Manangapa

LOGLINE

Months after an indigenous Bornean warrior is shot by 1840s British colonists, lead poisoning from the bullet wound has driven him insane, forcing his wife and children to decide between fleeing, or putting him down.

Synopsis

MANTUG, the oldest son in a family of four, is feeding two domestic pigs: a mother and her piglet. His FATHER watches him. Hours later, MANTUG, his younger sister ANAVAU, and both his parents are sat to dinner, when a now-belligerently drunk FATHER asks him to slaughter the piglet. A challenge. When MANTUG refuses, his MOTHER intervenes on his behalf, driving the infuriated FATHER to violence. MOTHER thinks fast, and draws FATHER outside — just long enough to lock him out. He pounds on the door. The three of them choose to make a run for it — right as FATHER smashes the door down.

They run into the jungle. MANTUG has brought a blowpipe, a traditional Bornean hunting tool used to fire poison darts. But when they realize FATHER has managed to follow close behind, MANTUG freezes. He confesses to MOTHER that he failed to act against the young British soldier who shot FATHER — hence FATHER’s anger, and his demand that he prove some grit by killing the animal. MANTUG insists on staying behind, so he can at least protect his mother and sister. There isn’t time to argue. MOTHER pulls ANAVAU away — leaving MANTUG to fend off a madman. But as the fight begins, ANAVAU escapes MOTHER’s hold. She sprints back toward her brother.

And when she sees that MANTUG is in danger, ANAVAU throws herself into the fray, picking up the blowpipe and sending a poison dart into FATHER’S NECK—and before he even realizes who he is retaliating against—he deals her a fatal blow with his machete. MOTHER collapses, weeping by ANAVAU’s side as her only daughter bleeds. FATHER begins to wander off, half-ghost, away into the jungle. He does not get far before the poison hits him, and he falls too. Mantug watches his mother and sister.

We end on an image like that we began with: a MOTHER PIG, and a little PIGLET asleep in the mud.

TEAM BIOs

ALEXANDER HOEFER is an NYC-based Kadazan-American filmmaker who has shot/edited for Dior, Calvin Klein, Adidas, and screened short films in festivals from Seattle to Sarajevo.

CECE CHAN is an NYC-based cinematographer born and raised in Hong Kong. Won awards at BAFTA-qualifying festivals. 2023-2024 ASC Vision Mentee and a member of the ICF+C.