It was in 2004 that Cinemalaya began its birth of
purely independent films. Throughout the years, it produced scandalizing, harsh
films of the real world. Though it did have a potful of erotic and poverty
filled films, it still produced brilliant ones. Now, in its ninth year, Cinemalaya
introduces an array of films that caters to a wide range of issues; from disreputable
jobs and comedic ones to heartfelt love stories and survival. This was my first
time to view independent films in CCP, but I had already watched a couple of indie
films through television such as Ang
Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, and Magnifico.
I had no idea what to expect from the films to be shown in Cinemalaya, but I know
that the films would tackle real life issues and stories without glamorization
and sugarcoating it.
The
films we were told to be watching were “Amor y Muerte”, “Babagwa” and “Sana
Dati”. Upon watching the trailers, I was speechless, especially after “Amor y
Muerte”. It was like discovering a whole new version of cinema. It wasn’t like
mainstream, where there were clichés and recurring themes. It was raw and just
different. It wasn’t like the indie films I had watched on TV before. It was more.
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| courtesy of http://www.cinemalaya.org |
The
film opened rather explosively. I admit I was very surprised to see such action
in the beginning of the film. It showed a glimmer of promise for the next
events and I caught myself thinking that if the beginning was this uncomfortably
disturbing-slash-intriguing, then the end must be one hell of a scene. The
director portrayed the conflicting desires and differences of each of the
characters and I applaud him for it. He distinctly showed the rawness, wildness
and primal characteristics of the natives and the prim, clean and refined
personalities of the foreign invaders. Although there were the moments where
the movie dragged and lacked anything exciting, like Amor running to find
Apitong which displayed too much running and scenery, the film redeemed itself
through its actors.
Stroem
portrayed the role believingly. He had me believing that he was borderline
crazy in the end with a touch of a controlled, sociopathic cool. Even in the
end, Stroem’s character was still eerily calm and cool unlike Vega’s character.
Sebastian played his role amazingly. He not only had me laughing at some
scenes, but he exuded that charm that makes Apitong. He was Apitong, and you
can tell from his face. But the real jewel was Vega who was just fantastic. I
loved watching her morph into a playful child-like woman to an enticing
seductress with a tinge of hunger. Her acting of the wild Amor was superb. She differentiated
her character from Stroem’s efficiently. She showed the conflicting behavior of
the two main characters through the ending. Although some of her scenes fell
flat for me, she still depicted the director’s intention of rawness. I admit
that I was awfully offended that Amor was depicted like a sex-crazed woman. But
I got past that and went beyond the depiction of Amor as a sex hungry woman
into a symbol for the primal instinctive need humans have. It’s just that Amor
is much more rooted to that primal need than anyone else. She chose the freedom
and ecstasy of the need and satisfied it the way animals, who go on instinct and
need, do. It made me think that are we not animals too? Humans are just
two-legged animals capable of rational thinking and higher intelligence, but
deep down, we are all made in the same cloth as animals, more so during the
earlier times and even more in our country where we were still finding out the
world after everyone else had moved on to a higher form of living.
The
ending was expected and also quite unexpected. I already knew in the middle how
the movie would end however, I did not imagine that it would end in such an
unsettling fashion but true to form, it depicted what the film was all about.
It wasn’t as explosive as the beginning but it had a disquieting effect of its
own. It made me cringe and squirm and quietly disturbed like the beginning did,
but it was so much more. It was purely rage and loss and all the negative
emotions packed and balled into an intense scene that was executed brilliantly.
The anguished, wild cries of Amor and Diego’s panicked, horrified expression
loomed and remained in my head after the movie ended. It was raw. It was wild. It
was primal. It was the very thing the film was explaining all along.
“Amor y Muerte” may talk about conflicting desires
but the next film, “Babagwa”, directed by Jason Paul Laxamana which starred
Alex Medina (Greg), and Joey Paras (Marney) as the main characters in the
story, tells the modern day reality of internet scammers and a scam that
changes the lives of both Marney and Greg. The film exceeded my expectations. I
had doubts about the film but it turned out all right. I admit, after
struggling uncomfortably through Amor, my brain wasn’t ready to face scenes in
which the previous film showed. But hopefully those scenes were not the film’s
point.
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| courtesy of http://www.cinemalaya.org |
The
directing was good, backed up by humorous dialogues and straight to the point
realities. Although the plot was exciting and intriguing, I was more drawn to
the psychological aspects of the film. I saw the fantastic delusions of lonely
people and the harsh, straight-up realities of people trying to get by. The effect
of the imagined character of Bam and Daisy was extremely confusing at first but
it showed great promise when it portrayed the fantasies of the real Greg “Bam”
and the real Daisy. It had me almost believing that there was a hunky, rich,
Bam and a rich old widow like the imagined Daisy. Intentional or otherwise,
this was what made the film exceed my expectations.
