SXSW Film Reviews

CAVITE

D: Ian Gamazon and Neill Dela Llana; with Gamazon, Dominique Gonzalez

Narrative Feature Competition

Screenwriter Larry Cohen may have recently cornered the stuck-on-the-phone-under-the-thumb-of-a-maniac market (Phone Booth, Cellular), but Cavite ingeniously tweaks the genre by transposing the action to the Philippines and by introducing a religious/political element. Screenwriter and co-director Gamazon stars as Adam, a Filipino living in San Diego who returns home to Cavite City to attend his father's funeral. Cooling his heels at the airport, Adam receives a call announcing that his mother and sister are being held captive. Receiving his orders via cell phone, Adam must then traverse the city, carrying out increasingly dangerous missions in order to secure his family's release. Shot crisply on DV, Cavite tails Adam through squatter camps and crowded markets, alleyways and cockfights, exploiting the thoroughly Americanized Adam's feeling of ostracism from his homeland. Despite its short running time, Cavite feels a little padded – the San Diego-set portion of the story falls flat – but when the chase is on, the film effectively conveys the tension and terror of Adam's plight.

---

Cavite received a Special Jury Award.

Dobie, 10pm