The film follows Anj, who returns to her family’s ancestral home as the 40th day of her estranged father’s passing draws near—the moment his soul is believed to finally ascend from the earthly realm. But the house has been suspended in grief and madness. Three days back in the house are enough to remind Anj why she left, why she must leave again at once, and why she may never truly escape. At its core, Mag-Iina is about three generations of women bound together by grief, madness, family secrets, and an evil that runs thicker than blood.
What makes Mag-Iina stand out is how absurd, unpredictable, and multilayered it is. The film constantly keeps you guessing, and its unpredictability becomes one of its biggest strengths. The story tackles heavy themes involving trauma, incest, corruption, and hidden family secrets, and these elements are effectively integrated into the narrative and dialogue. As the story unfolds, the layers slowly reveal themselves, making the experience even more disturbing and intriguing.
The music and sound are also commendable for bringing an eerie atmosphere to the film. There is something unsettling in the way the sound is used, adding tension to the already strange and uncomfortable world of the story.
Janine Gutierrez, without question, can act and fully embraces her character. She delivers what the role demands and carries the emotional weight of her character effectively.
Agot Isidro also shows another side of her acting here. There are so many layers to her character, and even her look made me believe in everything she had gone through in life. You can feel the history behind the character without her having to explain everything.
Cherry Pie Picache is absolutely explosive. She is one of the characters who genuinely surprised me, and she delivers her performance with so much intensity and conviction. She knows exactly how to command the screen.
Ness Roque is also good. Her character becomes the moral compass and the human side of the film. Her innocence becomes her weapon in a world surrounded by darkness, trauma, and secrets.
Lucas Andalio is such a great young actor. You can immediately see that he is intelligent and has a natural understanding of his character. His cuteness, charisma, and acting skills fit perfectly into the film, and he definitely shines. He even manages to steal the entire film in some of his scenes.
But I will give it to Ms. Jackie Lou Blanco. I honestly think this is one of her best performances ever. From her voice and look to the smallest nuances in her acting, you almost no longer recognize Jackie Lou Blanco. She completely disappears into the character. The way she transforms herself is simply impressive.
She is the mother of the mothering!
Bravo!
What makes Mag-Iina work for me is that it is not afraid to be weird. It embraces its absurdity, its darkness, and its artistic approach. It tackles relevant and uncomfortable themes while giving its actors the opportunity to fully explore complicated characters. The screenplay is bold, bright, and unpredictable, constantly taking the story somewhere you may not expect.
Mag-Iina may not be for everyone, but that is exactly what I appreciate about it. It does not try to be safe or conventional. It takes risks, embraces its weirdness, and creates an experience that stays with you.
For its weirdness, relevance, strong acting chops, unpredictability, artsy approach, and bold screenplay, Mag-Iina is, for me, the best film of Cinemalaya 2026.
My Verdict: 5/5
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