
A newly-married 21-year-old student of criminology in need of money is roped in for a clandestine operation one night by a criminal syndicate engaged in collecting drug money. Tagging along with them, he witnesses the abduction and brutal torture of a nightclub dancer who had defaulted on her payments. Can he save the woman from the clutches of her perpetrators and save her from potential death?
New Wave Filipino filmmaker Brilliante Mendoza reduces the plot of KINATAY (The Philippines, 2009) to its barest essentials, milks the situations to their fullest potential, and delivers a sucker punch by subverting all cinematic expectations. This is a film definitely not for the weak-hearted. Roger Ebert was so repulsed by it that he gave it a zero rating, but it went on to fetch its maker the Best Director Award at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival 2009.
Streaming on MUBI.
Check out the trailer here:

Ranjan Das is a Mumbai based filmmaker & faculty.
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