Kuwaresma (film)
A Filipino horror film about family secrets and a mysterious twin death.
Kuwaresma (transl. It stars Sharon Cuneta and John Arcilla, with Kent Gonzales, Pam Gonzales, and Guila Alvarez in supporting roles. The film follows Luis Fajardo, who returns to his home in Baguio to mourn the death of his twin sister, only to find his parents silent about the truth of her death.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Erik Matti
- Producer
- Ronald 'Dondon' Monteverde / Erik Matti / Quark Henares / Joe Caliro
- Screenplay
- Katski Flores
- Story
- Erik Matti · Katski Flores
- Starring
- Sharon Cuneta / John Arcilla / Kent Gonzales / Pam Gonzales / Guila Alvarez
- Music
- Erwin Romulo · Malek Lopez
- Cinematography
- Neil Derrick Bion
- Editing
- Jay Halili
- Production Companies
- Reality Entertainment · Globe Studios
- Distributor
- Reality Entertainment
- Released
- 15 May 2019
- Runtime
- 113 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Kuwaresma was produced under Reality Entertainment and Globe Studios, directed by Erik Matti. Matti and Dondon Monteverde initially planned a smaller-scale film, but work intensified after Sharon Cuneta and John Arcilla were cast. Filming began in December 2018 in Baguio, chosen for its good food and weather. The climax, a confrontation between Cuneta and Arcilla's characters, took two days to film. Visual effects were heavily used, including a demon portrayed by a man in a silicone and latex suit enhanced digitally.
Reader's Guide
Two versions, rated R-13 and R-16 by the MTRCB, were released. The film was screened at several international film festivals, including the Slash Festival in Austria, ToHorror Film Festival in Italy, Madrid International Fantastic Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival, Oslo International Film Festival, and Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre. Critical reception was mixed: Julia Allende of Philippine Entertainment Portal criticized its over-reliance on supernatural elements and predictable plot, but praised technical aspects and Kent Gonzales's performance. Fred Hawson of ABS-CBN News also praised technical aspects and Gonzales's performance, but found the plot increasingly convoluted.
Did You Know?
- Sharon Cuneta accepted the role 15 minutes after Erik Matti offered it to her; the film reportedly would not have pushed through had she refused.
- Kent Gonzales's real-life sister Pam Gonzales was cast as his twin sister Manuela after Matti discovered Kent had a sister who looked identical to him.
- The film's title Kuwaresma translates to 'Lent' in Filipino.
- Guila Alvarez, who played the psychic Salve, had not acted in about 20 years before this film.
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