Tambara

Verdict: Value for Money

Pinoy Rebyu Score: 3.17 (3 ratings)

Genre: Drama

Writer/Director: Orvil Bantayan

Cast: Gregg Tecson, Paul Carreon, Sheila Labos, Joan Magtibay, Roweno Caballes

Synopsis: The story revolves around Lando, an elementary teacher who doesn’t believe in myths and asserts his modern sensibilities, and Datu Pikong, a tribal shaman who uses an imaginary cellphone to reach Apo Sandawa when someone wants to get healed from an ailment.

Lando, being educated, has ceased to acknowledge the tribal beliefs and practices of the Indigenous Peoples. He accuses Datu Pikong of capitalizing on the superstitious belief of the townsfolk and is furious when he sees the shaman take offerings from the people.

Swept by his fury, Lando destroys the tambara (an altar for the deities) when he found it under a Balete tree. Unknowingly, Lando angered many diwatas who want to take his wife and baby as punishment for what he has done. Lando was forced to face circumstances which pushed him to desperately resort to the Balyan only to realize that not everything in this world can be spelled solely with the human knowledge.

Trailer: 

Reviews:

3.5       Karl Gaspar (MindaNews)

“Bantayan’s film is very rich in providing images of the everyday life of a quintessential Philippine village in the south. In a hundred years’ time, this film would provide an excellent visual ethnography of such a village.” (Read full review)

3.0       Rolando Tolentino (Pinoy Weekly)

“Ang Tambara ay lubos na sumandal sa kwento ni (Macario) Tiu, hindi lubos na epektibong naisalin sa media ng pelikula ang tatlong dimensionalidad ng tauhan (biolohikal, saykolohikal, at panlipunan), at gaya ng nabanggit ang familiaridad ng unfamiliar na lokasyon at tagpuan ng kwento.” (Read full review)

3.0       Rudolph Ian Alama (Rude World)

“Tambara’s main strength is that it is told in a straight-forward manner, easy to digest, easy to understand. sort of  an easy-watching indie film.” (Read full review)