Nympha

Nympha begins and ends with a scene in the cemetery where a group of people are standing around a tomb under the rain. The movie as a whole is an exposition of the events in Nympha’s life that lead to this scene. Nympha is a young girl reared and morally sheltered by a hypocritically pious elder female relative. The girl’s blind piety, however, is ripped apart by her sudden awareness of the sexually-charged environment and by her own first love affair. Eventually, she goes from man to man, driven by her demonic desires. Her unwanted pregnancy finally leads to a gory, fatal abortion.

Directed by Celso Ad. Castillo, Nympha leans on a strong ensemble — Rizza, Philip Gamboa, Bella Flores — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1971.