The Red Shoes (2010 film)
Encyclopedia
The Red Shoes is a 2010 Filipino film produced by Unitel
, known for the box-office and critical hits Crying Ladies
and Santa Santita
. The movie is unusual in Philippine cinema because of its non-linear narrative style and use of history to frame a tale of lost love and redemption spanning close to three decades, starting in 1981 with the tragic accident in the construction of the Manila Film Center, through to the 1986 People Power Revolution, which ended the 21-year Presidency of Ferdinand Marcos
, and finally concluding in 2009, which finds the major characters of the film facing the consequences of the theft of one of 3,000 pairs of shoes of the First Lady Imelda Marcos
. The film won the Special Jury Prize in the 2010 Bogota International Film Festival. It participated in the 2010 Vietnam International Film Festival in Hanoi and the 2010 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival. The film was rated "A" by the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Philippines and was also cited as Best Picture in the 2010 Catholic Mass Media Awards in the Philippines.
) finds himself swept up with a euphoric crowd that has entered the grounds of the Malacañang Presidential Palace
. Lost in the tumult, Lucas stumbles into a room where the president's wife, Imelda Marcos
, kept her infamous shoe collection. He plans to filch two pairs but only manages to steal one pair—for poetic justice and for love.
Lucas gives the pair of red shoes from the country's First Lady to the first ladies of his life. The right shoe he gives to his mother, Chat (Liza Lorena), who ekes out a living giving manicures and pedicures while seemingly unable to recover from the loss of her husband, Domingo (Tirso Cruz III
), the father of her only son, who was among the 169 workers said to have been buried alive when the upper levels of the Manila Film Center collapsed under construction in 1981 for the Manila International Film Festival project of the First Lady. The left shoe Lucas gifts to the love of his life, Bettina (Nikki Gil
), the daughter of one of her mother's wealthy manicure home service customers.
Lucas and Bettina eventually become a couple years later and go steady for 13 years until a betrayal ends the relationship. At this point, the red shoes again become crucial for both mother and son in their attempt to overcome their respective loneliness: Chat, in trying to contact her husband from beyond the grave through Madame Vange (Tessie Tomas), a spiritist whose main job is being an Imelda impersonator; and Lucas, in trying to redeem himself for having lost his true love in a moment of weakness.
Marvin Agustin liked the story so much that he called writer James Ladioray to present to Unitel President and CEO Tony Gloria, who was instantly drawn to the story and wasted no time in greenlighting the project.
"The story unfolds through three decades as we tell Lucas’ story," Jorolan lets on. "Young, resolute and in love, there is nothing that will stop him from pursuing his goals – not even committing an act amidst the chaos and confusion of the 1986 People Power Revolution – all in the name of love."
Jorolan, a TV commercial director, faced other challenges. Lead stars Agustin and Gil, contract actors from rival TV stations GMA Network
and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, had to squeeze in shooting in their competing work schedules, stretching principal photography, which took only 20 days, over 10 months. Jorolan and Ladioray, an advertising creative director, had to shuttle in between their regular work and the movie set to complete the shoot.
Ladioray adds, "I didn't want to make an outrightly political movie. That part in our history was very decisive, I wanted to make a story that can use that turning point as a point of redemption for everyone. The shoes are a metaphor — I wanted to ask the question, would you steal for love?"
Jorolan speaks of another metaphor that was crucial to the story, the bridge. "A bridge connotes relationship, whether it's been cut short, it still holds its purpose, similar to a relationship that's been broken off. (It still holds significance)."
Unitel
Unitel may refer to:*Unitel Communications Incorporated, a Canadian telecommunications company later known as AT&T Canada.*Unitel Bolivia, a Bolivian television network*Unitel , a Mongolian mobile phone network*Unitel...
, known for the box-office and critical hits Crying Ladies
Crying Ladies
Crying Ladies is a 2003 Filipino film directed by Mark Meily, and winner of Best Picture in the 2003 Metro Manila Film Festival. It was the Philippines' submission to the 77th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:*Cinema of...
and Santa Santita
Santa Santita
Santa Santita, or Magdalena, The Unholy Saint, is a 2004 Filipino film starring Angelica Panganiban and Jericho Rosales, directed by Laurice Guillen. The film follows Malen, the daughter of an intercessor, her love affair with a hustler and gigolo, and her confrontation of the evil within her life...
