ESOTERICA MANILA. Perez takes on the life of an artist.

The cast and crew of Esoterica Manila.

THE Much awaited second indie film from the helm Pinoy Master Director Elwood Perez was shown last Nov 8, 2014 at the Trinoma Cinema 7, Esoterica Manila is the opening film for the 10^th year of Cinema One Original Film Festival.  It is a jam-packed event that crowd ranges from Perez’s co-directors, theater and movie actors to regular movie fan.

Esoterica stars former Pinoy Dream Academy scholar turn singer Ronnie Liang on his first major acting role on screen. It tells the story of Mario (Liang) and his artistic journey trying to be an artist of different cultural art that Manila can offer. From slum market to historical tour in Intramuros, to art/painting collections hub, to photography to books to exceptional dance recitals. The colorful journey of Mario also involves his unsolicited affairs to real female to transgenders that he has no idea at all.

Direk Elwood Perez.

Philippine Stagers Foundation emeritus Vince Tanada who also work with Perez in his first indie film titled Otso in 2013 is also in the cast, mostly of the dark scene is with Tanada ranging from sexual acts to violently killings and getting hook with drugs, but what Tanada stand out here is his ability to deliver and act some unexpected humor, like the scene he was attack by certain diseases, audience can't help but laugh on how he execute it.

I admit technically it is visually entertaining specially some scenes are good to be true, it’s kinda hard to understand what is the real message this film want us to convey and realize after watching. Also I can’t comprehend so much why Liang character needs to narrate almost 70% of the film from start to finish.  Maybe it is really for selected few to appreciate it as the meaning of the title means. 

 

Esoterica also feature non actors who are celebrities on their own rights like Cecile Guidote Alvarez, Carlos Celdran and Jessica Zafra. It is a star studied film as well since many veteran actors appear for a while like Snooky Serna and Boots Anson-Roa.  Their appearances are fast faced in some scenes that you will never predict and you will never see them again.

Liang passive performance is not that outstanding but not that bad either, but I admit he is really good looking on screen.

No announcement yet from Perez during the premiere if the film will have a regular commercial run in theaters or if it will compete in film fest abroad. We will cross our fingers for that.

The cast of Esoterica during its premiere last Nov 8 at Trinoma Cinema.