BARBER’S TALES

Mga Kuwentong Barbero

Directed by Jun Robles Lana

Asia Pop! / Philippines / 2013 / drama, historical / 120 mins / Tagalog with English subtitles / HD / West Coast Premiere

‹ ›

Watch Trailer

BARBER’S TALES

UltraStar Mission Valley
Sat, Nov. 8, 2014 1:10 pm

Description

During Ferdinand Marcos’ reign in the 1970s, Marilou, a recent widow, inherits her late husband’s barbershop and aims to run it herself. Her village is divided between a corrupt pro-Marcos local government and communist insurgents, with villagers like Marilou stuck in the middle. The unassuming Marilou has to make bold choices with her newly-acquired job in a male-dominated industry, and with the rebellion happening right in her own home.

Veteran director Jun Robles Lana moves from the intimacy of his international hit Bwakaw to a sprawling film that ranges from large-scale political movement to domestic disputes to introspective growth. But the power of BARBER’S TALES derives from the strength of the female relationships, headlined by the incomparable Eugene Domingo in an award-winning performance. Her Marilou is joined by other female villagers who band together to find ways to support each other in an increasingly oppressive environment. Together, they form one of the most kick-ass female casts of the year and take the audience to an ending that is rich, bittersweet, and well-worth the journey. –Janet Kim