The Right Hit

Manila, Philippines -- After buying cannabis for his ill mother, Gino and his friends are caught hotboxing by officers patrolling the area. Their struggle to get home has them questioning their character, and defying authority, only to find out that there’s a limit to everyone’s price.

  • Gabriel Quimel
    Director
  • Gabriel Quimel
    Writer
  • Bea Sigua
    Producer
  • Ross Pesigan
    Key Cast
    "Gino"
  • Vincent Pajara
    Key Cast
    "Ram"
  • Marela Torre
    Key Cast
    "Sofie"
  • Renante Bustamante
    Key Cast
    "Senior P.O."
  • Manuel Tinio
    Key Cast
    "Junior P.O."
  • Gabriela Pangilinan
    Key Cast
    "Vicky"
  • Jai Ferrer
    Key Cast
    "Brother"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Tama
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 27 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 15, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    3,300 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Philippines
  • Country of Filming:
    Philippines
  • Language:
    Tagalog
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Roma Short Film Festival
    Rome
    Italy
    November 7, 2022
    Best Director
  • Tokyo International Short Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    November 15, 2022
    Best Editing
  • Japan International Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    October 4, 2022
    Honorable Mention
  • Seoul International Short Film Festival
    Seoul
    Korea, Republic of
    October 11, 2022
    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Gabriel Quimel

I was 16 when the notion of a career as a Director first entered my mind. I’ve always been interested in creating visual art, and I decided that photography would be the medium for me. This initial interest carried over into motion pictures when I volunteered to shoot, edit, and direct a spec commercial we were tased to create in our high school Media Class. My curiosity in production snowballed, along side my ever increasing appetite for anything film. I eventually decided to take up production and filmmaking in college, produced a bevy of content for school orgs, faculty, and the university itself, then was recruited by ManilaMan Productions right after graduation.

13 years on, and I’m still living my dream. I’ve been directing professionally for 8 years now — focusing mainly on advertising with the hopes of carving out a path to creating full length films.

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Director Statement

“TAMA” (The Right Hit) is a film based on a true story, or more specifically, based on multiple accounts about cannabis users and police authority. Having been exposed to new media and studies trying to erase the stigma of cannabis, and having had personal relationships with people who’ve been caught in the same situation, I wanted to develop a script that would not only introduce empathy, but would also portray the intense fear and dread of this common reality.

Gino is not your typical stoner archetype. He’s a son to a mother dealing with cancer. He’s a son trying to help out in anyway he can. It’s these circumstances that make his future dilemma tragic.

The film talks about themes of friendship, right and wrong, and sacrifice to name a few. At a time where our country is wrapped in police (and non-police) violence and the divisive Philippine drug war, this tiny film hopes to remind people to think for themselves, and that nothing in this world is simply black and white.