In the Ateneo college campus, you will often find students dissecting and extolling the latest Hollywood film blockbuster filled with computer-generated images, a saccharine love story or an outrageous comedy. Some even repeat chunks of dialogue, rehash big scenes and scrutinize the film techniques that mesmerized them.
There isn’t exactly the same kind of passion when it comes to Filipino films, as it seems easy enough to dismiss them. Unless required to do so, many of these students wouldn’t be caught watching the latest Star Cinema flick or most recent serving of the Metro Manila film fest. When indeed ordered by their teachers, they will grudgingly go, appalled by having to pay almost P200 for a film they probably have seen somewhere before.
Their common snipes against our films without being totally unpatriotic are that the same old, tired plots, characters and themes just get rehashed under the directive to be “pang-masa.” Unless you’re an aspiring filmmaker, grew up watching Filipino films or just want to give our movies a chance, Filipino movies probably aren’t exactly your first choice for entertainment.
Some of you were probably waxing defensive when you read that last paragraph. You may be like me, a movie fan at heart. Like me, you’re not a film professor and have no mastery of film theories or movements. We simply enjoy American, European, Asian and Filipino films equally and we do have a basis for appreciating and even dissecting movies we’ve seen.
But many really haven’t given our movies a chance, and that’s not really quite fair. You can’t fault Filipino films for not trying hard enough. With limited budgets, a star- driven industry, burdensome taxes and lack of consistent government support, our film industry is doing its utter best. The once audacious producers have shied away, giving up the fight against foreign blockbusters that have every imaginable computer graphic swirling on screen. It’s a one-sided war and the Philippine movie industry has had to seriously rethink its viability.
But I am an eternal optimist for our films and this is the essence of being a movie fan. In college, film teacher Fr. Nick Cruz, SJ taught us what to look for in movies, and Filipino films do have a lot to give. Back then, in the 1970s, there was a lot to watch because Filipino cinema was vibrant with brilliant directors: Lino Brocka was making courageous films, Ishmael Bernal rocked sensitivities and Danny Zialcita’s witty dialogue made even the tired love triangles look fresh.
There were also Mike de Leon’s films that scared us about incest in Kisapmata, made us romantic in Kung Managarap Ka’t Magising or tickled in Kakabaka Ka Ba? It is Philippine cinema’s loss that de Leon opted not to make any more films because of personal reasons.
These filmmakers made us understand that our cinema is not Hollywood, but we have our own stories and ways. We have less money, equipment and shooting days, but we never run out of good stories to tell.
Many directors today do a relatively good job despite the commercial requirements and financial constraints. Not all of our films have a silver lining in really bad movies, just as not all foreign or American films are classics. But as a movie fan, one learns how to be both discerning and hopeful. Director Kokoy Jimenez taught me to look for moments of brilliance in our films; not just highlight moments fit for trailers, but slices of good acting, cinematography, production design, writing and direction. These moments can be in one extended surge or in sporadic doses throughout a movie.
There are many of these moments in Filipino films. Lately, I have just begun watching more independent productions, and the attempt at alternative themes and new ways of capturing them digitally make me optimistic for a new surge of creativity.
For instance, I attended a special showing of Transit directed by Hannah Espia. Its unusual narrative string will compel you to be attentive to the dialogue. The subject matter of Filipino children born in Israel and grappling with cultures and laws of two countries is not your usual Filipino movie fare.
The dialogue is particularly sensitive, like when the teenage daughter of the Filipino OFW yells back at her mother, “You are the Filipino, not me! I’m Israeli!” The line is actually delivered in Hebrew, but after reading the English translation in the subtitles you can sense the words piercing the Filipino mother’s soul. Then there’s Ekstra (The Bit Player) directed by Jerry Jeturian. After years of watching the superstar in more stellar roles, you may have problems dealing with Vilma Santos portraying the movie extra Loida. But her acting chops make us empathize with the character.
Extras get shuffled around in the course of shooting a telenovela and in one scene, Loida gets a chance to be a lawyer with speaking lines. The pay will be different and she gets a chance that could give her the acting break she’s been dreaming of. However, when it’s time to act in a confrontation scene, Loida flubs her lines, misses her mark and steps into the shots of the stars.
Nerves get the better of her and she is tossed back into the world of nameless extras. Santos holding back her tears and rage while the director curses her about the wasted shooting time is a moment to savor and just one of many when we give Filipino films a chance.
One cannot expect students to suddenly convert into Filipino film advocates overnight and replay the precious moments in the movies they saw. But we should continue to encourage and even compel them to watch Filipino films because they may never watch them again and see how our cinema captures who we are and what we can become. Even in brief moments.
Sev Sarmenta Ph.D. is Assistant Professor at the Department of Communication where he teaches public relations, research and thesis writing. When not doing sports journalism jobs, he enjoys watching movies with his family.
