Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti

Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti (lit: "The Story of Mabuti") is a 2013 Filipino drama film and the official entry to the first CineFilipino Film Festival. Not to be confused with the Filipino literary classic by Genoveva Edroza-Matute, De Guzman’s film is actually a morality tale about Mabuti, a faith healer who maintains a positive outlook in life despite her poverty. But that was until she found herself in a moral dilemma after accidentally finding a bag containing P5 million in cash that could bring an end to her family’s problems.

Ang kwento ni mabuti trailer

Synopsis

Mabuti de la Cruz, is a 58-year-old healer who lives in poverty-stricken Sitio Kasinggan in Nueva Vizcaya with her surly mother, Guyang (Josephina Estabillo), luckless son Ompong (Arnold Reyes), loveless daughter Angge (Mara Lopez), and her four fatherless granddaughters. Although she came from the impoverished family, Mabuti still look up life in a positive way. Life is hard, but that doesn’t stop the cash-strapped but cheerful grandmother from basking in the simple pleasures of barrio life. Life was always simple for Mabuti until an unexpected twist changed her perception and found herself in a moral dilemma.

One day, Mabuti received a letter demanding payment for an overdue loan compels her to take the five-hour trip to the big city to ask for financial reprieve. Mabuti needed to mortgage their land when Ompong was going abroad to work. On her way back home, she met a friendly stranger named Nelia on the bus who entrusts a bag to her and runs off, only to be killed by the military. Mabuti was so confused of what happened but kept the bag that was entrusted to her. On the way home, she decided to take a peek on what was inside of the bag and to her surprised she saw bundles of money, that she has never seen before. Mabuti suffers a crisis of conscience after she comes upon a bag of money—millions of pesos, at that. She is torn between surrendering it to the authorities and using it to solve the problems that her family faces.

Cast

Nora Aunor as Mabuti de la Cruz

Sue Prado as Nelia

Mara Lopez as Lucia de la Cruz

Arnold Reyes as Ompong de la Cruz.

Ama Quiambao

Josephina Estabillo as Guyang

Review

in Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti that the actress redeems her stature and the command of her vast talent. The performance is shorn of affectation and is nearly flawless, from the subtle movement of neck and eye to wailing by her mother's death bed. At this point, melodrama flirts with melancholy, tragedy with the realism of soap opera, an uncanny liaison that takes us to the most fraught of ties, the most alienating of emotions, and an emergent tone and terrain of affection. Mabuti succeeds at opening up spaces to ponder the fraught issues of faith and responsibility well-served by the restrained performances of its supporting cast.

- Jojo Devera, Film Critic

You don’t want to miss the CineFilipino entry, “Ang Kwento ni Mabuti,” if only for Nora Aunor, whose peerless, award-worthy portrayal and magnetic presence give director Mes de Guzman’s visually and thematically compelling drama a spare but forceful elegance—and its reason for being! - Rito P. Asilo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sept 21, 2013

Director Mes de Guzman has succeeded to create a charming fairy tale with modern-day characters and situations. There is a whimsical element about the interplay of harsh realities of live with fate and destiny that will make the audience smile. - Fred Hawson, Film blogger'

List of Festival Competed or Exhibited

1st CineFilipino film Festival, Manila, Philippines

The 20th Festival International des Cinémas d'Asie | Festival du Film Asiatique de Vesoul "Cinemas d'Asie" (11-18 Feb 2014), France

6Th Cinema Rehiyon, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines (February 18–22, 2014)s

References

Ang Kwento Ni Mabuti Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA