Joross Gamboa turns in a lived-in, defiant tour de force in ‘Wantawsan’

Puregold CinePanalo’s standout film exposes systemic flaws through an unforgettable, career-defining performance by Joross Gamboa.

This year’s Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival paired its ₱5-million production grants with something even more attractive for its participants: complete creative freedom. Dropping the themed constraint allowed the third-edition filmmakers to bring their uncompromised visions straight to the screen. As a result, the festival’s scope has widened into a sharp and varied reflection of contemporary Filipino life.

The seven selected feature-film entries dive deep into the heart of vital social issues, reflecting the heavy toll of economic migration (BC Amparado’s “Mono No Aware,” Thop Nazareno’s “Apol of My Ai”), the layered struggles of queer identity (Rodina Singh’s “Multwoh,” Carl Joseph Papa and Ian Pangilinan’s “Patay Gutom”), and the collateral damage of aging and industrialization (Lawrence Fajardo’s “Beast”).

The rest of the entries examine the ultimate sacrifices made in the name of family (Mikko Baldoza’s “Stuck on You”) and the scourge of poor governance weathering the country’s marginalized sectors (Joseph Abello’s “Wantawsan”).

While these issues resonate across disparate segments of society, they collectively offer an uncompromised look at a nation in transition. The noble intentions behind them are clear, but as always, the true measure lies in whether the execution triumphs or falters.

Star power

The festival’s broader lineup thrives on a potent mix of veteran expertise and fresh talent. Acting powerhouse John Arcilla (“Beast”) and seasoned leading man Zanjoe Marudo (“Apol of My Ai”) command the screen, while rising actors Joao Constancia (“Multwoh”) and River Joseph (“Stuck on You”) prove they possess serious dramatic chops to match their strong screen presence.

Their dramatic caliber elevates the material, opening up rich, pertinent discussions around the heavy thematic undercurrents driving “Mono No Aware,” “Beast” and “Apol of My Ai.”

Audiences can catch these entries at select Metro Manila theaters—including Gateway 2, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Market! Market!, and Ayala Malls Circuit, Feliz and Manila Bay—running through Oct. 4, with the awards ceremony slated for Sept. 30.

Our top pick last year was TM Malones’ Best Picture winner “Salum,” which won as much for its honest portrait of poverty as for its technical proficiency. The Hiligaynon film movingly captures the sacrifices of Kasko (Allen Dizon), an impoverished scallop diver on Iloilo’s Gigantes Island, as he tries to provide for his teenage daughter (Christine Mary Demaisip)—who only wants a cell phone for her birthday. (You can revisit the film at 8:30 PM on Oct. 3 at Gateway 2.)

Creative freedom

Fatherly devotion also takes center stage in “Wantawsan”—our personal favorite this year. Abello’s irresistibly poignant domestic dramedy is anchored by an award-worthy performance from a deglamorized Joross Gamboa as Chito, a cash-strapped former overseas Filipino worker (OFW) navigating a logistical minefield just to throw a grand eighth birthday celebration for his young son, Chester (Zion Cruz).

Chito thinks he’s hit the jackpot when he and his bosom buddy, Eman (Alwyn Uytingco), secure a ₱5,000 cash handout from the newly elected mayor. But Chito’s celebratory mood quickly wears off when unexpected deductions shrink his stash down to a single ₱1,000 bill—which also turns out to be fake! What to do?

With a house full of invited guests on the way, a birthday dinner to fund, and a loving but increasingly exasperated wife (Rita Daniela, similarly memorable) waiting at home, Chito’s perfect day spirals into a frantic, comedic/tragic race against time.

Systemic flaw

Don’t be fooled by its deceptively improvisational tone; “Wantawsan” is an earnest plea for beleaguered Pinoys to choose integrity despite crushing adversity. In its scathing critique of systemic bureaucracy and a fractured political apparatus, the movie functions as a stark companion piece to Cinemalaya entries like “2 Valid IDs” and “Status: Rejected.”

It also shares a striking thematic kinship with Adolf Alix Jr.’s upcoming drama “Pila,” which we previewed ahead of its release by way of an advance screener. This cinematic oner casts Gina Pareño as Regina, a struggling octogenarian surviving on the precarious “ayuda” gleaned from endless, exhausting lines.

Rendered invisible by the very institutions meant to protect him, Chito suffers the exact institutional erasure that marginalizes Sylvia (“2 Valid IDs”), Biring (“Status: Rejected”), and Regina (“Pila”).

Broken promises

Ultimately, “Wantawsan” strips away and deromanticizes the country’s vaunted weaponization of so-called “Filipino resilience”—exposing it as a convenient excuse for state neglect and a government unable to provide a dignified life for its people.

Grounding the film’s chaotic energy, Joross Gamboa steps away from his trademark comedic antics to embody an everyman desperately trying to outrun a broken system—a vital portrayal delivered with quiet intensity, confidence and sharp levity.

On Gamboa’s capable shoulders, Chito feels deeply lived-in and brimming with doting sincerity, capturing desperation without forcing its grim elements down viewers’ throats.

Witnessing his struggle evokes a profound sense of helplessness, but the character’s plight does more than merely solicit sympathy—it sounds a clarion call to relentlessly hold institutions accountable, demanding better from a government structurally obligated to assist people like Chito.

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