In “P77,” director Derick Cabrido steers a vessel through the waters of trauma and loneliness.
With Joaquin Enrico Santos’s script as his compass, Cabrido presents a horror film that is about the quiet terror of a fractured mind — one that slowly crumbles under the weight of grief and guilt.
At the center of this deeply unsettling psychological horror is Barbie Forteza. As Luna, she embodies the Filipino breadwinner who is self-sacrificing and full of hope until life and loss untangle her. Barbie’s acting is stupendous: she begins the film as a young woman filled with purpose, hopeful as she leaves her young brother (Euwenn Mikaell) behind to work abroad, and ends it as someone shattered, still standing but not without scars.
What makes “P77” terrifying is not just the eerie penthouse unit but the psychological descent that unfolds within it. Luna’s visions of a perfect life of cocktail dresses, bubble baths, masquerade balls and the mysterious dream boy are a siren song for a woman clinging to illusions just to stay afloat.
The film undulates between reality and hallucination with a deliberate rhythm, echoing the push and pull of the sea. It mirrors Luna’s overseas journey and also the emotional waves OFWs experience of leaving, hoping, losing, breaking and returning.
Luna breaks when finally faced with the truth. Barbie Forteza shows this unraveling with her face crumbling and her eyes awash with deep emotions.
By the end, Luna’s acceptance allows the film to exhale. It is also the moment Barbie proves herself not just a TV darling, but a full-fledged dramatic force ready for any role. Carlos Siguion Reyna and Jackie Lou Blanco also deserve special mention for their solid performances.
A harrowing dive into pain, “P77” is not a typical horror film. It’s a ghost story where the ghost is grief itself.
