Mangan tana!
Brillante Mendoza serves up a Kapampangan feast in 'Apag'
By Rica Arevalo
Published Apr 12, 2023 04:07 am
Last month we were in the 29th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, where *Apag* (Feast) was in competition.
Brillante “Dante” Mendoza was born in Pampanga and *Apag* is his tribute to his hometown, the food, the culture, and its people.
*Apag* film poster
All actors are Pampangueños and they all speak Kapampangan, their native language. Coco Martin traces his roots to Pampanga. His parents hailed from Dolores. Action star Lito Lapid was born in Porac and started his political career in Pampanga. Jaclyn Jose was born in Angeles City. One of the surprise revelations in the film is Gladys Reyes, who played Nita, a grieving widow. For once, she is not a *contravida* but a hurting wife who lost her husband in a tragic hit-and-run accident while her husband was driving a tricycle. Vesoul’s jury member Mikhail Red informed us of a “new” Gladys in the film and we were happy that, finally, she is “rebranded” as a serious lead actress.
Lito Lapid and Coco Martin
The film begins with restaurateur Rafael (Martin) and his father Alfredo (Lapid) bonding over at the market to prepare for a feast. On the road, while Rafael is driving, he side sweeps a tricycle driver. Father and son, shocked with the accident, both panic. They run away with their pick-up truck, abandoning the victims. To save his son from any legal action, Alfredo takes the cudgels and volunteers himself to serve time in jail. The town is stunned how the rich and powerful collide with the poor and powerless. Nita wants revenge, big time! Will she get justice?
Coco Martin and Jaclyn Jose
Rafael feels guilty that his father is suffering because of his misdemeanor. He treats Nita and family with care and gives them financial help. The film, which runs for one hour and 44 minutes, is partially financed by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society as part of its seven-title series *B2B A Love Supreme*. B2B is back-to-basics where each filmmaker was given the challenge to work around $145,000 to create an inexpensive quality film. Other filmmakers in the lineup were Malaysia’s Tan Chui Mui (*Barbarian Invasion*), Japan’s Ishii Yuya (*All the Things We Never Said*), China’s Liu Miumiu (*The Time of Flower*) and Zhang Lu and Yang Jin, and Hong Kong’s Philip Yung. Based on the cut we saw in Vesoul, the usual themes we see in Brillante’s film like sex, violence, poverty, or politics were not in *Apag*. This is a wholesome tale of forgiveness and numerous biblical passages posted on screen to remind each family member to have compassion and love. Without it, we lose the meaning of a family.
Scene from *Apag*
*Apag* is a visual culinary feast where Kapampangan specialties rule throughout the film. Brillante’s goal in this festival is to bring in the Filipino crowd to his newest family drama film. If foreign festivals root for his films, it is time for the local audience to feast on his latest movie.
*Apag* film poster
All actors are Pampangueños and they all speak Kapampangan, their native language. Coco Martin traces his roots to Pampanga. His parents hailed from Dolores. Action star Lito Lapid was born in Porac and started his political career in Pampanga. Jaclyn Jose was born in Angeles City. One of the surprise revelations in the film is Gladys Reyes, who played Nita, a grieving widow. For once, she is not a *contravida* but a hurting wife who lost her husband in a tragic hit-and-run accident while her husband was driving a tricycle. Vesoul’s jury member Mikhail Red informed us of a “new” Gladys in the film and we were happy that, finally, she is “rebranded” as a serious lead actress.
Lito Lapid and Coco Martin
The film begins with restaurateur Rafael (Martin) and his father Alfredo (Lapid) bonding over at the market to prepare for a feast. On the road, while Rafael is driving, he side sweeps a tricycle driver. Father and son, shocked with the accident, both panic. They run away with their pick-up truck, abandoning the victims. To save his son from any legal action, Alfredo takes the cudgels and volunteers himself to serve time in jail. The town is stunned how the rich and powerful collide with the poor and powerless. Nita wants revenge, big time! Will she get justice?
Coco Martin and Jaclyn Jose
Rafael feels guilty that his father is suffering because of his misdemeanor. He treats Nita and family with care and gives them financial help. The film, which runs for one hour and 44 minutes, is partially financed by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society as part of its seven-title series *B2B A Love Supreme*. B2B is back-to-basics where each filmmaker was given the challenge to work around $145,000 to create an inexpensive quality film. Other filmmakers in the lineup were Malaysia’s Tan Chui Mui (*Barbarian Invasion*), Japan’s Ishii Yuya (*All the Things We Never Said*), China’s Liu Miumiu (*The Time of Flower*) and Zhang Lu and Yang Jin, and Hong Kong’s Philip Yung. Based on the cut we saw in Vesoul, the usual themes we see in Brillante’s film like sex, violence, poverty, or politics were not in *Apag*. This is a wholesome tale of forgiveness and numerous biblical passages posted on screen to remind each family member to have compassion and love. Without it, we lose the meaning of a family.
Scene from *Apag*
*Apag* is a visual culinary feast where Kapampangan specialties rule throughout the film. Brillante’s goal in this festival is to bring in the Filipino crowd to his newest family drama film. If foreign festivals root for his films, it is time for the local audience to feast on his latest movie.