Marietta Jamora's "Ang Nawawala" (What Isn't There) is a finalist in the New Breed Full Length Feature Category of the 2012 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition.

“Ang Nawawala” stars Dominic Roco, Felix Roco, Boboy Garrovillo, Alchris Galura, Mercedes Cabral, Kelvin Yu, Jenny Jamora, Marc Abaya, Annicka Dolonius, Sabrina Man, and Dawn Zulueta. The film is written by Marie Jamora and Ramon De Veyra under the direction of Marie Jamora.

SYNOPSIS:

Twenty-year old Gibson Bonifacio (Dominic Roco) returns to Manila for the holidays, his first visit home in three years.

He’s been studying abroad, and his homecoming is a mix of anxiety and excitement. While the holidays are always festive in the Philippines (home of the world’s longest Christmas season), for his family, it is always tinged with sadness, marking as it does yet another anniversary of the accidental death of his identical twin brother Jamie (Felix Roco). The event after which, Gibson stopped speaking entirely. This year, a full decade has passed, and yet there are still everyday reminders of their loss, since a carbon copy of the son that has died is the son who survives.

Gibson comes home to a fractured family, tensions roiling under the surface covered by the tablecloth-gleam of Christmas cheer. Amidst the subculture of Manila’s overlooked upper middle class youth, Gibson searches for genuine connection. As his childhood best friend reaches out to him, and, as he finds a possible romance in a young woman, Gibson reconsiders and redefines his relationship with his family, with himself, even with his dead brother: the only person he talks to.

PRODUCTION NOTES:

Writer-director Marie Jamora praised Dawn Zulueta for her outstanding portrayal of Gibson’s mother, Esme. She described Dawn by saying, “Ang galing niya kasi almost all the work has been done. Her interpretation of the character…she brought something na parang I didn’t imagine while writing I was writing the script. She brought another layer so super okay na experience to work with her.”

Direk Marie, who has been a commercial and music video director for the last 10 years, describes Ang Nawawala as a “coming-of-age love story.” In the film, Gibson develops a budding romance with Enid (played by Annicka Dolonius, half-sister of Sanya Smith).

This entry makes use of Original Pinoy Music and features songs and performances of Sandwich, Pedicab, Itchyworms, and Ebe Dancel, among others.

“Ang Nawawala” Trailer:

Check out the complete Cinemalaya 2012 Film Schedule from July 21 to 29, 2012, here.