Itim

Itim (Filipino for "black"), released overseas as The Rites of May, is a 1976 Filipino thriller film and the directorial debut of Mike de Leon, with a screenplay by Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. and Gil Quito. The film stars Tommy Abuel as a young photographer visiting his father, played by Mario Montenegro, in his provincial town during the Lenten season. There he encounters a mysterious woman, Teresa, played by Charo Santos in her acting debut. The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Filipino Film Critics) included the film on their list of the Ten Best Films of the Decade. In 2022, the film was digitally restored, with a subsequent theatrical premiere as part of the Cannes Classics section at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Plot The film opens on a séance where an espiritista exclaims that Rosa (Susan Valdez), a missing Catholic nun, is dead. Her younger sister, Teresa (Charo Santos), is uneasy. Their mother asks the espiritista if she can speak to Rosa. The espiritista tells her to wait for Good Friday. Meanwhile, Jun (Tommy Abuel), a young photographer from Manila, is visiting his mute and wheelchair-bound-father, Dr. Torres (Mario Montenegro), in their provincial hometown during Holy Week. Throughout his visit, Jun photographs various Lenten rituals for the Manila-based magazine he works for.