By VIC SEVILLA
While it is true
that Nora Aunor has mastered the art of suffering in films, her latest outing
as Mercy de Dios in “Kabisera” adds a new dimension to her trademark evocation
of misery. In a film about a widow’s fight to find justice for her slain
husband and son, Aunor’s Mercy is not a hapless victim. Here, she fights back,
not in blind anger, but in a way that’s righteous, persistent and quiet.
She abides by the
law in seeking justice for her loved ones even if it’s law enforcers that
brought about the tragedy in her family. She diligently follows the directions
of grandstanding public officials to the letter in the hopes of somehow finding
new leads into her husband’s death.
What makes the
dramatic scenes in “Kabisera” effective is the director’s restrained manner in
showing anger and grief. There are really no big scenes here – no sermon at the
mount, no splashing of boiling water on the tormentor’s face, no lengthy
dialogues that end in face slapping. Here, Aunor kept her emotions in check to
portray grief.
Personally, her
most outstanding moment in the film include the court scene where she narrates
her husband’s gruesome murder and her telephone conversation with her fugitive
son. Quietly, Aunor simply lets her emotions flow without turning the scene
into a big and lavish display of emotional fireworks.
Equally touching
was the scene where Mercy offers a bag of “puto” (rice cakes) to her attorney
(Victor Neri) and to the head of the Human Rights Commission (played
brilliantly by Ces Quesada). In this simple scene, Aunor shows her mastery of
underacting. Her face shows the desperation of someone who seeks justice, but
her actions show calmness. Here, Mercy shows how to plead with dignity and
honor.
The effect is
astounding – watching her in those scenes is like watching the news where
victims narrate their tragedy: without fanfare, without drama but just telling
their tales of horror and grief in a way that’s true and raw. Aunor’s scenes
are painful to watch only because her portrayal of loss is simple and too real.
Apparently, Aunor’s experiences in indie filmmaking has honed her into a finer
artist – one who does not rely on big scenes and staged circumstances to create
electricity.
What makes
“Kabisera” timely and significant is that it never points an accusing finger at
any entity. Unlike many of the politicians who love to grandstand and proclaim
themselves as heroes and champions of human rights, “Kabisera” is quiet in its
portrayal of loss, grief, and the arduous road to attain justice.
Source:
https://web.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154374742953802&set=a.10150408905233802.367000.717513801&type=3&theater
