Aparisyon

Aparisyon (transl. Apparition) is a 2012 Philippine psychological drama film^[1] written and directed by Isabel Sandoval.^[a] Set in early 1970s, where the story about the nuns in the period immediately preceding the declaration of martial law by Ferdinand Marcos.^[2] It is one of the official entries for the New Breed Full Length Feature Category in Cinemalaya 2012.^[3]

Aparisyon
Official poster
Directed by	Isabel Sandoval[a]
Screenplay by	Isabel Sandoval[a]
Story by	Isabel Sandoval[a] Jerry Gracio
Produced by	Jerome Kerkman Jhun 'McHertz' Macias Merrick Clint Goho Markane Earle Goho
Starring	Jodi Sta. Maria Mylene Dizon
Cinematography	Jay Abello
Edited by	Isabel Sandoval[a] Jerrold Tarog
Music by	Teresa Barrozo
Production companies	Cinemalaya Autodidact Pictures
Distributed by	Goldmine Entertainment Productions (Philippines) The Criterion Channel (North American streaming)
Release dates	July 21, 2012 (2012-07-21) (Philippine Independent Film Festival) March 20, 2013 (2013-03-20) (Philippines) April 21, 2021 (2021-04-21) (North America)
Running time	87 minutes
Country	Philippines
Language	Filipino

Aparisyon was invited to film festivals around the world, including Deauville Asian Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.^[4] At the Hawaii International Film Festival, the film won the NETPAC Award "for its courageous exploration of religious faith, guilt and forgiveness through masterful storytelling and visual imagery".^[5] The film was also nominated for the New Currents Award at the 2012 Busan International Film Festival.^[6]

As of 2021, along with Señorita, it is available for streaming through the Criterion Channel.^[7]

Synopsis

Set in 1971, the sisters of the Adoration monastery in a remote town in Rizal in the Philippines lead quiet and peaceful lives.^[8] Remy (Mylene Dizon), an extern nun who is able to leave the monastery from time to time to do errands for the other nuns, learns from her mother that her activist brother is missing. She asks Mother Superior Ruth (Cuyugan-Asensio) for an indefinite leave of absence to help her family search for her brother. When her request is turned down, she starts secretly attending meetings of families with missing relatives. Lourdes (Jodi Sta. Maria) becomes an extern too to go with Remy to attend a meeting.^[9] They fall victim to violence on their way back.

Cast

• Jodi Sta. Maria as Sister Lourdes
• Mylene Dizon as Sister Remy
• Fides Cuyugan-Asensio as Mother Superior
• Raquel Villavicencio as Sister Vera
• Maria Monica Reyes as Sister Emilia

Awards

Date	Award	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref(s)
2012	8th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival	New Breed - Best Film	Isabel Sandoval	Nominated	[3]
		Best Sound	Wild Sound	Won
	2012 Busan International Film Festival	New Currents Award	Isabel Sandoval	Nominated	[6]
	2012 Deauville Film Festival	Grand Prix		Nominated	[4]
		Audience Award		Won
	2012 Hawaii International Film Festival	NETPAC Award		Won	[5]
2013	Young Critics Circle	Best Performance	Fides Cuyugan-Asensio	Nominated	[10]
		Best Editing	Jerrold Tarog and Isabel Sandoval	Nominated
		Best Screenplay	Isabel Sandoval and Jerry Gracio	Nominated
	Gawad Urian Awards 2013	Best Actress	Jodi Sta. Maria	Nominated	[11]
		Best Supporting Actress	Mylene Dizon	Nominated
			Raquel Villavicencio	Nominated

References

1. "Exclusive Interview: "I wanted to break as many rules as possible" Isabel Sandoval on her early films Señorita & Apparition now playing on Criterion Channel". The Queer Review. May 10, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
2. Erica Gonzales, "Director Isabel Sandoval Wants to Shed Light on Invisible Women", February 24, 2021, Harper's Bazaar
3. "(MOVIE) Aparisyon, an entry to the 8th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival". The Rod Magaru Show. June 20, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
4. "Indie film Aparisyon wins Audience Award at the Deauville Asian Film Festival in France". SPOT.PH. March 11, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
5. "Jodi's indie film wins award in Hawaii film fest". ABS-CBN News. October 22, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
6. "Eight Filipino Films Take Part At The BIFF". ph.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
7. In ‘Apparition,’ a Philippine Drama, Nuns Face Civil Strife", May 9, 2021, The Criterion Collection
8. Jeannette Catsoulis, "In ‘Apparition,’ a Philippine Drama, Nuns Face Civil Strife", July 9, 2013, New York Times
9. "Apparition (Aparisyon): Busan Review", October 7, 2012, Hollywood Reporter
10. "Nora Aunor receives 5th acting citation from Young Critics Circle". PEP.ph. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
11. "36th Gawad Urian: Nominations". Rappler. June 18, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2021.

Notes

1. Credited as Vincent Sandoval.

External links

• Aparisyon at IMDb