An alcoholic detective meets a witty attorney.
After a drug lord is apprehended by the police, a syndicate does everything in its power to get him out of jail, since he has money that should be divided among the members, so a general's grandson is kidnapped to facilitate his release.
When Fr. Xavi is put on the case as a last resort, she sees one last chance to find help for the girl. With the aid of his keen observation skills, his rigorous learning, a heady clairvoyant assistant and perhaps a little faith, the cynical Fr. Xavi must find the means to confront a gripping darkness bigger than himself, and in doing so find some measure of purpose and redemption.
Pandanggo has three stories with parallel themes converging in one event, the Kasilonawan Festival in Obando: a career woman learning to dance tango who is torn between her dance partner and live-in partner has to choose the man who will satisfy her dream of raising a family; a wife whose wish to conceive a baby boy to make her husband happy brings her feet to the festival, but fate has other plans of bringing the child into her life; and a modern woman who, amidst her medical condition that might render her childless for the rest of her life, finds connection with an ancient lore about fertility.
Decades before the rise of liberalism in Spanish-era colonial Philippines, a young charismatic preacher leads a movement for equality and religious freedom for his fellow native Filipinos. He is hailed as the Christ of the Tagalogs, but is sentenced to death for heresy by both Church and State.
Rekados is a magic-realist tragicomedy of three generations of cooks in the slums that own a karinderia. Josefina, the matriarch whose traditional skill in cooking keeps the family alive; Laura, the daughter who prefers cooking to please her customers and the man she desires; and caught in between the two is Pinay, the granddaughter who mimics Kris Aquino to get a basketball player of her own. In their small world of the kitchen that empowers and imprisons them, they cook dishes that symbolize their affection: adobo; kare-kare; dinuguan; and pansit. Each of them brings different flavors as they mix with each other and the men of their desires.
A journalist investigates a woman with the name of China Doll. Soon, he discovers his knowledge of her turns out to be dangerous.
The episodically connected lives of four college friends unfold throughout the incipient martial law years, as they struggle to define their sexual and professional desires and how best to attain them.
Two filmmakers try to create a film venturing on the life of Jose Rizal. Before they do that, they try to investigate on the heroism of the Philippine national hero. Of particular focus is his supposed retraction of his views against the Roman Catholic Church during the Spanish regime in the Philippines which he expressed primarily through his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. The investigation was done mainly by "interviewing" key individuals in the life of Rizal such as his mother Teodora Alonso, his siblings Paciano, Trinidad, and Narcisa, his love interest and supposed wife Josephine Bracken, and the Jesuit priest who supposedly witnessed Rizal's retraction, Fr. Balaguer. Eventually, the two filmmakers would end up "interviewing" Rizal himself to get to the bottom of the issue.
In a time in the Philippines when the concept of divorce does not exist, a young woman has an affair with a married man. Eventually, they move in together, and that is when the problems start.
Donnie and Kath, a couple who are on a trip to celebrate their second anniversary. However, it suddenly leads to their decision that this trip will be their last.
An aging assassin hides in a facility for abandoned senior citizens to protect a daughter he left years ago.
Alfad, a Lumad whose soul returns to his homeland to settle unfinished businesses and to finally rest. It is based on the Lumad’s belief that when a person dies his soul goes back to his homeland.
Melba is the wife of a slain farmer-leader whose murder is attributed to an incumbent governor. She goes to the city to appeal the case and to seek out a new life after the tragedy. Working as a staff member at the office of City Councilor, she is introduced to the life inside politics. Eventually she will be deeply involved, as her decision to marry the budding politician lays a carefully planned agenda.
Four interconnected stories during the height of the Martial Law crackdown against rebels. The palpable aura of fear leaves Filipinos in a state of paralysis, unable or unwilling to move until the dark cloud of history passes over.
Estela, an idealistic, call center slacker is mentored by Trevor, a pragmatic, senior agent. Their interaction develops into an unconventional relationship that would challenge their most personal convictions.
Don Victorino Hernandez, a creole secular priest from Manila, has two passions: botany and the total conversion of the native population particularly the Agtas, who in spite of the rigorous undertakings of Spanish colonialism continue to live in the hinterlands, giving them a notorious reputation in the minds of the lowlanders as well as the colonizers.
On Christmas Day, 15 year old David finds out that his boyfriend, Jonathan has taken another lover. The discovery leads him on the brink of depression making him think of ways to have him back at all cost. He has invited Jonathan to see him on this day for the last time.
Ten years ago, Ginny, an Architecture student, and Marco, a History professor, began a one-of-a-kind and unpredictable love story. In the five years that they were together, they brought out the best in each other, which included Marco’s unrealized dream of becoming a chef. Together, they worked towards their dream of opening up a restaurant, but when Ginny realized her own pursuits were different from his, she rejected his wedding proposal and left the country for a Masters degree in Architecture. At present, Ginny co-owns a one-stop Architecture and Interior Design firm specializing in Restoration. She receives an email from Marco, which was written and sent after their break-up, meant to be read four years later. It makes her feel even more regretful of leaving the love of her life.
The children living in a Philippines ghetto grow up too fast, dealing with the cruel world where they have to be responsible for their own lives. But they have bright, innocent and good dreams in their hearts. The reality on the streets of capitalism is, however, too harsh to hold on to these dreams.