Lav Diaz’s 'Phantosmia': Compelling 4-hour tale on cycle of violence

Anyone familiar with Lav Diaz's work knows that his films are typically lengthy. His longest, “Evolution of a Filipino Family” in 2004 has a 10-hour runtime, the sixth longest movie to date.

His latest film, “Phantosmia”, which premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival to critical acclaim, clocks in at four hours. It’s a shorter runtime but still intimidating, even for someone who loves movies.

Yet, my patience for slow-paced films that actually go somewhere made the four-hour journey worthwhile, as did the commute to SM Seaside Cinema — the only theater in Cebu screening the film.

The story follows Hilarion Zabala (Ronnie Lazaro), a retired military officer diagnosed with the titular condition — phantosmia. It’s a disorder that causes a person to smell things that aren’t there. After witnessing a massacre, every scent he perceives carries a strong, pungent odor.

His doctor (Lhorvie Nuevo) attributes the condition to past trauma and urges him to re-immerse himself in his old environment as a possible cure. He takes a job as a gate guard in a penal colony on the remote island of Pulo, where he has to confront his dark past.

Parallel to Zabala’s story is that of Reyna (Janine Gutierrez), a young woman trapped in an abusive home. She was adopted by Narda (Hazel Orencio), a woman who took her in from a friend.

Even if the film is presented in black and white, it is evident that Reyna’s pale beauty has been exploited by Narda, who allows people to take advantage of her, including the colony’s ruthless overseer, Major Ramon Lukas (Paul Jake Paule).

Zabala and Reyna’s arcs mirror each other in the cycles of violence they endure. Zabala wrestles with the guilt of his military past while stationed in a colony riddled with unspeakable abuses and explotation. Meanwhile, Reyna is so broken by years of mistreatment that she can barely speak, resorting only to cries and screams.

Although Narda’s sari-sari store and residence are just 500 meters from Zabala’s post, their stories don’t intersect until the film’s final hour when Zabala gains an epiphany about his past that gives him a chance to redeem himself by helping Reyna escape her harrowing reality.

It was crucial for “Phantosmia” to take its time unraveling its narrative. The long takes, some of which depict mundane moments, may not always serve the plot directly, but they offer deep insight into the characters.

One of the most powerful scenes involves Zabala and his estranged son in the first hour. Attempting to make amends, he offers his son money for dinner, only for the latter to react in anger, smashing his guitar in front of him.

Instead of a quick cut, the film lingers on Zabala as he quietly picks up the broken pieces and walks away. It’s an emotional gut punch of a scene that wouldn’t have delivered as effectively if it was shorter.

Another standout moment features visiting hunters searching for the so-called Haring Musang and other animals in the colony. One of them, a spoken word artist, recites poetry about their circumstances. While seemingly disconnected from the main story, this moment influences Zabala’s growing awareness of his past and the choices ahead of him.

Meanwhile, the film takes its time exposing the cruelty of Major Lukas, who wields his power to abuse prisoners and exploit Reyna in his home. The long, uncomfortable takes are necessary to drive home the character’s depravity as part of its exploration of the cycle of violence that take place in the island.

Diaz is one of the leading figures in the slow cinema movement, where films often unfold through long, meditative shots. Some films from this genre abandon conventional narratives, but “Phantosmia” has a clear plot — one that demands patience from its viewers to fully absorb the characters in their most vulnerable moments.

What elevates the film further is the exceptional acting. Lazaro delivers a powerful performance as Zabala, while Gutierrez impresses in one of her most naturalistic roles to date as Reyna. Known for her sharp, witty delivery in her recent teleseryes, she completely sheds that persona here, embodying her character’s pain with raw authenticity.

I often find myself frustrated by films that lack character development. For instance, I recently watched Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence”, a supernatural drama barely an hour and a half long, yet it felt sluggish because so little interesting actually happened.

With “Phantosmia”, I never once questioned its length. Diaz effectively uses all four hours to tell a poignant, slow-burning story about the lingering effects of violence, rewarding audiences with a deeply satisfying ending.

Diaz’s work proves that long runtimes can be justified when handled masterfully, which says a lot about him as a strong storyteller. “Phantosmia” stands as a gem in his stacked filmography — a subtle, yet powerful character-driven piece anchored by compelling performances of Lazaro and Gutierrez. Four stars out of five.