MANILA, Philippines?We?ve all heard the same sentiment: It?s hard to make artistic movies in the Philippines, because they are not commercially viable.

Is this really the problem, or is it the simplistic interpretation of what mass audiences want?

If the box-office underdog-turned film sensation ?Ploning? is any indication, the people behind new film outfit Panoramanila, certainly pondered the question prior to coming out with their first project.

Top-billed by Judy Ann Santos and helmed by her longtime-friend and novice director Dante Nico Garcia, ?Ploning? is proof that artistically-crafted movies can be appealing both to jaded cineastes and the general viewing public.

Shot in the remote island of Cuyo, Palawan, the movie, which almost entirely used the Cuyonon dialect, tells of a young man on an illegal Taiwanese fishing vessel, who sets out to find Ploning, a woman from his hazy past.

His search takes him to Cuyo where, little by little, the story of the past unravels.

Beautiful

There?s no denying that ?Ploning? is beautifully made and deserves all the praise heaped upon it. Well-written, thoughtfully crafted, and creatively executed, it is infused with a depth that everyone can relate to, but which is not often explored in mainstream movies.

Thus the movie goes against established norms and won over both the masses and the art film crowd.

Santos used to be considered the poster child of everything baduy about local movies. Yet people who wouldn?t be caught dead watching her movies were awed.

Consider, too, that there is no love angle, not even a love interest for the female lead. When did we last see a local flick without a romantic angle?

Just simple

At its core, ?Ploning? is a simple story about simple folk, set in a simple place in much simpler times. But it is beautiful in its simplicity, raw and honest in tackling its characters? conflicts and tragedies.

While a lot of the motivation to go in this direction has a lot to do with Panoramanila?s revolutionary?maybe naïve?approach to filmmaking, credit goes to the director, actors, and technical people who obviously understood the single vision.

For a novice director, Garcia turns out a solid film that is near-perfect in execution. He has obviously paid careful attention to details, which makes the movie all the more real for us.

Garcia seems in his element when motivating actors, which is reflected by the superb performances.

It may take some time to believe that the fair, baby-skinned Judy Ann is a provinciana. But she achieves the right balance between acting and under-acting, making it easy for us to empathize with her steadfast, strong, but inwardly hurting character. She gave Ploning a quiet grace that shone through.

Cedric Amit, the native Cuyonon boy tapped to play the role of Digo, one of the main characters, turns out to be the ?other? big star of the film. He is to ?Ploning? what unknown but multi-awarded young star Rebecca Lusterio was to ?Muro-Ami.?

Another Cuyo local, Bodjong Fernandez, gets stellar exposure. As Muo Sei, the grown-up Digo, he looks every inch the part of a man lost at sea who is now trying to put his life together.

The performances of other cast members?most notably comedienne Eugene Domingo as the bed-ridden Juaning; Mylene Dizon, Ces Quesada, and Meryl Soriano?reveals director Garcia?s masterful handling of his actors.

But doubtless, the veteran actors drive this film. Tony Mabesa turns out a poignant performance as the anguished father coming to terms with his daughter?s ?sin.? Spanky Manikan, as the Taiwanese adoptive father of the grown-up Digo also turns up a compelling performance.

But it is veteran Gina Pareño who steals the show. Her big dramatic finale is unforgettable.

Sure to get viewers? nod as well is the very brief appearance of Ronnie Lazaro, one of the country?s finest actors, who makes a splash just before the movie ends.

Taking risks

One other thing that sets this film apart is the fact that it is in another dialect?a great risk.

But it works, underscoring the fact that that if language is not a barrier for people?s appreciation, then certainly, we can handle more realistic scripts, minus clichés.

Which is not to say that the movie is not without its flaws: inconsistent sound quality; a strange scene where characters converse in perfect Tagalog; exchanges that seem made for the stage.

But these are minor, forgettable issues that do very little to diminish the merits of ?Ploning,? or undermine what it turns out, in the end: a great viewing experience, a new standard for Philippine cinema.