Film Commentary [4-23-00]
Gina, an 18 year-old girl living in the slums, serves as a surrogate mother for her brother and sister. She dreams of a better future and is determined not to marry another slum dweller. Gina rejects the attentions of teenage Nonoy, a gambler and drug dealer who also makes money delivering water to the middle class occupants of an apartment building next to the slums. Gena is attacted to Jimboy, the son of the woman for whom she and her grandmother do laundry. When Jimboy's mother finds out about their relationship, she forbids him from seeing her.
Gina later finds out she is pregnant and not is forced to reconsider her preceptions of Jimboy who simply uses her and Nonoy who will do anything for her.
This is a very interesting film of the story of how Phillipean slum dwellers live and how they are used by those of the middle class. They live in houses that are not shanties with illegal electrical connections. As they have no running water, they are forced to draw from the local pump wells.
The production was of good quality with excellent performances by the cast. One is simpathetic to their plight as they are not given the opportunities for advancement offered to and often rejected by the American wealfare class. These are the type of people who will do anything to come to this country and with their work ethic are capable of succeeding here. They type of people you see who own a small shop in town and are always there, always working.
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Slum dwellers in Manila - - Pila Balde (Fetch a Pail of Water)
Genre: Drama
Grade = B+
Phillipine - Tagalog with English subtitles
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