Verdict set to premiere in Philippine cinemas

Raymund Ribay Gutierrez’s crime drama joins the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino’s Sine Sandaan line-up on September 13 to 19

MANILA, Philippines — Fresh from winning the special jury prize at the 76th Venice Film Festival, Raymund Ribay Gutierrez’s debut feature Verdict is set to premiere in Philippine theaters as part of the third Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) on Sept. 13 to 19.

The crime drama that follows a domestic violence case joins the annual filmfest mounted by the lead agency for film, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), under the Sine Sandaan Showcase, a section in line with the centennial celebration of Philippine Cinema.

Verdict is produced by Cannes-winning director Brillante Mendoza and topbilled by Max Eigenmann, the late Kristoffer King, Jorden Suan and Rene Durian. It world-premiered in the just-concluded Venice filmfest under the Horizons (Orizzonti) section, making it the only Southeast Asian film included in the main selection. It’s also the only Filipino film screened at the 44th Toronto International Film Festival and presented at the 46th Telluride Film Festival under its main program The Show early this month. 

According to FDCP chair and CEO Mary Liza Diño, apart from now making the rounds in A-list international film festivals, Verdict has been receiving positive critics’ reviews from different foreign press and publications.

Max in a scene from the film that follows a domestic violence case through a legal process

“Because of how well it’s doing internationally, we want to give the opportunity for Verdict to also have a limited run in the PPP,” she said during the press launch at Novotel in Araneta Center, for the PPP and Sine Sandaan, the official celebration of 100 years of Philippine cinema, on Sept. 12 at the New Frontier Theater, also in Araneta Center.

“As a Filipino film, not only does it evoke mastery of craft from a first-time feature director but more importantly, it’s a timely and relevant story. While local, (it) still resonates in these current times and highlights the need for action in discourse regarding the rampant abuse of women everywhere… (it’s) something that we are proud to showcase,” Liza added.

The film has been Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board.

A producer for Centerstage Productions, the film studio owned by Brillante, said that their film Verdict will be included in the PPP line-up for the following theaters: Greenhills San Juan, Trinoma, Glorietta 4, Megamall, Gateway, Galleria, SM Seaside, SM Manila, SM MOA, SM Bacolod.

“Solar will be distributing and is still working out more cinemas,” Krisma Fajardo said.

Verdict also stars the late indie actor Kristoffer King (right)

Prior to Verdict, the 25-year-old Raymund is the first Filipino director to compete for the Palme d’Or twice in the short film category of the Cannes International Film Festival in France, with IMAGO (2016) and Judgment (2018).

The Hollywood Reporter noted his background in its film review, saying Verdict is “clearly long-awaited, with the director’s two most recent shorts, Judgment and Imago, selected to compete for the Palme d’Or in Cannes.”

A review on Variety, meanwhile, said that “Gutierrez seizes a grippingly refined rhythm and a disheartening scenario that could be considered a prototype for every unfairly discredited female ever… It’s nearly impossible not to feel for all the unnamed women around the globe whose wings have similarly been clipped.”

After Toronto, Verdict will head to South Korea next month for the 24th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

Other Sine Sandaan Showcase films are Eduardo Roy Jr.’s Lola Igna, Hubert Tibi and Maria Ranillo’s Pagbalik, and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s Circa. Completing PPP’s full-length feature roster are main entries Andoy Ranay’s Open, Tyrone Acierto’s Watch Me Kill, Boy 2 Quizon’s I’m Ellenya L., Dondon Santos’ G!, Jun Lana’s The Panti Sisters, Rod Marmol’s Cuddle Weather and Jade Castro’s LSS.