From the title itself, Filipino film production house Viva Films already made it clear that once moviegoers watch Sid and Aya onscreen, they won't be in for the usual cheesy and conventional date film. Even its gothic 2-minute trailer—which by the way gave out major plot points—suggests that since it's 'not a love story,' the film could likely escalate to being psychological or worse, thriller towards the end—which thank God didn't happen!

Instead, what transpired is a beautifully-woven story about two of the most relatable characters we've laid our eyes on so far. The film's first few scenes introduced us to the world of melancholic Sid, who for some reason is occupied as he enumerates the likely causes of insomnia—a disorder he's suffering in. When he mentioned the last reason which is 'her,' we already know where the story is taking us, but not in the way that we expected.

If there's one element in Sid and Aya's tale which is worth-noting, that's definitely how both of them dealt with their issues without giving homage—not even once!—to the 'commercial treatment' of how a blockbuster film should look like. Throughout its rather average 94-minute running time, there was a sheer silence among Qatar's Filipino community as they're trying to ingest what it's like to be in either Sid or Aya's shoe—or at times, both! The crisp lines and moments of silence whenever the two main characters indulge in lengthy conversations transported the Doha crowd into a dimension that is rarely tackled in cinema.

In the end, what made the film work is its pure intention of sending out a universal message that can be seen clearly one scene before the ending.

So what is ILQ's verdict? Is it really not a love story? Well, If you're looking for a fairy tale kind of film, then this one may not be for you. But if you're up for something that could serve as an eye-opener and make you think about the conventions of love and attraction at the same time, then give 'Sid & Aya' a well-deserved maiden viewing. And if you think once is not enough to deeply scrutinize the main characters' real intents, then an extra cinema ticket won't surely hurt.

Just make sure to avoid watching the new Jurassic film in between.

'Sid & Aya: Not A Love Story' was brought to Qatar by Pentagram Marketing and Events and is showing across all Cineco outlets in the country starting today—June 7, 2018!

To watch the full trailer, click here.

What do you think of ILQ's mini review of 'Sid & Aya?' Have you watched it already? If not, what are your expectations for the film? Drop us a line in the comment section below and also, don't forget to like and share this article—it keeps us going!

(Images courtesy of: Pentagram Marketing and Events)

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Sonkie

Content writer

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