Synopsis

Have you ever thought about wishing for something so bad that you would do anything for it? Drumbeat is set in the slums of Manila, portraying the desire and despair of a boy who wants to own his own drum. Fourteen-year-old boy, Jason works hard to save money to buy a drum. However, the environment he is surrounded by makes it difficult for him to fulfill this humble dream. His pregnant mother, whose due date is right around the corner, his brother Billy who has knocked up his girlfriend, and everyone around him is in need of money. Eventually, Jason and Billy with the help of neighborhood bum, Pablo, who is always hovering around the brothers, plan a small crime to get money for an abortion. But an unexpected turn spurs them towards their demise. Young Filipino filmmaker famous for his short production schedule, Adolfo B. Alix, Jr.’s latest work, Drumbeat effectively presents the desperate lives fighting for survival in the slums of Manila through the rough black and white texture. The occasional drum beats that substitute a background score are put together by another young Filipino filmmaker, Khavn De La Cruz, adding to the sense of urgency in the film. (Chung Woochung)

Director

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  • Adolfo Alix Jr.
  • A prolific young Filipino filmmaker, Adolfo Alix Jr. is known for completing films in a short period of time, having completed four feature films in 2007 alone. His feature debut, Donsol, won the Special Jury Award at the Asia Marine Film Festival in Japan and was selected as the Philippine entry for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He is also a screenwriter and is actively involved in TV. His works include Goats (2007), Nars (2007), and Batanes (2007).