AREA (Louie Ignacio, 2016)
“Area,” the new film by Louie Ignacio attacks the subject of prostitution on a systemic perspective, via the parallelism of the multi-generational family which operates a brothel, and the dysfunctional relationship among the sex workers living under one roof. Of course, prostitution has always been an offshoot of poverty, yet “Area” narrowly but cleverly avoids the route of poverty porn through the use of humor. Despite the depressing condition of its characters, “Area” finds the silver lining in the mundane. The sex workers are allowed to laugh at their misfortunes through sarcasm and irony, providing them a momentary escape from reality. Much of why the film excels as a poignant realist drama is due to Robby Tantingco’s solidly-written script, working from a story by Ferdinand Lapuz. The characters are all distinct from one another, and each of their personal journeys are exciting to follow. Ai-Ai delas Alas, acting in her second indie film plays Hillary, a veteran