Alex
Medina was great in his role. He showed exactly what kind of man Greg is, and
what kind of life he had. The character who only wanted to become a movie extra
became useful in the explanation of the sordid techniques used by scammers and
he depicted the innocent turned scammer role perfectly. But it was Joey Paras
who dominated the film for me. His portrayal of Marney, a bitchy scammer’s
manager struggling to make money for a comfortable life was deliciously
accurate. He managed to show the desperation of the character, the vengeful
side of Marney and his determined nature. With Paras’ every exclamation of
profanity, I saw how real the situation was. The whip-like attitude when he was
crossed was enjoyably real. I feared his manifestation of anger, pitied his
woeful desperation and admired his genius determination. He was moving, he was
real and he was absolutely brilliant.
Similar
to “Amor y Muerte”, I had already predicted the ending of “Babagwa”. The ending
was well executed and had the surprising effect it intended, although not much
for me. It made me think of the reality show Catfish, which had similarities with “Babagwa”. Nevertheless, the
film was great despite the handful of scenes that were a drag and a few
confusing ones.
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| courtesy of http://www.cinemalaya.org |
Last but not the least, the film “Sana Dati”
directed by Jerrold Tarog which starred Lovi Poe (Andrea), Paulo Avelino
(Dennis), TJ Trinidad (Robert) and Benjamin Alves (Andrew). The film deals with
the loss of true love, the numbing escape of a rebound and finding much needed
closure. Unlike the last two films, “Sana Dati” was a much more innocent
approach to love than the bold techniques of “Amor y Muerte” and “Babagwa”.
Like
any other love story, it aimed for the softest part of human emotion. It was a
bittersweet story tinged with suspense and confusion one feels when one has
found love. The transition from past to present, backstory and events was
superbly perfect, you won’t even notice. Although there were some hitches, the
film was amazingly edited. The music fit perfectly into the modern contemporary
reality and showcased love and the bitter end of it. The film had a promise of mainstream
cinema, what with the cast being big names in the movie and TV industry; it did
not feel like an independent film to me. It did however show how one individual
cope with loss, how a broken hearted, impulsive person can jump from one decision
to another just because she already has lost everything that matters to her.
The
film was cast amazingly. TJ Trinidad evoked pity through his character. His panic,
anxiety and eventually his short-lived defeat was palpable through the screen.
Paulo Avelino was a perfect channel of a haunting past and a brother who needed
answers. He became the medium Lovi Poe needed for her backstory. Lovi Poe
depicted broken perfectly. Her impassive attitude towards the present during
her wedding day made me curious as to what may have led her to act like that. The
flashbacks and backstory provided the contrast that explained the reason for
her recklessness towards Paulo Avelino’s character. When her character’s
reckless scenes were over, her return to her submissive, defeated and defiant
attitude was perfect. Her loss was masked perfectly in the beginning but after
her little stint with Avelino’s character, cracks were evident and her acting provoked
pity from me, but nothing else.
The
ending was unpredictable unlike the previous films. I had thought for one
moment it would end with Poe’s character committing suicide because of
overwhelming grief and defeat, but nevertheless, the ending was the perfect mix
of closure and bittersweet farewell I had not seen coming. The cemetery scene
was executed beautifully, but the ending itself was confusing mainly because of
the dialogue between Robert and Andrea. I admit I wanted an explanation as to
how Robert had known Andrea’s secret and the explanation behind Andrea’s
declaration of love toward him because I had not seen any proof throughout the
movie that Andrea really did love Robert. It was a loosely tied ending, but it
was all right.
Some scenes were a bit of a drag,
taking its time, but it was effective when it communicated the restlessness of
the wedding guest and anxiety of Andrea’s fiancé and family. The rooftop scene
where Dennis talks about his brother was good enough; it provided the
personality of his dead brother and Andrea’s lover. It did not produce any
tears from me, perhaps because I was weary of love stories, but it was
undeniable that it was heartfelt for the other audience. In its way, “Sana Dati”
is perfect for people who crave a beautiful and bittersweet love story that
pulls at the heartstrings and compel tears to fall.
In the end Cinemalaya’s promise of a passionate
awakening was delivered. I had not known anything of what goes on beyond the
industrial and commercial world, or the secret lives and jobs of other people,
but it was through independent films that I had seen, if only for a moment,
what reality truly is. It was unlike any other form of media. Books take me
into same realities, but I can choose to glamorize the events in my head. Unlike
in independent films where you are given the platters of cold reality and you
have no choice but to accept it. My mind had been opened by books, but it had
experienced a startling explosion through independent films. In short, it was an awesome experience.
- Bettina Catli, 202 B. Group 2
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| My friend Tin and Me |
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| A photo with Mara Lopez |
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| props from "Sana Dati" |
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| Viewing the art |
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| Opening night of Cinemalaya |
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