Magnifico depicts the story of a 9-year-old boy whose day is full of endless work. His grandmother ls diagnosed with terminal cancer, his mother limps in exhaustion from carrying his little sister, and his father can′t make enough money to live on despite his daily struggles in hard labor. On top of all this, his older brother gave up his studies and plans to marry the daughter of a rich family so she can take care of the housework. Although they want to escape the grim world that surrounds them, they only manage to get themselves entangled amid abandonment and despair. Magnifico portrays the seemingly foolish ambition of a boy who thinks he is the only one that can save his family from misery. While roaming the neighborhood gathering wood to build his grandmother′s coffin, the boy borrows money, little by little, to buy nice burial clothes for grandmother and a wheelchair for his sister. He even looks like a saint It demonstrates to those who believe life is full of endless agony that one can make the world a pleasant place to live. With 56 films already under his belt in the Philippines, director Maryo J. de los Reyes skillfully and eloquently conveys the sentiment that the will of a devoted and warm-hearted person can save a family and change the world, proving that anything is possible. (Kang So-won)