Movies: Joe Gruta

An intimate epic made with uncompromising and austere seriousness that patiently and methodically observes the collapse and hopeful revival of a poor farming clan, meant to symbolize a nation’s history spanning 1971 to 1987....

Julio, a young fisherman from a provincial village, descends into social alienation as he arrives in Manila to search for his loved one....

As the EDSA Revolution unfolds, a mother, son, and daughter who live in a slum near Malacañang Palace grapple with the murder of their patriarch in the hands of corrupt policemen, turning from passive victims of social injustice into active participa...

In the 1970s, a widow in a remote village takes over her husband’s barber shop. She becomes the laughing stock of the male-dominated community and in the process discovers freedom and liberation....

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When plain orphan Elsa begins having visions of the Virgin Mary, the rest of the residents of her isolated village find themselves questioning their own beliefs and values. Soon, Elsa is healing people with a variety of ailments. As word of this phen...

A historical drama. A story of struggle, hard work, and hope – even when the very reason for hope is all of a sudden gone. A group of farmers in Bicol are at the mercy of Don Jose, a strict and abusive landlord. 20-year-old Lucio, son of Carding, a f...

A 2012 documentary about the making and the legacy of the 1982 drama masterpiece directed by Ishmael Bernal that ended up being one of the greatest Asian films of all time. The revelations about the theory of "Who killed Elsa?" will be answered and a...

The heart-tugging story of children who scavenge for metal scraps in the murky waters of Manila Bay, often risking their lives in the process....

Rafael is a village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Philippine-American War. When U.S. troops occupy his village, Rafael comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fight...

Crime does not pay, so the adage goes. But feisty and outspoken Rosa (Rosanna Roces)--however sharp-witted--does not know any better. Doggedly out for bigger money, she is quick to rebuff even her lover Dado's (Diether Ocampo) pitch for a new life. ...

A mentally-challenged guy was put into trial after allegedly raping his teacher. And as Amanda, Julian, and Ronald try to mount a convincing defense, they discover soon that they're all connected in more ways than just the case....

A neglected and unloved orphan raised by poor relatives in the slums of Manila is wrongfully convicted of murder that resulted from a heist he was compelled to join. Unable to prove his innocence and his minor age, he is thrown into the cruel, perilo...

After suffering from a vehicular accident, Rosa and her sons transfer to the province. She hopes that the new place will heal the rift between her and her younger son, Rommel. Little does she know that their lives will be at risk when the vengeful g...

On a storm-ravaged island that has seen its share of tragedy, a person who had been assumed dead reappears and ignites a frenzy of reactions, ranging from ecstatic religious fervor to fear....

Amidst the vast sugar plantations of Negros in Southern Philippines, a matriarch lies in the throes of death. Her children rush home to confront the crisis as news of the impending death of their well-loved mother spreads among the community. There, ...

The film splits itself between two timelines. In 2006, Ada is basing her thesis on a massacre that occurred twenty years prior in a village called Acacia. Her mother Cecilia was part of a fact-finding mission into a massacre, and Ada’s inquiries brin...

Lola Edna bears the challenges of her debilitating dementia, while killing time in a facility for the elderlies. She collects photos from occasional visitors, mostly strangers, in the hope of remembering her long-lost daughter and granddaughter. She'...

Middle-aged Manila storeowner Amelita supplements her tiny income by collecting bets for the popular numbers game of jueteng. While looking out for police crackdowns, the masterfully persuasive Amelita cajoles all comers into placing wagers....

A man appears to a female reporter and claims he is the famous kidnapper that has the world astir and promises to turn himself in if she listens to his story. Though she is suspicious of him, she starts to fall more and more into his story....