Small Voices

Small Voices
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGil Portes
Written by
Produced by
  • Gil Portes
  • Ray Cuerdo
  • Cresencio Bendijo
  • Isabel Chapman
  • Marissa Dames
  • Eric Manlunas
  • Deo Tinana
StarringAlessandra de Rossi
CinematographyEly Cruz
Edited byGeorge Jarlego
Music byJoy Marfil
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release dates
  • September 10, 2002 (2002-09-10) (Toronto International Film Festival)
  • July 2, 2003 (2003-07-02) (Philippines)
Running time
109 minutes
CountryPhilippines
Languages
  • Filipino
  • English

Small Voices or Mga Munting Tinig is a 2002 Filipino drama film directed by Gil Portes and co-written by Adolfo Alix Jr. and Senedy Que. The film set in a public school won 11 awards and was nominated for 11 other including Gawad Urian Awards. It is the first out of eight Filipino films (along with Mallari, Under Parallel Skies, Uninvited, Ex Ex Lovers, Eraserheads: Combo on the Run, P77 and Midnight Girls) to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Plot

Melinda (Alessandra de Rossi) is a new substitute teacher at the Malawig Elementary School, located in a poor remote barrio. A young university graduate, her family expects her to look for work abroad, but in her idealism she takes on a challenging job in the provincial public school, which lacks resources and has corrupt personnel. The heavy monsoon rains and the nearby NPAs also add to her difficulties.

Melinda goes about her work with daily diligence though, always having a smile, a kind word for her neatly uniformed charges. But her battles against apathy, corruption, and contempt are constant, further hindered by the volatile political climate in which fathers and sons are constantly recruited to join guerilla forces fighting in the mountains.

When a funding opportunity in the form of a regional singing contest presents itself to Melinda, the idealistic teacher must smartly juggle uncooperative school administrators, confrontational parents, and the torn children themselves in order to let their small voices be heard.

Cast

Critical reception

Small Voices holds a 61% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 28 reviews, with a weighted average of 5.5/10. It garnered a score of 58/100 on review aggregator website Metacritic based on 9 reviews.

References

  1. ↑ Dunkley, Cathy (24 February 2003). "WB fosters local 'Voices'". Variety. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  2. ↑ "Small Voices (2002)". Rotten Tomatoes. 10 September 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  3. ↑ "Small Voices Reviews - Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 July 2021.