in all likelihood, there’ll be at least one film you’ll regret not making room for. All of the good things I heard about Metro Manila at Sundance London this April gave me that feeling.
For an idea of why, check out Stefan’s five-star review here.
The film brought home the Audience Award in the Dramatic Category for director/co-writer Sean Ellis, the Oscar nominee behind Cashback (both the original short and the feature-length adaptation).
And with its UK release date on the horizon in a matter of weeks, we’ve got a new trailer to share.
Seeking a better life, Oscar Ramirez and his family decide to move from the poverty stricken rice fields of the Northern Philippine mountain ranges, and journey towards the capital mega city of Metro Manila. Upon arriving in the big city, Oscar and his family fall foul to various city inhabitants whose manipulative ways are a daily part of city survival.
Oscar manages to land a job as a driver for an armored truck company and is befriended by Ong, his senior officer. Before long, it becomes apparent that Ong, has been planning the arrival of someone just like Oscar for some time.
Jake Macapagal, Althea Vega, and John Arcilla lead the action/crime/drama.
And Ellis is directing from a script he co-wrote with Frank E. Flowers (Haven), based on Ellis’ own original idea.
Metro Manila is set to be released in the UK this September. No word yet on a US release date, but here’s to hoping it will be heading across the Atlantic a little later in the year, because the word out of Sundance has this as unmissable.
