Joel Torre – Sabungero

In the Philippines, you could not pick a more context and culture-laden term than sabong. This, in its literal meaning, is the act of cockfighting. Moving along the fairways of context it could also mean the pastime of a pre-dominantly male subculture, going to the cockpits and spending the whole day watching bred fighting roosters go at it. The term has some sexual connotations to it as well – that in itself is inevitable in this country. The sabungan (cockpit – literally, the pit where they hold cockfights) is where the sabungeros congregate. If you grew up in the Philippines you would know that this subculture has a language of its own, and a magnetism that draws in over 10% of this country’s population (that’s the number of total registered cockfighters in the Philippines – 8 to 10 million) towards the cockpits during weekends.

It is within such a context that this new indie film offering – Sabungero: Dangal at Tibay – takes place.  Joel Torre stars plays Paco, a working-class man who has a working-class family, and pretty much leads a middle-class life. The movie plays out his initial ventures into sabong that eventually gets him hooked. Torre gives perfect rendition to the ups and downs of the life of a sabungero – his solid performance on screen give the viewers first-hand view of the drug-like rush of victory and the bitter desperation of defeat.

Also giving standout performances are a solid ensemble of actors – boasting experience and pure talent. Ricky Davao gamely plays the best friend, and Robert Arevalo plays “Tatang” – the dignified and respected, if not mysterious, cockpit owner. Maritoni Fernandez plays the role of the modern Filipina wife, wise in the affairs of her family and feeling the immediate effect of her husband’s new addiction.

Ricky Davao – the best friend

On the dark side, Nonie Buencamino plays the role of shady gambler to the hilt. Paco’s nemesis in this movie is the character of  “the Congressman” played the multi-talented Leo Martinez – really, who else would you imagine in this role? Edwin Nombre plays the cockpit’s “Kristo”, the bet handler, while Sid Lucero and Lesley Martinez play Paco’s children caught in the crossfire.

Leo Martinez plays the bad guy in Sabungero
Leo Martinez plays the bad guy in Sabungero

With a niche culture of this size, the movie is bound to connect with a lot of people out there. But with a treatment that is more honest than anything said about the sabungero culture than ever before, the movie is bound to ruffle some feathers in the high places as well. Harping on truth and reality may not earn the filmmakers more friends, but it serves no purpose making a film about the sabungero community that the viewers (hopefully sabungeros themselves, or people initiated to the culture already) can’t even relate too, or that which they will find contrived and faked. If you are not acquainted with cockfighting in the Philippines, this will probably give you the best chance of a ringside seat to what goes on – the film has that distinct insider’s feel to it.

Miguel Kaimo and Rozie Laurel Delgado directed the film. The original story was written by Troy Bernardo and the screenplay further developed by Luz Inocian. Most of these people are admitted newcomers to the movie industry – maybe that’s why no major film studio took a chance on the film. It feels right though, that this be an indie release, it would be totally awkward to expect this kind of honesty from the mainstream. Film music, score and sound was handled by Sound Weavers Recording Studio.

Visit the Sabungero Movie official website here.

Catch the premiere showing on September 27, 2009, 4:00pm at SM Megamall Cinemas. Tickets will be available at the Megamall Box Office starting September 20. Provincial premiers are also scheduled on September 29th – expect the film in SM Lipa, SM Iloilo, SM Quezon, SM Cebu, SM Bacolod, SM Cagayan de Oro, SM Pampanga, and SM Davao.