Watch Florentina Hubaldo, CTE

Florentina Hubaldo, CTE is a 2012 Filipino film directed by Lav Diaz. The movie tells the story of Florentina Hubaldo, a young woman who gets caught between her own traumatic past and the troubled present. The film takes an unflinching look at the experience of trauma and the impact it can have on an individual's mental health. Florentina Hubaldo, CTE is an intense and harrowing movie which explores the themes of trauma, mental illness, and the legacy of violence. The film is almost four hours long and is shot in stark black and white, which gives it a bleak and uncompromising atmosphere. The narrative unfolds slowly and deliberately, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in the world of the film.

The movie begins with Florentina, played by Hazel Orencio, being interviewed by a psychiatrist. It soon becomes clear that Florentina has suffered a great deal in her life and is struggling to come to terms with the trauma she has experienced. As the interview progresses, Florentina begins to recount her memories, and the film switches between her past experiences and her present struggles.

The flashbacks are particularly haunting, and they reveal a life of unrelenting hardship and abuse. Florentina's father is an alcoholic who frequently beats her and her mother. Her mother is emotionally distant and unresponsive to Florentina's suffering. The family's poverty exacerbates their difficulties, and the film shows how this leads to a cycle of despair and hopelessness.

At the same time, the movie explores the impact of Florentina's traumatic experiences on her mental health. She is consumed by feelings of fear, guilt, and shame, and is unable to make meaningful connections with others. Her sense of self is fractured, and she experiences dissociation and confusion.

The film's title refers to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a condition associated with repeated blows to the head. While the condition is typically discussed in relation to professional athletes, the film uses it as a metaphor for the ongoing impact of traumatic experiences on the human psyche. Florentina's experiences have left her with emotional scars that continue to afflict her long after the events themselves have passed.

The movie's central performance by Hazel Orencio is raw and unsparing. She fully embodies the character of Florentina, conveying her pain, fear, and confusion with a quiet intensity. The supporting cast is also strong, particularly Kristine Kintana, who plays Florentina's mother with a cold detachment that is chilling to watch.

Director Lav Diaz handles the material with a deft touch, allowing the story to unfold slowly and organically. The movie's long, lingering shots give the audience time to reflect on what they are seeing and to fully absorb the emotional weight of the story. Similarly, the use of black and white photography adds a sense of gravity and timelessness to the film, underscoring the universality of Florentina's experiences.

Florentina Hubaldo, CTE is not an easy movie to watch. It deals with subject matter that is deeply unsettling and can be emotionally draining. However, it is also a powerful and important work of art that offers a nuanced and sensitive portrayal of trauma and its ongoing impact on individuals and communities. For those willing to engage with the film on its own terms, it offers a profound and moving experience that will stay with them long after the credits have rolled.

Florentina Hubaldo, CTE is a 2012 drama with a runtime of 6 hours and 6 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4.