Kubrador (2006)

Director:

Jeffrey Jeturian

Writers:

Ralston Jover (story)
Armando Lao (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Awards:

16 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Gina Pareño	...	Amy
Fonz Deza	...	Eli
Nanding Josef	...	Fr. Buboy
Soliman Cruz	...	Chief of Police
Joe Gruta	...	Table Manager
Domingo Landicho	...	Tatay Nick
Neil Ryan Sese	...	Jeepney Driver
Miguel Castro	...	Car Driver
Nico Antonio	...	Baste
Jess Evardon	...	Kahero (as Jess Evardone)
Teresa Jamias	...	Juvy (as Tess Jamias)
Amy Robles	...	Clarita
Jaja Bolivar	...	Tokne
Ran del Rosario	...	Eric
Roence Santos	...	Lydia

Also Known As:

The Bet Collector (International: English title)

Runtime:

Canada:98 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Philippines

Language:

Tagalog

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Manila, Metro Manila, Luzon, Philippines

Company:

MLR Films Inc.

Trivia:

The movie so far has won 4 international prizes: 2006 FIPRESCI Prize, 2006 Moscow International Film Festival Best Picture, Best Actress (Gina Pareno) and FIPRESCI Prize, 8th Osian-Cinefan International Film Festival (New Delhi, India)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ako ang simula: The ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Yearend Special (2006) (TV)

Emotionally intriguing and informative look into Filipino life

Shot in the slums of the Phillipines, this film provides an privileged glimpse into Filipino culture. This is director Jefferey Jeuturian's 7th film which we follow the life of May a "Kubrador" or bet collector- or more appropriately a bookie. A bookie for the illegal and underground game of Jeuteung.

Jeuteung is a game where the player bets on 2 numbers which are drawn in a bingo or lottery fashion. The Jeuteung racket is run hierarchically with the bookies working the bottom- followed by the treasurers, local managers and "the boss" whom is never seen. The bookies use analogies for the numbers...for instance, a bet of 26, 5 would be a thief and a child (i made this one up...but i didn't get the logic behind them anyways lol)

May is a street savvy hustler who roams the alleys of the Manilan slums collecting bets, and death donations, from local convenors and well....anyone she can convince to give her money, as she sucks down cigarettes and bottles of mineral water. She lives alone with her husband, who runs a store from their home and is addicted to television game shows She is in close contact with her pregnant daughter and grandchild and her son who is trying to make ends meet by selling the local and national newspapers and tabloids. We are also shown that she had a son whom she had lost, though whose spirit is constantly watching over her (listen for the music........). It seems May resents her daughters' leeching off her, though I'm unsure really why.

May is, to describe her character bluntly, a physically ill and emotionally disturbed greedy bitch. Her physical deterioration is a direct result of her constant smoking- an actions which the director seems to condemn. But Her emotional distress and attitude can be traced back to affect that the death of her son has had on her subconscious. The fact death seems to follow her- always in her face- is a constant reminder of what she has lost, putting her into a deeper emotional state, and making her a far less tolerant person.

One learns much about everyday life in the Phillipines from the portrayal of Filipino culture in this film. If the actors weren't so mediocre, one could, at first, mistake the film as a documentary. Every shot in the film is hand-held and all sounds are diegetic (except for the instance(s) previously mentioned...). The director really succeeds in allowing us to enter and experience May's world with the realistic feel of the film.

I don't want to give away too many of the plot details, you should see the movie for yourself....its great, I really enjoyed it. Plus there is a kickass foot-chase seen through the alleyways and across the rooftops of the slums....where else you gonna see that!!