Captive preems on Cinema One

MANILA, Philippines - Cinema One airs the internationally-acclaimed Brillante Mendoza film Captive that brings back the compelling and horrific 2001 Abu Sayyaff kidnapping incident in a Palawan resort via Blockbuster Sundays tomorrow night at 8.

The film, screened in competition at the 62nd Berlin one of the International Film Festival, is one of the most realistic accounts of the infamous terrorist abduction. 

Produced through Swift Productions, Captive stars Isabelle Huppert, award-winning French actress, who, with her repertoire of having done more than 90 films, was given the task to portray the kind of grittiness that Mendoza wanted to bring out.

Swift Productions CEO Didier Costet found this to be an exciting collaboration between the two. “I am very excited to work again with Briliante Mendoza, one of the most famous Asian directors,” she says, “on his next movie, Captive with Isabelle Huppert, one of the most talented and world famous French Actresses.” She appeared in the Oscar-winning Amour, The Piano Teacher, Ma Mere, Madame Bovary, La Ceremonie, Every Man For himself, 8 Women and many more.

A strong supporting cast composed of Rustica Carpio, Raymond Bagatsing, Maria Isabel Lopez, and Coco Martin takes the film far lengths further.

Captive showcases the story of French citizen and Christian missionary Therese Bourgoine (Huppert), representative of actual hostage Gracia Burnham, who works as a volunteer for a humanitarian non-government organization in Palawan. While in Puerto Princesa, she, along with her local guide Soledad (Carpio) and 20 other foreign tourists, are thrown off their actual mission in a rebel ambush when they are abducted and brought into captivity by militant group Abu Sayyaff.

Identified by critics as the most truthful cinematic treatment of a real story that shook the lives of many, Mendoza depicts the brutality of hostage situations and the violent armed conflict in Muslim Mindanao. 

According to Brian Clark, European columnist for twitchfilm.com, Captive “delivers a gripping ride and leaves viewers with plenty to think about.”