This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) includes UnMarry—a film that tackles the complexities of loving and letting go in a marriage where there seems to be no chances left to give. Directed by MMFF Gabi ng Parangal Best Director Jeffrey Jeturian, this official entry to the festival features a topic that is deeply sensitive and personal to many Filipino households but is rarely given the platform it deserves—addressing the realities of an unsuccessful marriage and what it takes to move on.
Here is SEA Wave’s High Five review of UnMarry. Minor spoilers ahead.
An Unconventional Framing Device
Still from Quantum Films
With just the opening sequence, one can already tell the intentionality behind the filmmaking of UnMarry. Following a non-conventional framing device, the film intersperses scenes from Atty. Jackie (Eugene Domingo)—a lawyer and vlogger—as the story progresses. These scenes serve as a checkpoint of sorts for the viewers to refer to, as they familiarize themselves with the process of annulment together with the characters. With the right timing and concise cuts, the scenes did not get tiresome, but rather served as informative tidbits presented in an interesting fashion.
Framing in the cinematographic sense was also utilized through the clever placement and positioning of subjects in certain scenes, with the use of leading lines and shapes adding another later of meaning for viewers to uncover throughout the film.
Deeply Human Characters
Still from Quantum Films
In true Jeffrey Jeturian fashion, the story approaches its characters with heavy nuance and sensitivity. This film is not merely a spectacle to behold, but an all-too-real narrative of the struggles faced by married couples going through annulment in a conservative country that values family more than anything.
This direction can, of course, only be pulled off by a cast that can truly deliver. Angelica Panganiban plays one of the film’s protagonists, Celine Santos—a woman who has had enough of her wealthy husband’s dismissive attitude; while Zanjoe Marudo plays Ivan Buencamino—a man contesting his wife’s annulment petition. Their textured yet natural acting styles showed the humanity of each character as they navigated a difficult time in their lives, making them feel like real people with understandable problems.
Star in the Making
Still from Quantum Films
What a nice surprise it was to witness the birth of a rising star in the form of Zac Sibug who nailed his role as Elio, Ivan’s nearly estranged son. His portrayal of a confused pubescent is nothing short of amazing, as he was able to keep up with the subtle yet impactful portrayals of his co-stars. Sibug was able to magnify the pain that separation causes to a child, as proven by his win for Best Breakthrough Performance at the MMFF Gabi ng Parangal.
Confronting Heavy Realities with Humor
Still from Quantum Films
While the core of the film is definitely a controversial subject, it is packaged in a way that is still palatable to viewers, with acclaimed screenplay writer Chris Martinez utilizing his signature witty humor to balance the story out.
One noticeable example is the strict yet humorous Atty. Jackie—the protagonists’ annulment lawyer—who provided some relief during heavy moments without feeling corny or out of place. It helps that the inimitable Eugene Domingo is playing her given her familiarity with similar roles.
A Satisfying Ending
Still from Quantum Films
There are a lot of will-they-won’t-they moments throughout the film that leave viewers eager to reach the conclusion, which, given the premise of each of the protagonists’ standing in their respective marriages, was a satisfactory closure. It shows just how complicated and messy an annulment can be for all parties involved. The sparks that flew lit the path toward the ending that both families deserved.
With separation being such a sore spot in many Filipino families’ very real experiences, it’s important to have pieces of accessible media like this that shed light to realities often swept under the rug, that it may spark necessary conversations to prevent its further unseen damage.
SEA Wave rates UnMarry 3.5 out of 5 waves.