Saranggola (international title: The Kite) is a 1999 Filipino drama film directed by Gil Portes. It stars Ricky Davao, Lester Llansang and Jennifer Sevilla. It is a morality tale, showing murder and corruption through the eyes of a child.
Plot
Though widowed, ex-cop, Homer, (Ricky Davao) is a kindly father to his ten-year-old son, Rex (Lester Llansang). He is considered to be something of a bully in the poor Manila neighborhood where he lives. After mistaking a child retrieving a snarled kite for a burglar, Homer kills the boy and then hurriedly tries to cover up his error. Unbeknownst to his dad, Rex witnessed the event, too. As the two separately wrestle with their consciences, the neighbors find out and chaos soon ensues.
Cast
Ricky Davao as Homer Agustines
Lester Llansang as Rex Agustines
Jennifer Sevilla as Anita
Mark Gil as Jack Lumauig
Sining Blanco as Enye Bumanlag
Daryl Reyes as Tonton Bumanlag
Connie Chua as Tonton's Mother
Nanding Josef as Tonton's Father
Roy Alvarez as Cong. Ventura
RR Herrera as Leo Ventura
Aleth dela Cruz as Aling Karing
Diding Andres as Pacing
Nonong Talbo as Mang Kadyo
Mar Gachitorena as Senior Cop
Tess Orias as Ms. Rojo
Reception
Isah Red of the Manila Standard gave Saranggola a positive review, calling the film thematically challenging. He praises director Gil Portes for focusing on how the crime affects the relationship of the father and son, in the form of Jan Svěrák's Kolya. Though he considers the film's premise as encouraging, he criticizes the film's pacing.
Awards and nominations
The film won several awards at the 1999 Manila Film Festival including: Best Picture, Best Actor (Ricky Davao), Best Original Story, Best Screenplay (Gil Portes and Butch Dalisay) and Best Theme Song. It was also nominated for the Golden St. George at the 21st Moscow International Film Festival. Ricky Davao was also hailed as Best Actor at the 1999 Cinemanila International Film Festival for this film.
In 2000, the film won the FAMAS Best Child Actor Award (Lester Llansang) and was nominated for four more awards (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor (Ricky Davao)) at the FAMAS Awards. It also won the Gawad Urian Award for Best Actor (Ricky Davao) and was nominated for 5 more awards at the 2000 Gawad Urian Awards. In the same year it won the Original Screenplay of the Year (Gil Portes and Butch Dalisay) and the Actor of the Year (Ricky Davao) and was nominated for 3 more awards at the Star Awards for Movies.
The film was also the Philippines' official entry to: the Academy Awards (Oscars); the 2000 Young Artists Award, where it was nominated for Best International Film and Best Performance in an International Film (Lester Llansang); the 2000 Indian Film Festival; and other international film festivals.