By: Ica Hontiveros-Cheng
When was the last time that you saw a firefly? Think. Because I can’t remember the last time I saw one, or if I ever have actually, and I live in a subdivision in Antipolo that has trees and plants. I did a bit of reading and found out that there are hardly any fireflies in the city or wherever there are humans, because of the lights that we emit from our houses, and basically our way of living. Which is just sad when you come to think about it.
Ask any kid if ever they’ve seen actual fireflies in real life, and you might be surprised that most haven’t. Which makes the film ‘Firefly’ even more significant as it is also a call for us to conserve the irreplaceable flora and fauna in our country. All of this of course takes a back seat to the main course of discussion in the film, which is lead character Tonton’s journey as he goes on a journey to fulfill a promise he made.
I came into ‘Firefly’ without knowing anything about the film and I came out with a tear stained face and swollen eyes from all the crying that I did. And who wouldn’t cry buckets of tears? With the film’s beautiful premise? A bullied boy who lives with his mother in the slums of Manila, takes inspiration from the stories she tells him about an island where the fireflies live.
After a tragedy, ten year old Tonton (Euwenn Mikaell) takes his mother’s stories to heart and goes on an adventure that will forever change his life and those around him.
Firefly is reminiscent of the adventure stories that we grew up with, and is something that I didn’t realize that I missed seeing on the big screen. The kind of stories where the kid goes on a life changing journey and meets friends along the way.
Aside from this much welcome return of this kind of story, the film itself has many things which the audience will surely enjoy. From the impressive and smooth CGI and animation which was used, I loved how the style was aptly reminiscent of story books. The scoring and the song used was also perfect and will definitely make you yearn for simpler times, and days past.
Audiences will also be moved by the performance of the cast, from the inspiring Elay (Alessandra De Rossi), to the adorable, witty, and lovable Tonton (Euwenn Mikaell), and to round up the cast, we also have notable actors like Epy Quizon, Cheri Pie Picache, and Yayo Aguila. We also have newcomers Miguel Tanfelix and Ysabel Ortega. We also have Ding Dong Dantes who does a impressive job as a narrator for the film. He has these little gestures, and the pauses that he takes, the faraway look in his eye, that draws you more to the character.
The journey of the characters will surely bring a tear or two to your eye. What I didn’t expect was a gear shift towards the end of the film, which will have you gasping at surprise but then realize that it was a missing piece in the puzzle and adds another layer to the story and the message that the film wants to convey.
This is the kind of film, which has a place in film festivals, and one which you can bring your family to see. You might need to explain some scenes to the younger kids especially that gear shift I mentioned towards the end, but all in all, it is a film for everyone, where you will surely bring a piece of the story with you, like a light from a firefly. It may be small but it shines bravely in the darkest night. And sometimes in this uncertain world, we all could use an unwavering light to serve as a guide back home.