Directed by:
Chito S. RoñoScreenplay:
Rody VeraCinematography:
Neil DazaCast:
Christian Bables, Mon Confiado, Elora Españo, Francis Magundayao, Archie Adamos, Sue Prado, Mara Lopez, Dido de la Paz, Arnold Reyes, Ruby Ruiz (more)Plots(1)
In the Philippines, there is an old tradition where villagers come together to help someone move by placing the entire house on wooden poles, and carrying it upon their shoulders. This ritual, called Bayanihan, has come to represent the Filipino spirit of cooperation and community. But what happens when people move across oceans, and even nations? How far can the bonds of community stretch without snapping, and how much weight can they carry without breaking? This is the question at the heart of Signal Rock. Filmed on the breathtaking Biri Island in Samar, director Chito Roño invites us into a small town, where the only place to get cell phone reception is on top of a giant coastal rock, money is constantly argued over, and the local boys watch sullenly as young girls leave one by one, groomed in the hopes of snagging good work abroad or a rich foreigner. When young, charming, and quick-tempered Intoy receives terrible news from his sister in Finland, he comes up with a plan — one that requires the whole village to execute. As his plan meets challenge after challenge, we watch Intoy grow from the boy who steals chickens into the man who will go great distances to help those he loves, no matter how far away they might be. In a world where those who remain rooted are seen as provincial, and Facebook “likes” count as support, Roño’s film is a deeply necessary reminder of the painful sacrifice and profound beauty that manifest when people are truly there for each other. (San Diego Asian Film Festival)
(more)Cast
Mon Confiado
Philippines
Best movies:
Feng shui (2004)
Ma' Rosa (2016)
On the Job (2013)
Elora Españo
Philippines
Best movies:
Seclusion (2016)
Francis Magundayao
Philippines
Archie Adamos
Best movies:
Live by the Fist (1993)
Nam Angels (1989)
Kill Zone (1993)
Sue Prado
Best movies:
Mamay Umeng (2012)
Mara Lopez
Best movies:
Buy Bust (2018)
Dido de la Paz
Best movies:
Magnifico (2003)
The Seventies (2002)
Ode to Nothing (2018)
Ruby Ruiz
Best movies:
The Bourne Legacy (2012)
The Execution of P (2009)
Thy Womb (2012)
Kokoy De Santos
Philippines
Daria Ramirez
Philippines
Best movies:
Feng shui (2004)
Goodbye America (1997)
Sheenly Gener
Best movies:
Norte, the End of History (2013)
A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery (2016)
Buy Bust (2018)