Venice Film Festival 2012: 'Thy Womb' review
By Jo-Ann Titmarsh
Source: http://networkedblogs.com/BPOwJ
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★★★★☆
Philippine
national treasure Brillante Mendoza has directed one of the most poignant and
intimate films in competition at this year's 69th Venice Film Festival. Thy
Womb (Sinapupunan, 2012) tells the story of a midwife, Shaleha (Nora Aunor),
who cannot have children. The film follows her and her husband Bangas An
(Bembol Rocco) on their search for a second wife to provide them with the
family they crave.
Set
in the seaweed-producing island province of Tawi-Tawi, Thy Womb juxtaposes the
great poverty of its inhabitants, many of whom live in shacks perching
perilously on stilts above the sea, with the breathtakingly beautiful seascape.
The poverty of the island dwellers is also countered by their immense capacity
for generosity. Lavish wedding celebrations are organised, money is readily
given or lent and hospitality is part of the culture.
This
is not to say that Mendoza paints an idyllic picture of these people. Pirates
steal boats and belongings, whilst soldiers and gunfire are so ubiquitous as to
be humdrum. When Shaleha is knocked down by a group of soldiers in the market,
she doesn't even think to mention it to her husband. Yet Mendoza chooses not to
dwell on the political and social aspects of the Philippines.
There
is no need for hyperbole when the poverty and potential for violence is so
apparent. Instead, the director focuses on the relationship between husband and
wife. Other than being childless, Shaleha and Bangas An seem to have the
perfect marriage: love, respect, humour and mutual understanding. Yet this lack
of a child is viewed as a lack of divine grace and they need a child to make
their marriage whole. Thus begins the quest from island to island, down the
Indonesian archipelago.
Eventually,
they find a suitable girl at a decent price and the couple are relieved and
happy. But there's a catch: the girl wants Shaleha out of the picture once the
first child is born. Bangas An is left with a choice: the child he so
desperately craves versus the woman he has created a life with. Thy Womb is a
moving and visually captivating movie with two commanding yet understated central
performances. Mendoza's film deserves an accolade at Venezia 69.
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