A review by Raymund Salao
With a continuous streak from Land from God to Solo and Dog Eaters, Director Kevin Pison Piamonte – along with ERK Film Production, Xane Media Group and the University of the Philippines Visayas supporting him – has proven that they are a powerhouse of local independent cinema that can sustain this art, craft, and commerce without much aid or interference from Imperial Manila outfits.
So much so that it’s almost too shocking to find that they already have a new short film project while the last one is still burning hot. And they pretty much maintain their standards; this one is as good as their other projects.
WAITING SHED is a tale of two characters who stumble upon each other on the crossroads of whatever fates that await them. And in this time, they pour out their souls and share life experiences, a bond destined to be far more significant than what each of them expects. Is it a love story or a drama? Well, it’s a little bit of both, set in unusual circumstances.
The film is a mere 20-something minutes, but it feels like it delivered a whole lot more story and dialogue to enrich every minute with charm and magnificence. This story written by Kenneth De La Cruz has various dramatic layers that truly spotlight its actors and allow them to shine. It is straightforward in getting to the meat of the story without banking too much on the surrounding world that it creates, centering the focus on its two main characters that leads the audience to invest on them emotionally. Even the bits of humor are utilized well enough to make the audiences love them.
Cholo De La Cruz is an excellent leading man. His wit and charisma shine in this flick.
But it was Sharon Idone who is the film’s supernova. Her acting brilliance here is truly a great discovery. It’s one thing to say that she is one of Iloilo’s most beautiful models. In various angles she could pass off as a more versatile version of Anne Curtis who look like she could fit in any role that Anne Curtis could not. I mean, sure, Sharon looks like she could play the role of a Paris celebrity one second and in a snap of a finger can suddenly transform into the role of a labandera. And I’m not stopping to say that it’s just her looks, but definitely on how she acts. Her reactions, her gestures, the way she talks, the way she approaches her dialogue, one can immediately see that she has a clear grasp of what acting is. Promising, is what she is! If she continues this level of skill, we may be looking at the next big acting superstar.
All these elements weaved together for this film, with Direk Kevin Piamonte at the helm, blend together beautifully. All in all, WAITING SHED is beautifully brilliant and simply superb. Kudos all around the production cast and crew!
