Orapronobis

Plot synopsis:
In 1985, in the obscure town of Dolores, the Orapronobis, a cult under the leadership of Kumander Kontra (Roco), murders a foreign priest who gave the last rites to an alleged rebel, who was also executed by the same group. At the success of the 1986 EDSA revolt, political detainees, led by Jimmy Cordero (Salvador), celebrate the fall of the dictatorship. All political prisoners are released, including Jimmy, an ex-priest-turned-underground revolutionary. Not long, after, Jimmy marries a human rights activities, Trixie (Bonnevie). Jimmy becomes an advocate of human rights. Despite Trixies protests, Jimmy and Trixies brother, Roland (Lorenzo), go with a fact-finding mission to Dolores to investigate the latest crime committed by the Orapronobis. Jimmy meets Esper (Alajar), his ex-girlfriend. He finds out that he has a son with her, Camilo (Herrera). They agree to keep Jimmys true identity a secret form the boy. Conniving with the military, the Orapronobis step up their acts of terror.Jimmys group is forced to evacuate the townspeople to the town church, then later to Manila. Back in Manila, Jimmy turns down a friends invitation to rejoin the underground movement. Later, he and Roland are ambushed. Jimmy survives, but Roland does not. He recovers and shortly after that, Trixie gives birth to their child. Soldiers raid the refugee center with a masked man who identifies several of the barrio folk as rebels. The refugees and the human rights activists complain to the government. Esper and her son are abducted by the Orapronobis who accuse Esper of helping the rebels. She is raped and beaten up by Kumander Kontra in front of Camilo. Fighting back, she shoots at Kontra. In a hysterical rage, Kontra goes on a shooting rampage, killing Esper, Camilo and the captured barrio men. Later, the military bring the casualties to the town where Jimmy weeps over the bodies of Esper and his son. The film ends with Jimmy contacting his old colleague from the underground.

Tags: avant garde, cruelty, suspenseful, murder, violence, intrigue, plot twist, revenge, sadist

Review:
Ora Pro Nobis is a film about the continuing violent and tumultuous time in the Philippines at the end of the Marcos regime.. Ora Pro Nobis is a film about the continuing violent and tumultuous time in the Philippines at the end of the Marcos regime. The movie follows the main character named Jimmy in his attempt to run a fact finding mission looking into human rights violations (a multiple murder incident) in which several men of a village were killed for being suspected as rebels. Jimmy finds more than he expected, an illegitimate son he did not know existed, which complicates his life even more as he has a pregnant wife at home. It should also be noted that Jimmy was also once a priest and a former rebel himself. The character of Jimmy is portrayed as that of a common man yet also a hero type. He was once a priest (representing the "good", a man of god, and colonial religious influence). He also has strong ideals and identifies with the people, taking part in the "armed struggle" against an unfair and undemocratic regime (to say the least). He is also a changed man, having given up the armed struggle (and supports non-violent resistance), he then focus's his life on social justice and becomes a human rights activist. He appears to carry some weight in his community, appearing on talk shows and other programs to espouse his beliefs. He is also flawed like the common man, having fathered an illegitimate child, but he instantly wants to take responsibility for the son he has just met (flawed, failed priest, yet heroic and responsible). Without going into too much detail, Jimmy cannot escape the violence of the counter-insurgency, and he finds himself wanting to seek vengeance for his loss (machismo, macho-code, eye for an eye). Some of the issues touched on in the movie are that of conflict, power, and government sanctioned violence (extra-judicial killings). Both sides of the conflict commit atrocities, and both claim righteousness in seeking justice and retribution against the other in a never ending cycle of violence. In this case, the vigilantes are able to act with impunity (government sanctioned violence, in the name of defeating rebels), forcing their victims to act outside the law also, going "underground" and joining the so called insurgency. Again both sides justify the bombings, assassinations, and other atrocities committed in the name of their "just" cause (freedom/democracy, communists vs capitalists, Muslims vs Christians). These never ending wars continue while common people suffer and foreign governments profit with arms sales. Local governments act heavy handedly and the people mostly support the government and the vigilantes due to the fear of violence and terrorism. The people blindly surrender power to the corrupt government institutions all in the name of security. A military leader says it unfortunate and inevitable (violent confrontations) in order to secure the new democracy. The people for the most part accept the status quo, hoping that the government will stop the terrorism (violence). Another great film exposing the harsh reality of life in the Philippines, violent political conflicts, government raft with corruption, and people with very little options or hope for change. Picciotto, S., De La Fuente, L. (Producers), Brocka, L. (Director). (1989) Ora Pro Nobis Motion Picture. Philippines: Cannon Films