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‘Lihis’: Love in the midst of revolt (A review)

Lovi Poe, Joem Bascon and Jake Cuenca in 'Lihis' (Publicity photo)

Those who make a big fuss over the intimate scenes between two rebels (played by Jake Cuenca and Bascon) in Joel Lamangan’s “Lihis” may be missing a vital point. These scenes stand out because of their shock value.

But physical intimacy is not the main come-on of the Sineng Pambansa indie. Those who think it is, is doing the film and its creators, among them award-winning scriptwriter RickyLee a grave injustice.

Manipulating history

The main point of the film is a dictator’s cruel act of manipulating history to his favor. It is about the fact that no matter how much one hides the truth, it will always come out – not in the present generation perhaps, but in the next.

“Lihis” tells the story of an armed struggle against oppression – and of how two men gave their lives to set their countrymen free. It’s like “War and Peace” on a smaller scale. The ugly side of war – the chaos, pillaging, gunfights – has an upside. Love blooms in the time of war – in this case, a revolution right smack in the middle of the mountains circa 1970.

That love is romantic as it is nationalistic. Dominador (Joem) and Cesar (Jake) are willing to die for that love. It is how they prove this that makes the film powerful and touching as well.

Close to the heart

“Lihis,” admits Direk Joel is close to his heart. Like most of his films, it is an extension of the activist in him – the kind that takes to the streets to denounce martial law injustices, the kind who got tortured and jailed twice for his unbending political beliefs.

Direk Joel’s other platform of protest is film. He denounced salvaging in “Burgos,” forced disappearances in Dukot. Now, the one-time UP (University of the Philippines) student is at it again. He wants to stand up for the truth and let his audience – especially young people who weren’t born when martial law was declared.

He lifts the thick rug that covers political cruelties and shows what’s been lying under it for years – so others would know and the next generation will never ever forget.

Lead actors Jake, Joem and Lovi Poe (as Ka Jasmine) are natural for the role. True to form, Gloria Diaz as the older Ka Jasmine, is fiery and convincing. Her real-life daughter Isabelle Daza as Ada the history teacher who ties the story together, needs more of Gloria’s brilliance as an actress. But Isabelle is a lot younger and newer to the game. Her award-winning actress-mother will naturally outshine her in highly-charged scenes.

But with Gloria as mentor, Isabelle can yet mature a lot more as a performer. So let’s give her time.

With more meaty roles like the one in “Lihis,’ Isabelle might just get there someday.

(“Lihis” will be released on September 11 to 17 in SM cinemas nationwide as part of the Sineng Pambansa All-Masters Series. SM will not release any foreign and Tagalog film except for those that are part of the six-day series).