Mariquina: The Fall of a Shoemaker

Jiana Pamela Edades

Prof. Audrey Mirasol

Eng 10 THV3

June 1, 2016

Mariquina: The Fall of a Shoemaker

Mariquina is a movie directed by Milo Sogueco and produced by Marie Pineda and Krisma Maclang Fajardo. It was released in 2014. It opens up with Romeo Guevarra falling off a bridge, an old master shoemaker in Marikina. The heartbreaking story follows Imelda, her daughter, on her quest to find the perfect classic wingtip shoes for her deceased father, but it is not only shoes that she finds in this journey. She rediscovers herself as she recounted the bittersweet memories of her childhood, through flashbacks and how she transpired to apathetic woman she had become.

There are so many notable aspects in this film, which was brought about by its remarkable elements. The film’s screenplay was written by Jerrold Tarog. It is well-crafted, alternating between the present and the flashbacks of the past. The story’s plot starts off with Imelda seemingly unaffected by her father’s death. This peculiar reaction is bound to raise questions in the minds of the audience. By slowly unraveling Imelda’s past, the screenplay’s structure was successful in getting the audience hooked on what is going to happen next in the hopes of finding the questions to their answers. This was kept up until the end of the movie. Tarog’s music also heightened the acting prowess of the actors. It heightened the audience’s feelings. It communicated what the character’s dialogues and expressions cannot further relay. Mundane wordless scenes spoke volumes as much as verbal scenes did because of the exceptional choice of music.

Aped Santos’ production and design was also astounding. The film was set in two different eras. It was crucial to make a stark difference between them in order for the audience to recognize the shift without needing any introduction. Together with cinematographer Sasha Palomares’ brilliant editing, they were successful in making this depiction feel authentic. The audience felt as if they have been transported back into time every time the scene shifts from one era to another. Visual imagery was also impeccable further complementing the actors’ portrayals and further enunciating Tarog’s screenplay. The actors were successful in giving life into their characters. Through understated acting, they were able to convey the strong messages of each of their character, whilst still being realistic. They were acting like how one is supposed to seem in real life and not just for cinematic purposes. Although this may seem ineffective for other films, it made Mariquina authentic and more relatable to the audience. All these helped into the visual effect the film aims to bring about into its viewers.

Despite all these positive commentaries, the film