DISTANCE

Philippines, 2018, 85 minutes, Colour.
Iza Calzado, Therese Malvar, Nonie Buencamino.
Directed by Percy M.Intalan.

While this is a Filipino story, it is particularly universal and the style of the dramatising of characters and issues would be appreciated by audiences beyond the Philippines.

Distance is to be interpreted literally, the film opening with the leading character isolated in Bournemouth, walking along the beach, living in a flat, sitting outside reading. She has to cover the distance in returning to the Philippines. But, there is also the emotional distance, not only between the woman and her husband but also, because of her abandoning her family five years earlier, the distance from her two young daughters. And there is also the emotional distance which comes to light in the Revelation of her motivation and relationships.

The film is very well acted. The woman is convincing even when the audience does not understand her motivations – which are revealed, quite strikingly, breaking an enigma, later in the film. She is well supported by the actor portraying her sympathetic husband, a therapist, willing to forgive and understand, continually loving, trying to engineer situations whereby she can come closer to her two daughters again. The younger daughter is more immediately sympathetic and glad to have her mother’s return while the teenage daughter, caught up in school activities, with a friendship with a fellow student which leads to a drunken seen, find it very difficult to understand and forgive her mother. The film uses the device of the young girls memories to indicate that her mother was involved with her aunt, rather under-stated portrait of a lesbian relationship.

In some ways audiences might feel at a distance from the characters – but it gives them an opportunity for some objective and detached assessment as well as some empathy.

1. The title? Physical distance? Emotional distance?

2. The opening on the UK beach, solitary, the walk, lies and her presence, the UK streets, the flat? Setting a mood? The musical score?

3. The contrast with going home, the house and the interiors, school, restaurants, psychologists consulting room – wealthy but ordinary Philippines?

4. Liza, walking on the beach, her being away from home, isolated, reading, Anton’s arrival, the nature his visit, coming the distance? Telling Liza she should come home? The motivations?

5. Liza’s return, Anton and the daughters, five years absent, no explanations, the sense of alienation on the part of the daughters, their memories, being hurt? Trees and Jung? Carla resentful? And the delight of the maid, Rose, at Liza’s return?

6. Liza’s attempts to respond to the children, to get them responding to her? Cooking meals, reaching out, their difficulties and rejections?

7. Carla story, her age, resentment about her mother’s absence, demanding an explanation and apology, her girlfriend, the performance, drinking afterwards, drunk, returning home, the effect?

8. The enigma of Liza’s behaviour, the revelation with Carla remembering her mother’s interaction with the aunt, deciding to leave the family and go with the aunt?

9. Jen, her love for Eliza, they’re leaving, the declarations of love, her illness, the effect, her death?

10. Anton in himself, devoted husband, father, declarations of love, the scene with his client, the emphasis on forgiveness, over and over? His contriving situations for Liza to meet with the daughters, to find some reconciliation? Trees at school? Collecting Carla, Carla’s girlfriends? Anton and the scene with his sister’s denouncing Liza?

11. Liza sister, Anton arriving arranging the meal, her gash, the food?

12. Themes of love, affection, forgiveness? Liza stands at the end as regards Anton and his loving forgiveness, the daughters?

13. The end, possibilities, the simple domestic scene of Rosa clearing the table?