CASIS, AMICA KLEIR RAEMI

1030H

S 0730H

BACOM 2A
ILAGAN

MS. CECILE

ANG KWENTO NATING DALAWA

(THE STORY OF US THAT NEVER WAS)
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY NESTOR ABROGENA

Love comes in different forms and stages in life. Ones indescribable

interconnection with another is uncontrollable it always happens naturally.

Love is different from other emotions and feelings. It can happen to

people with similarities or to people who are very different from each other.
Love can work in odd yet very epic ways typically between childhood friends,
high school enemies, officemates, or even between a teacher and his
student. If theres one thing that you have to be sure about, ask the soul. Its
the soul that always knows everything. Love comes in different forms and
stages

in

life.

Ones

indescribable

interconnection

with

another

is

uncontrollable it always happens naturally.

Rain and traffic are my company last August 29, 2015 before watching
the film in Cine Adarna inside the University of the Philippines Diliman. I
had second thoughts while driving in the middle of the pouring rain. I asked
myself for more than twenty times if I should watch the film or not since my

friend said that I can watch it on YouTube anyway. I was really not in myself
during that evening. I keep on asking myself why I should watch the said
film. Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa? Seriously parang ang boring naman.
Hindi rin naman gwapo yung bida. (Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa? Seriously it
sounds boring. The main characters not good looking either.). Plus, it is an
indie film; talk about no budget and low quality production. Thats what I told
myself for the rest of the drive until I got inside the University campus. Yes, I
still went to UP even though I was having second thoughts. I asked the guard
on duty on how to go to the Cine Adarna and he gave me the directions.
Since I was out of my mind that night, I got lost. I have been roaming around
the campus for more than forty-five minutes. I was close to giving up until I
saw a group of teenagers that look like college students too. I stopped and
asked them how to go to Cine Adarna. They told me that they are also going
to watch a film there and since they know how to go there, I offered them a
ride. A tit for a tat.

When we arrived on the location, I was still being unsure. My new

found friends told me that they were able to watch the film during the world
premiere. I asked them if the film was good and they said yes. Actually, it
was really worth it. You know its not like the usual local films that we always
get to watch here (in the Philippines) Janica, my new friend, said and the
others agreed. We bought tickets and ate dinner before getting inside the
theater. The atmosphere was dull at first until my friends from St. Paul

arrived. My mind was not set to watch a film so I felt sleepy by seven; right
before the production members let us get in the theater.

When I got inside the theater, I waited for my friends so that Ill be able
to know where to sit. Since they will surely come late, I chose the seats
instead. The film was about to start when my friends arrived. To make me
feel comfortable, my friend gave me isaw (grilled chicken intestine) since she
knows that I have been craving for one. After five minutes, the film started.
At first, I find it really uninteresting and lifeless since it started with a guy
walking on the sidewalks of Katipunan. Just that. Nothing catchy and
interesting except for the fact that I always walk there too. My interest got
fueled up when Isa (played by Emmanuelle Vera) entered the scene. You can
already see that Sam (played by Nicco Manalo) and Isa has this indescribable
attraction towards each other. I first thought that they are just best friends
since I didnt feel the love between them because there is the presence of
tension until the overpass part.

The part of the film that happened on the overpass is my most-loved

part because it is really very gripping. It might be a bummer for other people
but I think that for an aspiring scriptwriter like Isa, it is very realistic. That is

the part where Sam asked Isa about her ongoing script and she said that she
is having a hard time writing it. What is compelling about it is when Sam told
Isa to write a story about them instead. I thought that Isa was just using Sam
because he is smart but then because of their facial expressions and
reactions I realized that Isa and Sam has a secret and not so legal kind of
relationship like Romeo and Juliets forbidden love; their relationship is
absolutely complicated. Thats how the story picked up.

This is the kind of film that the audience will quickly feel the directors
or the writers passion; A kind of film that will be non-sense if you do not
watch it until the end. The long takes are very important for the plot of the
film. With those takes, the story became more and more realistic. It has
proven that actions speak louder than words. Seeing Isa and Sam on long
train rides, made me feel excited on the next scene. Whenever they ride the
train or the cab, the curiosity inside me just thrillingly lights up. In my
opinion, the story of this film is highly original. It is the kind of film that is
really friendly to the audience. By friendly, I mean it is very easy to hold on
to, catch up with, and the audience can also escape with the characters. This
is not just a film. This is art.

Another thing that I love and appreciate about this experience is the
question and answer part with the casts and crews right after the film

viewing. They told us that what we have watched is so far the fourth cut.
That explains why the film has missing pieces or parts. A good example is
when we got intrigued by something that Sam saw in his laptop and then the
next scene is inside the Saint Benilde- SDA building and students are looking
at him like they know something. One of the crew said that what Sam saw
was an e-mail reminding him about the restrictions and rules about the
relationship between students and teachers. That crew asked us if that
change made a big difference on the film. It made me realize that the ending
will be nonsense or less exciting if they did not cut that part. What made me
more excited is when they told us that there will be an upcoming sequel.

This is a real masterpiece for someone like Mr. Nestor Abrogena, a

student of a directing class and the director of the said film. The plot twists
are amazing and really captivating. The production crew and the actors really
accomplished their goal and thrilled the people who watched their film. The
casts of characters are absolutely effective and I can say that this film is
well-casted,

well-directed,

and

well-produced.

If

this

film

will

have

screenings, I will watch it faster than a lightning and an in love teenagers

heartbeat. This is absolutely a must see indie film. With that, I can say that
watching this film is really worth the traffic, the rain, and getting lost inside
the university campus. People who hate local films will surely change their
point of view and judgements.