Honoring Gloria Sevilla: Pagbalik (The Return) Directed by Maria Ranillo

The most anticipated installment of San Diego Filipino Cinema’s year-long programming, the San Diego Filipino Film Festival (SDFFF) is back on its third year this fall from October 3-8, 2023. Held during Filipino American History Month in October, SDFFF is SDFC's centerpiece event that aims to raise awareness for Filipino cinema as an important art form and a powerful tool for representation, education, and entertainment.

SDFFF will bring San Diego communities together to celebrate diversity, culture, and heritage through cinema with a diverse mix of narrative features, documentaries, and short films.

More About the Film:

Rica (50s), after working abroad comes home to stay with her ageing mother until she finds new work. She is disappointed to discover that all past years of sending money to the Philippines to repair their old home amounted to nothing. It looks the same way as she left it years ago. Her son, Vincent (18), is finishing college and needs to focus on his studies so Rica takes over to be a caregiver to her mom, Choleng (85).

Taking care of her stubborn elderly mother is a nightmare. She never thought that it can be so difficult. Choleng complains about everything and treats Rica like a child which she really despised. Afternoons are spent on prayer meetings and evenings on more praying.

Rica realizes that her mother’s difficult behavior is caused by her impaired hearing. With the help of their prayer meeting group they pitched in to buy her a hearing aid that she refuses to use.

It reaches a point that Rica and Choleng start fighting. Rica blames her mother for her futile sacrifice of working abroad. Rica decides to accept an offer to work abroad again.Choleng requests for her not to leave anymore. Rica thinks otherwise.

On the same evening, Choleng prays silently but earnestly in her room. Suddenly she chokes and breaks down, tears running down her eyes. She goes to sleep then into comma.

In the end, Rica learns what Choleng has done all the years that she was working abroad.

It is just refreshing to see once more this mother and daughter tandem who made history when Gloria and her daughter Nadia Veloso (aka Maria S. Ranillo/Suzette Ranillo) were awarded Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress at the 1973 FAMAS for the movie Gimingaw Ako.

For more information visit: sdfff.org

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