Coming from the success of being the Golden Lion Awardee in the recently concluded 73rd Venice Film Festival, Lav Diaz’ latest masterpiece, Ang Babeng Humayo (The Woman Who Left) will be showing in selected mainstream cinemas beginning September 28. CinemaOne Originals and Sine Olivia Pilipinas produced the film, and Star Cinema will distribute it locally.
Ang Babaeng Humayo follows the story of of Horacia (Charo Santos-Concio), a former schoolteacher who is released from prison after spending three decades in a rural correctional facility for a murder she didn’t commit. Horacia returns to her ancestral home only to discover shocking events that happened to her family. Horacia’s mild, maternal veneer is shattered as she deliberately plots the ultimate revenge against man who framed her. In the process, she develops a close friendship with an epileptic drag artist Hollanda (John Lloyd Cruz) – a turning point in the film’s haunting narrative that brings the story to its deadly and chilling conclusion.
This film marks the the historic, first ever big screen collaboration of Lav with Charo. At the same time Diaz’ reunion with Cruz after the epic historical film Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis which was the toast of the Berlinale Film Festival. Lav revealed that the film was inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s short story God Sees The Truth But Waits.
Ang Babeng Humayo also stars an amazing supporting cast that consists of a sampling of the most talented and accomplished Filipino actors such as Michael de Mesa, Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, Nonie Buencamino, Marj Lorico, Mayen Estanero, Romelyn Sale, Julius Empredo, Lao Rodriguez, Jean Judith Javier, Mae Paner, Kakai Bautista, Jo-Ann Requiestas, Prescy Orencio, and Kyla Domingo.
