OVID.tv Presents FROM WHAT IS BEFORE Film Review — Dark Tension

Posted on by Victoria Albert

A cutaway view of a house splits the screen. Shades of grayscale light softly define the walls and high ceilings, but dark shadows shroud the corners. There’s someone sleeping in there. The only sounds are his long exhales, heard over a distant bird, the unobtrusive creak of a board, and the constant static of rain.

The sleeper wakes and draws himself slowly, achingly, into a sitting posture. He stares out the window for a long time, then walks to the doorway. The camera refuses to center on him, keeping its focus stubbornly, almost unnervingly, on the mellow yet haunting room as the man moves across it.

He sits down again. His face is almost completely hidden in glossy black shadow. His breathing is labored now, as if he’s sick. His voice, when he speaks, is raw.

“I saw Junjun in my dream. It was a bad dream.”

OVID.tv’s FROM WHAT IS BEFORE Is Gently Unsettling

Lav Diaz’s From What Is Before is set in the Philippines in the 1970s. At the beginning of the film, a quiet voice informs us that “[t]his story came from a memory,” over an image of a calm yet desolate field of restlessly waving grass. The film is full of scenes like this, pictures of everyday life that whisper of something wrong.

In the first few hours of the film, a house burns in the night, cows are mysteriously injured, and a dead body appears in the middle of a road. Slowly, the connections between characters are uncovered, and secrets are revealed. The film builds up a sense of darkness well, and the ending is full of twists that add another layer of sinisterness.

From What Is Before stretches out over five hours, and every shot is unrelentingly intense and carefully composed. Some shots last several minutes, without camera movement or dialogue. Landscapes fill the screen, the textures of leaves and grass printed in black-and-white. Often, background noise—the ghostly rushing of the wind, or dripping rain—is the only sound, heard with such clarity the scene feels almost real.

However, the film’s depictions of a disabled character, Joselina, concerned this reviewer. Joselina is surrounded by a supportive community who believe she has the power to heal. But the film focuses on the hardships of Joselina’s sister, who takes care of her. At times, Joselina also seems to be used as a part of the film’s ominous tone, although it is unclear to this reviewer whether this is intentional or not.

From What Is Before would be a good fit for viewers looking to invest time in a visually elegant film that crafts and sustains a subtly tense mood in every detail. Viewers looking for a fast-paced, easy-to-follow plot, or lighthearted entertainment, probably would not enjoy this film. Additionally, viewers should be aware that the film contains scenes of torture and sexual assault.

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CAST:

Perry Dizon
Roeder Camañag
Hazel Orencio
Karenina Haniel
Mailes Kanapi
Joel Saracho
Reynan Abcede
Ching Valdes-Aran
Noel Sto. Domingo
Evelyn Vargas
Ian Lomongo
Kristine Kintana
Bambi Beltran
Dea Chua
Kristian Chua
Jun Catenza
Teng Mangansakan
Abraham Abdullah
Paul Jake Paule
Kim Perez
Lir dela Cruz
Richard Bolísay
Kyla Domingo
Allen Alzola
Lucky Jay de Guzman
Naif H. Abdullah
Dasu Assari U Akmad
Mike Salem

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director/Writer/Cinematographer/Editor: Lav Diaz
Production Designer: Perry Dizon
Sound: Mark Locsin
Production Manager: Liryc dela Cruz
Assistant Director: Hazel Orencio
Costume Designers: Lucky Jay de Guzman, Kim Perez
Sound (post): Che Villanueva
Subtitles: Hazel Orencio
Additional Sound: Che Villanueva, Sultan Diaz
Associate Producer: Gil Quito
Producer: Krzyzstof Kabrowski

To watch the film, visit the OVID.tv page for FROM WHAT IS BEFORE

Images courtesy of OVID.tv

Victoria Albert

About the Author: Victoria Albert

Victoria can often be found talking energetically and at length, to the slight dismay of people around her. Although she may seem bright and cheerful on the surface, she has a secret passion for vampires, ghost stories, and murder mysteries. If she had a time machine, Victoria would be curious to visit 19th-century Britain. She feels drawn to explore and try new things in her life, but she also loves to curl up, watch TV shows about sharks, and unapologetically enjoy cheesy foods.

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