Amajesticfilminwhichtwostorieseasilyfit.OneaboutafilmmakerwhoisalittlelikeDiazhimselfandwrestleswiththecompletionofhisfilmandwithgreedyfilmfestivalprogrammers.Andoneaboutareligiousleader.AlsoalittlelikeDiazhimself? &nbsaaa
ThefilmsofLavDiazoftentellseriousepicstories,buttheyarestillnotentirelyfreefromhumourandsatire.Forinstanceinthisfilm,Diaztakesthemickeyoutoffestivalprogrammersandalsosketchesapictureofhimselfthatisnotentirelyfreefromself-mockery.
Thefilmhastwoorthreestories(alsoafilminthefilm)andoneofthemfocusesonthefilmmakerHomer,whoverymuchresemblesLavDiazhimself.Thetorturedfilmmakerwrestleswithcompletinghisfilm.Despitepleasfromthosearoundhimandfromeagerprogrammers,hecontinuestorefusetoregardhisfilmasfinished.AlongsidethestoryaboutanuninthefilmonwhichHomerisworking,there’sanotherstoryaboutthereligiousleaderFatherTurbico.Turbicoleadsasectinthecountrysidethatisprimarilymadeupofyoungwomen.Whenoneofthewomenwantstoleavethesect,adramaticsituationensues.
Bytellingthestoriesinparallel,similaritiesbecomevisiblebetweenHomer’sstrugglewithcinemaandTurbico'sstrugglewithfaith.