Director Alvin Yapan is not your typical independent film director. He is probably the most Filipino of all current breed of directors. I have always felt more Filipino every time I watch a Yapan film. His love for our culture and the arts is evident in his last two films. Yapan is astutely adept at lyrical filmmaking. He utilizes the senses above all else. He gives equal weight to the power of words, music, and visual imagery to tell a layered story. As a result, his recent works have always been more ethereal and lyrical than straightforward. His new film only proves that “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa” is just a rehearsal for him. In “Debosyon,” Yapan paints on a broader canvas and creates a modern-day folk tale that is neither a critique of the subject matter nor a biased promotion.
