Direk Dante wins out censors

MANILA, Philippines - On the eve of his birthday, Cannes Film Festival Best Director for 2009 Brillante “Dante” Mendoza received an unexpected bonanza — a regular permit to show his Cannes film Kinatay without cuts in all venues from the MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board). Ironically, the controversial film may just have served as catalyst for the board to rethink its policies.

Earlier, the audience at the Philippine premiere at UP last July 30 was not even certain there would be a film showing as news of problems with the MTRCB spread through the grapevine. This, of course, was not without precedent. Other films meant for showing at UP had been given an X-rating, rendering them unfit for public viewing. Aurora directed by critically-acclaimed indie director Adolfo Alix Jr. (Donsol, Batanes, Adela) was X-ed for its rape scene. It was not even allowed screening time at the UP, which together with the CCP have long been presumed to be free from censorship.

During the open forum that followed the UP screening, director Dante revealed that during the meeting he requested with MTRCB, he made it clear that he would have his film reviewed but would not allow any cuts on his film and would simply cancel the premiere screening should that be the case. After the MTRCB review, interestingly, he was given the green light. Kinatay is a dark grim look at the underworld where a drug dealer-prostitute is butchered by corrupt cops.

The forum opened up once more the matter of UP and CCP being exempt from censorship which MTRCB chair Ma. Consoliza Laguardia insisted was not so. Recently, the UP Film Institute screenings have been required to go through review. Laguardia has explained that the imposition on reviews was meant to check UP’s apparent continuous practice of screening X-rated films like Aurora, Death in the Land of the Encantos and Butas in response to many complaints. We gather from other sources, however, that indeed there are complaints but these involve the indiscriminate showings of gay films with hardly any criteria with regards to content and artistic merit.

The discussion soon became centered on MTRCB jurisdiction with Ed Lejano, former head of the UP Film Institute Cine Adarna and Carlitos Siguion Reyna of the DGPI (Directors Guild of the Philippines) giving their observations. The age-old issue of academic freedom was raised by the students in the audience in answer to the MTRCB statement that there is no law that says the UP or CCP are not covered by censorship. It was revealed that previously only the Manila Film Center in the past had been exempt but the Center has since been abolished. Carlitos, however, says that the Film Center has been absorbed by the CCP and therefore retains the exemption. He also brings up the fact that there is a law stating that all films shall be subject to censorship except if shown in government venues and its agencies to which UP and the CCP belong. The only way to solve this constant problem is to abolish the MTRCB and replace it with a real classification board, he insists.

With regards to the film Kinatay, director Dante admits that it is very difficult to work on a picture like this that exposes the ills of society because of lack of financial support. He considers himself lucky enough to have the French-based Swift Productions as co-producer. He was most pleased when Quentin Tarantino whom he defeated for the award expressed congratulations saying he liked the travel scene that was undramatized.

Many Filipinos abroad, Dante admits, would lambast him for making films such as Serbis and Kinatay. He would answer that he is simply showing what is real and happening in the country. Way back in the ’60s, Lucila Lalu was the victim of similar butchering and many others after her.

At the party in his home in celebration of his birthday, director Dante affirms that although he has been given a blanket permit to show Kinatay he will still not show it in mainstream theaters, but instead aim for the student audience in schools. With reason, he possibly would wish to avoid the disappointing receipts given the Sine Direk series, and that of Piolo Pascual’s Manila when shown mainstream.

Although Kinatay and many other indie films like those shown at the recently-concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival make use of mainstream stars to attract the box office, it has been proven no longer to be a factor in determining audience appeal. Coco Martin, the lead star of Kinatay who started acting at the same time direk Dante started directing has been in all of his movies. He is now making a name in mainstream television (Tayong Dalawa, and the upcoming Agimat, Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla series on ABS-CBN).

Ma. Isabel Lopez, 1982 Binibining Pilipinas Universe, until today is known for her full body nudity in Isla by Celso Ad Castillo for the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines. Maribel tells us she went against her children’s objections to her appearance as the decapitated prostitute/drug dealer in Kinatay, and now is happy with the decision. It is her first time with Dante. John Regala, the butcher of Kinatay is likewise into his first indie and first time to work with the Cannes awarded director. Both actors were fascinated by Dante’s style of natural acting, something he was strictest with. Maribel reports that when the order was given for the cop to step on her face as she lay on the floor of the van, he did with impunity even if it couldn’t be seen in the darkness of the film. “Ngayon ko lang na-experience na mostly batok ko ang umaarte,” laughs out John Regala loudly.

As the first Filipino to win the Best Director trophy at Cannes, Dante joins the august film fraternity that include Francois Truffaut, Martin Scorsese, Costa Gavras, Ingmar Bergman, Bunuel, Herzog.

Kinatay will most likely be reshown at the UP, together with the CCP, and schools in major campuses around the country. Direk Dante left yesterday as part of the jury of the Locarno Film Festival.

(E-mail me at bibsycarballo@yahoo.com)