. The movie is unusual in Philippine cinema because of its non-linear narrative style and use of history to frame a tale of lost love and redemption spanning close to three decades, starting in 1981 with the tragic accident in the construction of the Manila Film Center, through to the 1986 People Power Revolution, which ended the 21-year Presidency of Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, and finally concluding in 2009, which finds the major characters of the film facing the consequences of the theft of one of 3,000 pairs of shoes of the First Lady Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
. The film won the Special Jury Prize in the 2010 Bogota International Film Festival. It participated in the 2010 Vietnam International Film Festival in Hanoi and the 2010 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival. The film was rated "A" by the Cinema Evaluation Board of the Philippines and was also cited as Best Picture in the 2010 Catholic Mass Media Awards in the Philippines.
Plot
On the last day of the People Power Revolution in the Philippines in February 1986, 10-year-old Lucas Munozca (Marvin AgustinMarvin Agustín
Marvin Jay Cuyugan Agustin, better known by his stage name Marvin Agustin is a Filipino actor and entrepreneur.-Showbiz career:...
) finds himself swept up with a euphoric crowd that has entered the grounds of the Malacañang Presidential Palace
Malacañang Palace
The Malacañan Palace, commonly known simply as Malacañang, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines. Located at 1000 J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Manila, the house was built in 1750 in Spanish Colonial style. It has been the residence of every...
. Lost in the tumult, Lucas stumbles into a room where the president's wife, Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos
Imelda R. Marcos is a Filipino politician and widow of 10th Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Upon the ascension of her husband to political power, she held various positions to the government until 1986...
, kept her infamous shoe collection. He plans to filch two pairs but only manages to steal one pair—for poetic justice and for love.
Lucas gives the pair of red shoes from the country's First Lady to the first ladies of his life. The right shoe he gives to his mother, Chat (Liza Lorena), who ekes out a living giving manicures and pedicures while seemingly unable to recover from the loss of her husband, Domingo (Tirso Cruz III
Tirso Cruz III
Tirso Cruz III is a Filipino actor and singer. He is one of the famous actors in Philippine show business.-Biography and career:...
), the father of her only son, who was among the 169 workers said to have been buried alive when the upper levels of the Manila Film Center collapsed under construction in 1981 for the Manila International Film Festival project of the First Lady. The left shoe Lucas gifts to the love of his life, Bettina (Nikki Gil
Nikki Gil
Monica Pauline "Nikki" Gil is a Filipino singer, actress, host, model and myx VJ.-Biography:Monica Pauline Gil was born in Manila to Dino and Julie Gil. She is of Filipino, Spanish and German descent...
), the daughter of one of her mother's wealthy manicure home service customers.
Lucas and Bettina eventually become a couple years later and go steady for 13 years until a betrayal ends the relationship. At this point, the red shoes again become crucial for both mother and son in their attempt to overcome their respective loneliness: Chat, in trying to contact her husband from beyond the grave through Madame Vange (Tessie Tomas), a spiritist whose main job is being an Imelda impersonator; and Lucas, in trying to redeem himself for having lost his true love in a moment of weakness.
Cast
- Marvin AgustinMarvin AgustínMarvin Jay Cuyugan Agustin, better known by his stage name Marvin Agustin is a Filipino actor and entrepreneur.-Showbiz career:...
as Lucas - Nikki GilNikki GilMonica Pauline "Nikki" Gil is a Filipino singer, actress, host, model and myx VJ.-Biography:Monica Pauline Gil was born in Manila to Dino and Julie Gil. She is of Filipino, Spanish and German descent...
as Bettina - Liza Lorena as Chat, Lucas' mother
- Tessie Tomas as Madame Vange, spiritist/Imelda impersonator
- Tirso Cruz IIITirso Cruz IIITirso Cruz III is a Filipino actor and singer. He is one of the famous actors in Philippine show business.-Biography and career:...
as Domingo, Lucas' father - Tetchie AgbayaniTetchie AgbayaniVisitacion Parado, who is better known by her screen name Tetchie Agbayani, is a Filipina movie and television actress, Mutya ng Pilipinas, psychology instructor and Playboy model. She appeared in a regular issue of German Playboy and a special American edition entitled "Women of the World"...
as Bettina's mother - Iwa MotoIwa MotoAileen Iwamoto popularly known by her screen name Iwa Moto, is a Filipino Japanese actress, model and teen star. She was one of the Final Four in the 2nd season of StarStruck, a reality-based talent search show of GMA Network in the Philippines and finished as first runner up...
