Life in the raw

(Editor’s Note: Until end of January 2007, My Favorite Movie will feature only movies shown during a Metro Manila Film Festival from any year. Contributions must not exceed two and a half pages, short bond paper, double-spaced. We don’t return rejected articles. Published ones will be paid accordingly. E-mail your pieces at [email protected].)

I can and will never dare forget Joel Lamangan’s Bulaklak ng Maynila as long as I live.

Every life has an impeccable drama of its own. And every Filipino movie has described it in one way or another. But the film starring Angelu de Leon (as Ada), Elizabeth Oropesa (as Azon), Bembol Roco (as Roque) and Christopher de Leon (as Timo) depicted all the agonies of life one can ever imagine.

"Ama/Lolo/Tito/Kapatid/Pinsan, nanggahasa!"

"May patay/Na-snatch-an/away na naman!"

These headlines are nothing unusual. Not until you are the victim or at least, you have watched this marvelous film.

Bulaklak ng Maynila, a heavy drama with all the A1 stunts, made me cry a lot. Only religion lightens my load, especially in the scenes where Azon is crying out all her worries to the Lord at the Basilika ng Nazareno. Penance and penitence are there. But then again, there’s violence brought about by jealousy and greed. I wonder if this is all because of poverty.

Ada’s life is full of hardships. She is the daughter of the impoverished Azon and Roque. They live in a squatter’s area. Roque was imprisoned after attempting to steal from a grocery store.

Later on in the story, I felt like saying "That’s not fair! Sira ulo talaga itong si Timo!" after learning that Roque was set up by Timo. Azon, not knowing how evil the usurer Timo is, lives with him.

There was a fleeting silence in the film when you can only here the knocking of the spoon. Timo rapes Ada. And I hated him all the more. I also cried with Ada when her mother, Azon, turned a deaf ear to her complaint.

Ada became an ago-go dancer to survive. You can see the discernible improvement in her character. Naive no more, she wears sexy make-up and a very red nail polish. Her lips are luscious red and the make-up artist/s exaggerated her eyes. Had Ada worn more revealing clothes, I think I will feel her character more. Maybe the director wants Angelu’s acting prowess to outdo the make-up. And generally, she is truly remarkable!

Viva Entertainment, producer of the movie, showed how much Filipinos believe in fortune-telling or luck. We strongly believe in gossip and karma.

True love was there. I was moved with Jomari Yllana’s performance as Ed, Ada’s lover. He showed strength in fighting for his love. This raised my hopes in finding the right person for me and not to be so cynical about love.

And then, all the other events that I am hoping to see were there: Christmas, a birthday, All Soul’s Day and a lot more. I used to relate events to all the beauty and grandeur this world offers until I watched this obra. Revenge, violence and death happening during one’s most important occasion/s in life created a great impact on me.

For me, the screenplay by Ricky Lee focuses on the essence of family. It is flawless to the point that I decided to watch the CDs over and over. For a couple of days, I even stopped making my beaded bracelets to meditate on the film’s message. And it’s all worth it!

My life and how I view Quiapo Church vendors (of fruit, flowers, candles, etc.) will never be the same again. Unlike before, when I was just trying to please is my elite wedding clients as an events planner, I am now part of the drama of their lives.