When the guy he likes might actually like him back, a mouthless animator finds himself enjoying his nights at work more than usual. But before he could chase after the guy of his dreams, an untimely death spirals him into the void where he has to face his repressed memories.
Warning, this is NOT a BL (boy love) nor is it any sort of a cutesy lighthearted piece of queer cinema. Iti Mapukpukaw is a film that grounds itself in an unuttered reality only painted from an optimistic queer perspective.
Wala nang alien
Simply put, Iti Mapukpukaw is a memorable piece of Filipino cinema that proves how animation allows for a different level of storytelling. The story follows Eric (Carlo Aquino), an animator without a mouth, and his journey toward reclaiming his voice.
The film is incredibly smart with its writing, almost intentional in every moment as little things like a look to the side add so much to the narrative. At times, the film would even direct you somewhere you think it might head to but redirect your attention once you’ve been captured by the characters in the scene.
Aided by a hypnotizing score, it really is best to experience the film with fresh eyes and almost a lack of knowledge of the film’s main conflict. To keep things exciting, it is amusingly ironic how the film grounds itself in a disturbing reality once aliens appear—one creative choice that the animation takes on well.
While the theme might seem overwhelming without watching it firsthand, the direction slowly brings out hints that grow bigger throughout as if preparing you to digest what’s to come. Moreover, with Eric’s mom’s (Dolly de Leon) humorous sequences and Eric’s love interest, Carlo’s (Gio Gahol) charisma, the film becomes a drama piece that isn’t so focused on making you cry, but one that gets you to experience the same feeling of relief as the characters.
Tahan na, Eric.
Animated mostly through rotoscoping, hand-drawn animation was made by tracing over live-action shots, the film explores the imaginative mind of Eric, at times melding his reality with his innermost feelings with wildly animated scenes. At times, the animation also shifts to a child-like crayon-on-paper style representation of Eric’s childhood.
The film stands strong among many of its kind. As many queer films that aim to tackle “unutterable” experiences either romanticize or shy away from telling a well-meaning story, this one shines as one of the few that cares about the topic at hand while simultaneously respecting you, as the audience member, as a part of the experience.
Iti Mapukpukaw is a story that allows audiences to discover the sudden return of repressed memories and trauma in the pursuit of living a better and more fulfilling life with the people we love.
You can still grab a ticket to watch Iti Mapukpukaw while Cinemalaya XIX is still ongoing until Aug. 12 or through Ticketworld. Check out Cinemalaya’s Facebook page to learn more about the scheduled screenings.
