Praise started pouring in for Judy Ann Santos’ lead portrayal in the Brillante Mendoza film “Mindanao,” which recently made its world premiere in the Busan International Film Festival.

In her first collaboration with the acclaimed filmmaker, Santos plays a mother caring for a child with terminal cancer, while navigating the complications of having a soldier-husband (Allen Dizon) active in battle.

A superstar in Philippine showbiz who is dubbed the “Teleserye Queen,” Santos is credited in Screen Daily’s review as the “main asset” of the film.

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The actress’ “considerable star power domestically and elsewhere should boost the film’s commercial prospects,” wrote Wendy Ide of Screen Daily.

Santos is also described as “luminous” in the role of Saima.

While the review had reservations about the “crass contrivance” of the film’s third act, it went on to commend Santos for retaining “grace and dignity with a performance which is a class apart from the rest of the picture.”