Nathalie B. Absalon PeTa No.

Grade 11 PES – 3 May 14, 2018

“SEKLUSYON”

Directed by: Mr. Eric Matti

Screenplay: Mr. Anton C. Santamaria

Production Companies: Reality Entertainment

Genre: Horror / Mystery / Thriller

Cast: Rhed Bustamante Anghela Sta. Ana

Neil Ryan Sese Padre Ricardo

Ronnie Alonte Miguel

Lou Veloso Sandoval

Phoebe Walker Madre Cecilia

Dominic Roque Fabian

Elora Espano Erina

John Vic De Guzman Marco

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 J.R. Versales Carlo

Jerry O’Hara Obispo

Sherry Lara Mother Superior

Teroy Guzman Padre Francisco

Release Date: Philippines: 25 December 2016 (Metro Manila Film Festival)

Switzerland: 04 April 2017 (Fribourg International Film Festival)

Authoritative Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6271180/

http://www.raindeocampo.com/2016/12/25/seklusyon-horror-lots-socio-religious-undertones-

5secreview/

https://jerickbaarde.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/the-horror-of-the-everyday-in-erik-mattis-

seklusyon/

http://www.starmometer.com/2016/12/22/seklusyon-blurs-the-line-between-faith-and-disbelief/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/seclusion-seklusyon-film-review-macau-2016-

955609

Plot:

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 One thing I could say for Seklusyon was it took darkness very seriously — delivering it

thematically and literally as some key scenes in the movie was mired in so much darkness that I

was unable to process what actually happened. It was a major issue in fully appreciating the film,

which was overall another good suspense film to add to local cinema. The film had great

cinematography and the production design was very consistent for a film set after the Japanese

war. The script had a lot of food for thought and inspired a lot of questions about faith. The

dialogue was very engaging, and this was essential to hold the audience’s interest in a film that

had a lot of things to say. It was also interesting to note that the demons that challenged the

deacons were mostly reflective of the controversies that the church has dealt with in the past and

in the present. It also led to questions about how the devil worked his/her way into the hearts and

minds of even the most devoted of God’s followers. I liked that there was a pretty solid story

that served as the backbone of the entire film and its beauty was its ability to nurse the suspense

and keep most audiences guessing until the very end.

In 1947, Padre Ricardo (Neil Ryan Sese) arrives at a marketplace to investigate people

whose ailments were miraculously healed by a child named Anghela Sta. Ana (Rhed

Bustamante), who is assisted by a mysterious nun, Sister Cecilia (Phoebe Walker). Ricardo

becomes suspicious of Anghela's powers; every time she heals someone, black liquid drips from

her mouth.

Miguel (Ronnie Alonte), a deacon, arrives at a monastery and meets Sandoval (Lou

Veloso), a former priest who has been excommunicated by the bishop. Sandoval tells him about

the old ritual where deacons or aspiring priests are sent in a secluded area on the last seven days

of their training, the purpose of which is to shield them from evil, for it is believed that the last

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seven days is when they are most vulnerable to the influence of the devil. While in seclusion,

Miguel meets fellow deacons, Carlo, Fabián, and Marco.

While in a church, Padre Ricardo discovers a bloodied Anghela, her parents having been

murdered. The bishop orders that Anghela and Cecilia be moved together to a secluded place -

the same monastery where the deacons are undergoing their training - despite Ricardo's protests

about his suspicions of Cecilia. However, the bishop allows Ricardo to continue his

investigation.

Sandoval at first refuses to let Anghela and Sister Cecilia stay, as they will disrupt the

deacons' training, but later begrudgingly agrees because he is told that their stay is under the

order of the bishop. Anghela uses her powers to make their bread, which had gone moldy and

spoiled, edible again, as well as turning the tap water into wine. The deacons - except Miguel -

are impressed with her powers, seeing it as miraculous.

During the course of their stay, the deacons are plagued by recurring nightmares in the

form of their sins: Marco's gluttonous nature was the cause of his siblings' death from starvation

during the war; Fabián's entry into the priesthood is a way to leave his physically abusive

mother; and Miguel is taunted by his dead ex-lover, Erina, in the form of the Virgin Mary.

One night, Anghela goes into the kitchen to ask Sandoval for food and water, and later on

talks to him about his excommunication. As Anghela convinces him that he was not at fault for

his sins, Sandoval leaves the next morning, thanking the girl and handing the deacons under her

charge.

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 In the course of his investigation, Padre Ricardo arrives at a convent to question the

Mother Superior about Sister Cecilia. Despite her rudeness, the Mother Superior willingly gives

him Cecilia's records, but warns him to stop investigating and to never return. The records state

that Cecilia was raped by several men during the war and that part of her face was burned. She

later became Anghela's teacher; it is implied that Anghela healed her wounds. He also discovers

that Anghela was raised in an orphanage and was adopted. To Ricardo's surprise, one of the

documents appeared to have the name "NgaHela" written on it, which is said to be the name of

the devil incarnate. The document explains that Anghela's healing and miraculous powers come

not from God, but from the devil. With evidence of Anghela as a false prophet and Cecilia being

one of her minions, Ricardo visits the bishop to warn him of Anghela's true nature, but at the

same moment Sandoval bursts in the room and shoots the bishop dead. He informs the shocked

Ricardo about Anghela's whereabouts and that she is waiting for him.

On their last few days of training, Anghela convinces the four deacons to redeem

themselves from their sins by feeding their vices, sometimes using Sister Cecilia as a pawn for

her schemes. The first to succumb was Marco, who gave in to his gluttonous nature. Next was

Fabián, who is revealed to be abusive towards women due to the abuse he received from his

mother. Carlo is revealed to be a pedophile and was the next to succumb to Anghela's power.

During a mass held by Anghela in the chapel, Miguel unsuccessfully tries to convince the

other deacons that she is not to be trusted. He angrily calls Anghela a false prophet and runs into

the woods, where he is followed by Anghela, Cecilia, and the three deacons. During the chase,

Miguel trips and is knocked unconscious. The next scene shows a flashback of Miguel's

relationship with Erina. It is revealed that Miguel left Erina with their unborn child to undergo

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the priesthood. Feeling betrayed and heartbroken by his decision to leave her, Erina hangs and

kills herself after giving birth to their child. During this time, Anghela sees Miguel and heals his

head wound. As Miguel wakes up, he realizes that Anghela is his daughter. Back at the chapel,

Anghela continues her ritual and has the four deacons drink from a cup filled with black liquid.

Miguel drinks from the cup, but is still doubtful.

Padre Ricardo finally confronts Anghela, and tries to exorcise her, only to be burned to

death by her supernatural powers. Miguel witnesses what happened, seizes Anghela, takes her to

the chapel, and barricades the door. There Anghela reveals herself as NgaHela, a demon whose

malevolent plot is to take over the church; those whom she heals end up worshipping her.

As Sister Cecilia and the three deacons try to break down the barricade, Miguel grabs a

knife and stabs Anghela several times. Black liquid drips out from her mouth as she slowly dies.

Miguel then escapes, never to be seen again. The movie ends with Fabián, Carlo, and Marco,

ordained by the new bishop into the priesthood, still unaware that they were not blessed by God,

but by the devil.

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