Labels: BeyondtheBox, cinemalaya, CLICKTHECITY, digital films, indie films, joselito altarejos, pink halo-halo
CLICKTHECITY REVIEWS PINK HALO-HALO
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 in Indie Films
There are no surprises in Joselito Altarejos’ Pink Halo-Halo. In fact, the synopsis on the schedule brochure pretty much gives away the ending. But that’s hardly the point of the film. Here, Altarejos shares with us a recollection of life as a soldier’s son, delivering a lyrical slice of life picture that explores the rhythms of childhood against a backdrop of creeping dread.
Altarejos plays on the dichotomies, the child Natoy living an almost idyllic life in his hometown while endless conflict terrorizes other parts of the country. It points to the striking truth that for most people, news of war and strife almost serves as background noise, the narratives only becoming real as the people they love become subject to tragedy. It’s a terribly sophisticated insight into our country’s precipitous decline into a culture of violence. This isn’t the most explosive film of the festival, but it’s quietly devastating in its own way.
