By: Heinrich Domingo

A teenage boy is rushed to the hospital after committing suicide. Her mom, in an effort to console herself first before saving her son, conjures lies after lies for the interviewing doctor to hear. The film eventually revealed how the boy has had a miserable growing up with her mother. He lived a life that made him pay for how his father abandoned their family.

The Truth as Told in Lies brilliantly tackles mental illness and suicide through the use of effective acting. It shows how people perceive the society as a picture-perfect scenery devoid of flaws and imperfections. The film’s message was effectively delivered through the performance of Issa Litton and Alexander Diaz. Both showed a myriad of emotions enticing the viewers to know more about their characters.

Metaphors painted on the screen were also helpful in deepening the discussion. Drowning in the pool, shouting and shrieking, and endless sobbing delivered messages that cannot be included in the lines of characters.

The film is bold in bringing to the cinema a topic less discussed in the Philippine culture. Our people, tagged as ‘the happiest in the world’ cannot simply fathom a reality where others cannot save themselves from their own sadness and melancholy. The Truth as Told in Lies brings hope that more medium would start talking about mental health. It is a piece which promises that contentious and delicate topics can be beautifully delivered in the big screen.

 

Directed by: Inigo Ramil Gorgetti
UP Diliman
Muntinlupa City