Sa loob ng bahay ni mama
ABSTRACT
Calugcug, J.M. (2017). Sa Loob ng Bahay ni Mama. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.
Ramona finds herself confined inside an old house with her frustrated mother, Regina. Ramona starts experiencing supernatural events inside the house and complains about it to Regina, who refuses to believe her. After being terrorized once more, Ramona tries to leave the house, but only to find out that something uncanny also awaits her outside. After feeling helpless, she concedes by staying inside the house with her mother. However, the supernatural events keep getting worse for Ramona. Eventually, she is faced with the decision again on whether she will stay inside the house with her mother or leave with the risk of the uncanny that awaits her.
The film is inspired by the concept of “The Fantastic” by Tzvetan Todorov wherein the main character must deal with the existence of both the natural and the unnatural. It focuses on the inconspicuous repression or the internal oppression that has been patterned into young children by their oppressors. The framework of the film is constructed to create suspense rather than conventional jump scares. It is to give the viewers the opportunity to openly contemplate on the narrative and on the main character’s experiences.