as Gidget, Bettina's colleague - Monica Llamas as Sabs, Lucas' current girlfriend
- Irene Celebre as Maita, woman from Lucas' past
Production
In the third edition of Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in 2007, a screenplay entitled 2,999, which told the story of a missing pair of shoes from Imelda Marcos's collection of 3,000 pairs of shoes, was one of the finalists that year. Unfortunately, the filmmakers were unable to finish the entry on time so they decided to pull out.Marvin Agustin liked the story so much that he called writer James Ladioray to present to Unitel President and CEO Tony Gloria, who was instantly drawn to the story and wasted no time in greenlighting the project.
"The story unfolds through three decades as we tell Lucas’ story," Jorolan lets on. "Young, resolute and in love, there is nothing that will stop him from pursuing his goals – not even committing an act amidst the chaos and confusion of the 1986 People Power Revolution – all in the name of love."
Jorolan, a TV commercial director, faced other challenges. Lead stars Agustin and Gil, contract actors from rival TV stations GMA Network
GMA Network
GMA Network is a major commercial television & radio network in the Philippines. GMA Network is owned by GMA Network, Inc. a publicly listed company...
and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, had to squeeze in shooting in their competing work schedules, stretching principal photography, which took only 20 days, over 10 months. Jorolan and Ladioray, an advertising creative director, had to shuttle in between their regular work and the movie set to complete the shoot.
Ladioray adds, "I didn't want to make an outrightly political movie. That part in our history was very decisive, I wanted to make a story that can use that turning point as a point of redemption for everyone. The shoes are a metaphor — I wanted to ask the question, would you steal for love?"
Jorolan speaks of another metaphor that was crucial to the story, the bridge. "A bridge connotes relationship, whether it's been cut short, it still holds its purpose, similar to a relationship that's been broken off. (It still holds significance)."
Awards and Recognition
- 27th Bogota International Film Festival 2010 : Special Jury Recognition Award (Mencion de Honor)
- 32nd Catholic Mass Media Awards Philippines 2010 : Best Picture
- 1st Vietnam International Film Festival 2010 : Official Selection and Best Actress Nomination
- 19th China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival 2010 : Exhibition
- Cinema Evaluation Board of the Philippines 2010 : Rated "A"
- 27th Philippine Movie Press Club Star Awards for Movies 2011 : Nominations for the Digital Movie Category - Best Movie, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematographer, Best Musical Scorer, Best Sound Engineer, Best Original Movie Theme Song for "Bawa't Hakbang"
- 29th Luna Awards by the Film Academy of the Philippines 2011 : Nomination for Best Sound
External links
- Official website
- http://www.pep.ph/guide/movies/5680/the-red-shoes-is-graded-a-by-the-cinema-evaluation-board The Red Shoes is rated "A" by Cinema Evaluation Board
- http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/lifestyle/13071-imeldificin-a-good-way Imeldific in a Good Way - Manila Times Review
- http://pelikula.tumblr.com/post/398740377/the-red-shoes Love in the Form of 8 Stilettos
- http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/ The Tale of Imelda's Stolen Pair of Red Shoes
- The Red Shoes -- A Story of Love and Hope Thepoc.net Review
- If the red shoes fit Telebisyon.net
- Big steps for 'The Red Shoes' Telebisyon.net
- PEP REVIEW: The Red Shoes unearths the Imelda Marcos in all of us Pep.ph Review
- Marvin Agustin and Nikki Gil search for the perfect fit in The Red Shoes
- http://www.gmanews.tv/story/203343/pinoy-film-the-red-shoes-wins-best-picture-in-bogota-film-festival The Red Shoes Wins Big in South America Filmfest
- http://www3.mb.com.ph/articles/281964/pinoy-movie-honored-bogota-international-film-festival Pinoy Film Honored in Bogota
- http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20101012-297404/Colombia-honors-RP-film Colombia Honors RP Film
- http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/282311/kapamilya-kapuso-stations-both-big-winners-32nd-cmma Best Picture 2010 CMMA
- http://sssip.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/27th-pmpc-star-awards-for-movies-2011-official-nominees/ 27th PMPC Star Awards Nominations for The Red Shoes
- http://filmacademyphil.org/?p=2838 The Red Shoes 29th Luna Awards Nomination for Best Sound