Cavite

Pronounced ca-vi-té, it's the name of a small town in the Phillipines. It's also the title of one incredibly innovative, psychologically sophisticated and brilliantly resourceful digital feature shot almost entirely in that country. I've mentioned in this blog that (a) digital technology will generate a new wave of filmmakers, (b) you can make movies anywhere, and (c) you can make movies, period. Cavite easily proves these points.

Shot on a shoe string, using some incredibly simple guerilla "work-arounds" and ambient light (heck, it even uses "ambient actors"!), with the two filmmakers doubling as cast and crew, this little film exhibits enough production values to elevate "video footage" into a full-fledged cinematic experience. It's substance first and style second (though it does certainly have a consistent and effective style). If you want to make digital features, you owe it to yourself to get a hold of the DVD, just to see what smart filmmakers can pull off when they set their minds to it. Yes, I'll admit the movie lags a bit in the middle, but it starts well, and it achieves almost pitch-perfect emotional realism. Oh, and the final act is truly worth the wait in terms of emotional storytelling.

It's a movie Hollywood would never make. And as small as it is, my bet would be on this film surviving 100 years from now (as a testament to a very specific time and place) over any of the big studio movies I've seen lately.