In the dim little rooms of a Philippine massage parlor, Iliac performs his job with care. He takes his clients from massage to sex silently and seamlessly, and among a stable of handsome, half-naked masseurs, he’s a stand-out. But there’s no glamour in this life. Iliac turned to massage/prostitution to support his family when his father abandoned them. And now, today, his father has died. While elaborate funeral rituals begin at home – his father’s body groomed, dressed and buried - Iliac himself continues his own daily ritual - undressing methodically, oiling the bodies of middle-aged businessmen. The parallels and juxtapositions, between massage parlor and funeral, are stunningly observed, and build to create an emotional masterpiece. At the film’s heart are gorgeous, complex performances by newcomer Coco Martin as Iliac, and Jaclyn Jose as his stoically mourning mother. Award-winning director Brillante Mendoza finds drama in delicate moments, and once our eyes adjust, it is impossible to turn away. Like a fever-dream, his camera roves along the massage parlor ceiling, looking down on room after room, listening in on every torrid whisper. Outside, in the colorful noisy streets, he weaves a gritty portrait of the funeral and wake, capturing the pomp of ceremony and the sting of muttered gossip. The Masseur has garnered praise and prizes in festivals across the world, and its easy to see why. The film is not only ground-breaking, but heart-stopping as well. In Tagalog with English subtitles

Brillante Mendoza was born in 1960 in San Fernando in the province of Pampanga in the Philippines. He is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in advertising. The Masseur marks his directorial feature film debut.

Regal South Beach
10:00pm Screening
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