PEP: Glydel Mercado goes mad in Lukaret

Synkronicity Films' Lukaret marks the return of award-winning actress Glydel Mercado to moviemaking after a few years of being away from the big screen. Recently though, she has been doing teleseryes, most recent of which is GMA-7's Gagambino. One of Glydel's movies, Sidhi co-starring Nora Aunor and Albert Martinez (directed by Joel Lamangan), gave her a number of best supporting actress trophies. Now, Glydel is back at the movies as the title roler in Lukaret. A black comedy, this is written and directed by Felino Tañada, who also directed the indie film Hanggang Dito Na Lamang At Maraming Salamat (starring Nonie Buencamino and Jon Santos). Hanggang Dito is the film version of the Orlando Nadres classic play of the same title. When Glydel first read the script offered to her by the writer-director, she fell in love with the character and said it was a different, offbeat role to do, hence she told her manager Lolit Solis that she'll do it even if it's an "indie" film, now the current trend in movie making. The story of Lukaret is set in the remote town of Sta. Lucia. Glydel plays Marlina, a 40ish yet still alluring spinster, runs a small carinderia that sells various dishes made of "lamang loob" or internal organs. She keeps herself well dressed all the time for she expects her boyfriend to appear any day to take her hand in marriage. But that day never materializes. And so she waits... Until she meets Daniel (played by newcomer Ralph Darell Mateo), an 18-year old orphan who recently moved into town to live with his uncle Peding, an aging funeral shop owner. His uncle passes on his skills in building cheap coffins which he learns very quickly. In the meantime, Marlina and Daniel become good friends. She develops a strong liking for him. Soon his uncle dies and Daniel inherits his funeral shop. Unfortunately, the town is so small that there's hardly any need for his newly acquired funeral business. When Daniel tells Marlina of his plans to move his business somewhere else, she convinces him to be a little bit more patient. She says the need for his coffins will pick up soon. And as she has predicted, deaths in the town has grown, albeit gruesome. Daniel's funeral business jumps back on its feet. But the local townsfolk are afraid a serial killer or an "aswang" is on the loose as the cause of deaths are strikingly similar. What makes the murders scary is the way the victims had been left to die, with their inner organs missing. The town lands on the national tabloids as local fumbling cops try to solve the murders. This indie film also stars Johnron Tañada (of Viva's Men of Provoq) who was last seen in the digital film Kambyo of Viva Films. Lukaret opens on October 22, Wednesday, at IndieSine, Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig City. - Philippine Entertainment Portal