Women of the Weeping River – Reel Asian 2017
Martin Scorsese Teaches Filmmaking
A rivalry between two family’s results in violence in Women of the Weeping River. In a remote area of the Southern Philippines, recent widow Satra finds herself in the middle of a conflict between two families. While Satra does want vengeance for the death of her husband, she also desires a peaceful life with her son Hassim. However, the violence between the families continues, leaving casualties on both sides.
Women of the Weeping River is a drama that tackles the armed clan conflicts in Mindanao from the point of view of the women caught in the middle. The film essentially drops you in the middle of the violent feud between these two families with little context or backstory, other than the fact that Satra’s husband was recently killed. While Satra is initially supportive of her family’s desire for revenge, she begins to have second thoughts as the conflict intensifies.
Women of the Weeping River is pretty dark story with the drama punctuated by sudden outbursts of violence. While the film is somewhat slow paced for about half its running time, the film really begins catching my attention as the continuation of this conflict leads some very tragic results. While ultimately Women of the Weeping River doesn’t leave much resolved, it is still a compelling watch.
FAIR 