Lav Diaz’s ‘Ang Babaeng Humayo’ to compete in Venice Int’l Film Festival

MANILA, Philippines – Director Lav Diaz’s upcoming film Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left) will compete in the main competition of the 73rd Venice International Film Festival scheduled on August 31 to September 10.

The website of the Venice Film Festival confirmed the announcement on Thursday, July 28. The movie is one of 10 films in the main competition.

Cinema One’s Ronald Arguelles also confirmed the news on his Facebook account.

The film stars former ABS-CBN president Charo Santos Concio, John Lloyd Cruz, Michael de Mesa, Nonie Buencamino and wife Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino.

According to the plot posted on the Facebook page of the movie, Charo stars as Horacia Somorostro, whose “living has become a veritable reclusion perpetua, an imprisonment. Life’s spins and randomness has been very difficult, vicious and inexplicable for her.”

In an interview with reporters last May, Santos confirmed that she was approached by Lav Diaz about starring in a film, which she agreed after reading the script. 

“When he [Lav] came back from Berlin, he asked me if I would reconsider going back to acting, and I said, ‘Yeah, why not, if there’s a good offer or if there is an interesting character?” Charo said. 

“And two days after the call he sent me the script and nung binasa ko, nagustuhan ko siya, (and when I read it, I liked it).” – Rappler.com