Norte, the End of History
| Norte, the End of History | |
|---|---|
 Philippine theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lav Diaz |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Produced by | Moira Lang[a] |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Lauro Rene Manda |
| Edited by | Lav Diaz |
| Music by | Perry Dizon |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Cinema Guild |
Release dates |
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Running time | 250 minutes[1] |
| Country | Philippines |
| Languages |
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Norte, the End of History (Tagalog: Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan) is a 2013 Philippine psychological drama film[2] written and directed by Lav Diaz. Lasting for more than four hours, the film explores themes of crime, class, and family.
Screened at the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival,[3] as well as the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival, the main slate of 2013 New York Film Festival, and the Masters section of the 2013 San Diego Asian Film Festival,[4] the film has received wide acclaim for its riveting storytelling and unique cinematography. The film also won four awards including Best Picture and Best Actress at the 2014 Gawad Urian Awards.[5]
The film had a limited release in the Philippines on March 11, 2014, and its wide theatrical release on September 10, 2014. It was selected as the Filipino entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.[6][7]
Plot[edit]
The lives of three people take a turn when one of them commits a crime.
Joaquin (Archie Alemania) is failing miserably at providing for his family. When Joaquin's money lender gets murdered by a disillusioned law student, Fabian (Sid Lucero), the crime is pinned on him. In prison, he is transformed by misery and solitude.
Left to fend for the family, his wife Eliza (Angeli Bayani) pours all of her strength into battling with despair as she ekes out a living for their children.
The real perpetrator, Fabian, roams free. His disillusionment with his country—its history of revolutions marred by betrayal and crimes unpunished—drives him to the edge of insanity.[8]
Cast[edit]
- Sid Lucero as Fabian
- Angeli Bayani as Eliza
- Archie Alemania as Joaquin
- Angelina Kanapi as Hoda
- Soliman Cruz as Wakwak
- Hazel Orencio as Ading
- Mae Paner as Magda
Reception[edit]
Critical reception[edit]
Norte, the End of History received critical acclaim, with a "fresh" score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 41 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The critical consensus states "Its four-hour length is undeniably imposing, but Norte, the End of History rewards patient viewers with an absorbing, visually expansive viewing experience."[9] The film has a score of 81 on Metacritic based on 10 reviews, signifying "universal acclaim".[10]
A.O. Scott of New York Times writes, "More than four hours long, filmed in expansive takes with almost no close-ups and very few camera movements, Lav Diaz's "Norte, the End of History" is a tour de force of slow cinema. It is the work of a director as fascinated by decency as by ugliness, and able to present the chaos of life in a series of pictures that are at once luminously clear and endlessly mysterious."[11]
Neil Young of The Hollywood Reporter gave an underwhelming review by saying, "There's little in the way of genuine depth, complexity or nuance here, Diaz instead seeks to convey the illusion of profundity by having various characters throw around weighty social and philosophical verbiage in thuddingly sophomoric fashion."[12]
At the end of 2013, British magazine Sight & Sound listed Norte as one of the Top 10 films of 2013, tying for the ninth spot with the French film Stranger by the Lake.[13] The film also was chosen by the International Cinephile Society Awards 2014 as one of the Best Films not released in 2013.[14] Norte was also ranked at #15 at Film Comment's Top 20 Best Films of 2014.[15]
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Event | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Cannes Film Festival | Prix Un Certain Regard | Norte, the End of History | Nominated |
| Cinemanila International Film Festival | (Best Film) Lino Brocka Award | Nominated | ||
| Best Director Award | Lav Diaz | Won | ||
| International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Picture not released in 2013 | Norte, the End of History | Won | |
| Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival | Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Award | Won | ||
| 2014 | Gawad Urian Awards | Best Picture | Won | |
| Best Actor | Sid Lucero | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Angeli Bayani | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Archie Alemania | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | Lav Diaz | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Lav Diaz and Rody Vera | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | Lauro Manda | Won | ||
| Best Music | Perry Dizon | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | Lav Diaz | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Corinne de San Jose | Nominated | ||
| Golden Screen Awards | Best Motion Picture (Drama) | Norte, the End of History | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Lav Diaz | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Screenplay | Rody Vera Lav Diaz |
Nominated | ||
| Best Original Story | Rody Vera Michiko Yamamoto Raymond Lee |
Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Film Independent Spirit Awards | Best Foreign Film | Lav Diaz | Nominated |
| London Film Critics' Circle Awards | Best Foreign Language Film of the Year | Nominated |
See also[edit]
- List of submissions to the 87th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Philippine submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Notes[edit]
- ^ Moira Lang is the name of writer Raymond Lee before transition.
References[edit]
- ^ "Norte, the End of History". MSP Film Society. The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
- ^ Norte, the End of History (2013) - Lav Diaz | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie, retrieved October 20, 2021
- ^ "2013 Official Selection". Cannes. April 30, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
- ^ cite web|url=http://festival.sdaff.org/2013/section/masters/
- ^ "Urian Awards 2014". Gawad Urian. June 18, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
- ^ "Oscars: Philippines Select 'Norte, The End of History' for Foreign-Language Category". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
- ^ "9 Foreign Language Films Advance in Oscar® Race". Oscars.org. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
- ^ "Official Facebook Page Info". Retrieved May 13, 2014.
- ^ "Norte, the End of History". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
- ^ "Norte, the End of History Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
- ^ "'Norte, the End of History,' a Dostoyevskian Fable". New York Times. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
- ^ "Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
- ^ "Sight & Sound Names 'Act of Killing' Top Film of 2013". Variety. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
- ^ "'Inside Llewyn Davis,' 'Blue Is The Warmest Color' Top 2014 International Cinephile Society Awards". Indiewire. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ "Film Comment Names 'Boyhood' Best Film Of 2014, Releases Top 20 List & 20 Films Without Distribution To See". Indiewire. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
