ENGKWENTRO

Philippines, 2009, 61 minutes, Colour.
Felix Roco.
Directed by Pepi Diokno.

Engkwentro is a small feature, just over an hour in running time. It was written and directed by a young film student in his early twenties. The film went on to win a substantial prize at the Venice film festival, 2009, with one hundred thousand euros, enough to encourage the young man to continue his film-making,

The film takes up the life of vigilantes, urged on by government authorities and the police, to take justice into their own hands and kill off the criminals in the Manila streets. The film focuses on a family, the older son involved in the gangs, wanting to protect his younger brother from this kind of life. There is pressure on the head of the gangs to eliminate rivals. However, the young boy and his friends are eager to impress the leaders – and the final confrontation is between the two brothers.

The film is stark, rough in its presentation of the violence in the streets of Manila as critical of the vigilante attitudes of authorities in trying to clean up the streets and to make an impression of law and order and the administration of justice. The film joins quite a number of films in the critique of government, as well as the difficulties of crime and poverty in the Philippines.

1. Manila, its life, poverty and crime, social order, justice and vigilantes?

2. A student film, high definition and its style, guerrilla film-making, the locations, sense of realism? Editing and pace, fluid camera movement? The score?

3. The title, gangs, violence, vigilantes?

4. The opening song, The Dreams of the Philippines, a motif, resumed at the end?

5. The information about killings, vigilantes, statistics? The end information?

6. The voice-over of the mayor, his policies, speeches, strong stances, on killing, stealing – but in order to keep order?

7. The introduction to Ricardo, the makeshift huts, alleyways, homes? The poverty, Ricardo and Raymondo and their father, ordinary life, breakfast? Tomaso?

8. Ricardo and Jenny, Ricardo as head of the gang, being pursued, his appearance, age, wanting to leave Manila, go to safety, the camera following him, experiencing the squalor? His relationship with Jenny? Ray and his going to school, Ricardo giving him the food, the father and his upset? Accompanying Ray, Ray not wanting it? The warnings? His hopes for Ray?

9. Ray, his age, not going to school, the friendship with Tomaso, being initiated into the gang, their talk?

10. The role of the gangs, the kids and their identification, types, the nature of the crime, the streets?

11. The build-up to the encounter, the night, streets, violence, Tomaso and his orders for Ray? The two brothers, the confrontation, the plea, the shootings?

12. The two brothers walking, the vigilante coming up on them, shooting them both? Their bodies into the canal? His riding off?

13. The finale and its impact? The film and its bold social comment on Manila and law and order?