Ang Babaeng Humayo (The Woman who left) starring Charo Santos as Horacia is a film about a woman planning to take revenge on her ex-husband after she got released from a 30-year prison sentence. I've watched this film for the purpose of our research on how Philippine cinema portrays transgender characters, and one of the characters was a transwoman portrayed by no other than John Lloyd Cruz as Hollanda. It is my first time experiencing and watching Lav Diaz's film, knowing that most of her films are horrendously long. 

Matching the genre of the film with a monochrome feel and look adds more drama to the film, and with the long awkward static shots, it is surprisingly effective and impactful to me at least. Horacia was framed for a murder that she didn’t commit and it was all because of her ex-husband who paid Petra (The real murderer and the one who confessed which sets Horacia free) While Horacia had the chance to live out the rest of her life out of prison, she plotted revenge on her ex-husband who is now a leader of a notorious illegal clan in which she successfully found him. As he blends in a nearby church where Rodrigo (her ex-husband) pays a visit, in exchange for information Horacia does several roles within the neighborhood which allows her to meet Hollanda who was badly beaten and which also brings the film to its death-dealing finale.

Throughout the movie, it is thought that Horacia is the kind of woman that was a stereotype to prison but again, she was framed, and for three decades she suffered for the crime she didn’t commit. When she met Hollanda it shows how a loving mother she is and how her kindness is towards transsexuals and other people she met throughout the movie. Given the second chance in life it is tragic for Horacia to go through the pain she dealt with and the only way for her to get away with what she’s been through is justice.