PH film wins in Quebec

Jet Leyco’s “Matangtubig” (Town in a Lake)”

Jet Leyco’s “Matangtubig (Town in a Lake)” won special mention in the AQCC-Camera Lucida award tilt of the recent 21st Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. American director David Lowery’s “A Ghost Story” won in this section.

The jurors commended the Filipino movie “for the facility in which the filmmaker invites the viewer to discover a world progressively veering toward the supernatural.”

Leyco told the Inquirer: “This festival is gearing toward a new territory of genre filmmaking. I never thought of our film as a straight-up ‘genre’ movie,” complete with the usual “tropes.”

Even critics are conflicted with the label, he said. But he asserted that “the recognition … [is] a bonus.”

Leyco related that “Matangtubig” “was the lone Philippine entry in the festival. It’s important to note that Fantasia viewers are real geeks when it comes to watching genre movies—especially horror flicks. After seeing the film, they realized that there was something new or unique to it that deviates from the  formula.”

“Matangtubig” shows the harrowing effects of a young lass’ murder, and another girl’s disappearance, on an isolated village and its people.

Fantasia is dubbed as “North America’s longest running genre festival.” Over 700 international guests graced this year’s three-week event, including critics from top trade papers. According to its website, “the awards in each of Fantasia’s categories were chosen by carefully selected juries composed of filmmakers, scholars, journalists and industry professionals.” —BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.