BALOTA

During the 2007 elections, a former movie heartthrob and a land-grabbing tycoon are in a tight race for mayor. Emmy (Pinay superstar Marian Rivera), a strict yet popular teacher in a small town, is assigned to the Board of Election Inspectors for her local precinct. When violence breaks out, Emmy runs into the woods with the last copy of the election results and must use her wits to outsmart those who want to sabotage the election. Her loved ones and community are subsequently caught in the crossfire as she pays an increasingly steep price for defending the democratic process.One of the most anticipated films in this year''s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, director Kip Oebanda said ''we made a film about people who are sick and tired of having the rich and powerful take their power and voice away from them.''