Philippines
2023 90 mins
OV Filipino
Subtitles : English
“An excellent film that manages to reinvigorate the genre through its contextual uniqueness, while remaining pleasant to the eye from beginning to end”
– Panos Kotzathanasis, ASIAN MOVIE PULSE Eric (Carlo Aquino) leads a fairly typical life as an animator, holding a well-paying job and harbouring feelings for his co-worker Carlo (Gio Gahol). However, one conspicuous detail about Eric is his lack of a mouth, quite literally. One day, he receives a call from his mother, Rosalinda (Dolly De Leon), urging him to check up on his missing uncle, only to discover that his uncle has been deceased for several days. What follows, however, is not sadness, but the resurfacing of a childhood memory that robbed him of his voice. The alien who once abducted him returns to his life, wanting to take him away from Earth…
THE MISSING marks director Carl Joseph Papa's third feature-length animated film. Following
MANANG BIRING (2015), the queer, surrealist hybrid of romance, drama and sci-fi
THE MISSING once again embraces the challenge of digital rotoscope animation, inviting the audience to join Eric in experiencing the blend of illusion and reality, struggle and relief, love and support as he searches for his own voice. Additionally, Papa’s film features a star-studded cast including the internationally renowned actress Dolly De Leon (
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, 2022), talented newcomer Carlo Aquino (
THIRD WORLD ROMANCE, 2023), and the brilliant Gio Gahol (
SILA-SILA, 2019). Will Eric find his voice amidst the listening ears of his family and loved ones?
– Xige Yi