Stranded somewhere between Hollywood blockbuster and political-minded home movie, Cavite is nothing if not an unusual filmgoing experience. Conceived and produced entirely by no-budget veterans Neill Dela Llana and Ian Gamazon, the story concerns an aimless Filipino-American (and lapsed Muslim), played by Gamazon, who becomes embroiled in a nasty kidnapping scheme when he returns to the Philippines for his father's funeral. As Gamazon wanders the devastated town of Cavite, taking orders via cell phone from Muslim extremists who have kidnapped his mother and sister, the ripped-from-the-headlines implications of Gamazon's predicament become alarmingly clear. Whether the story is compelling enough for you to forgive Gamazon's limited acting abilities (he was forced into the role after the original actor balked) or the occasionally slack pacing will depend on your tolerance for shoestring-level filmmaking. We thought it was pretty cool.

Thanks to the Austin Film Society and the Dobie Theatre, Friday and Saturday nights' screenings (7:30pm & 9:50pm) of Cavite will feature UT film professor and author John Pierson in a Q&A following the film. John Pierson's Advanced Producing class discovered the film and eventually secured it a distribution deal with distributor Truly Indie. The film has enjoyed a substantial profile boost as a result; it's opening in limited release coast-to-coast, and has been reviewed in everything from the New York Times to the San Francisco Chronicle. The evening promises to be quite illuminating for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of DIY film production and distribution.

Cavite opens today at the strong>Dobie.

Showtimes

Cavite Official Site