Through the septic tank, and what we found there

MANILA, Philippines - To begin with, no, they did not use real feces for that now iconic last scene in the newest blockbuster film, Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank. They in fact, for health reasons, made something like a septic tank soup: just water, oil, tomato skins and kangkong, add Eugene Domingo to taste. Absolutely no human excrement.

Knowing it might be my only chance to find out whether all that crap in the septic tank was real or not, I ask director Marlon Rivera that all-important question. In response, he quotes one of the movie’s most memorable lines: “‘Alam ni’yo bang madumi ang tae?’”

That infamous line, delivered in perfect deadpan by the movie’s brilliant lead actress, is well on its way to becoming legendary in local pop culture, our generation’s answer to “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!”

Right now, the film is taking the local film industry by storm, with it’s nationwide screenings at major cinemas sold out every day, even in malls like Power Plant, which rarely shows local movies. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the film is a commercial success. After all, it is top-billed by the Eugene Domingo and heartthrobs Kean Cipriano and JM de Guzman. “They must have seen something in our film that would appeal to the larger audience,” Direk Marlon muses.

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Before it got made in the mainstream though, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank won over the less-forgiving indie film crowd, comprised mostly of hipster students and educated artsy folk who are used to seeing gritty, neo-realist dramas and have the tendency to be just a tad pretentious.

During its run at Cinemalaya, moviegoers whispered their personal criticisms. Some said that the movie was just a funny film, and while it would clearly win Audience Choice, something more poetic or more serious deserved to take home the coveted Balangay. A poor student who didn’t know better even went so far as to exclaim her disgust at how the movie is evidence that “indie is suddenly turning sooo mainstream!”

It’s funny how preoccupied people get with labels, when the filmmakers themselves hardly care. “I believe between the mainstream and indie film labels is a totally unexplored area of films that do not fall into those labels — Ang Babae sa Septic Tank is a good example.” says the award-winning director, who nevertheless feels “happier than I can ever express” at the knowledge that his first full-length feature is selling out tickets at cinemas that hardly even show local films because their English speaking patrons are too sosyal.

That is precisely why the film will go down in history — it gives both the elitists and the masses something solid to chew on, reconciles the wry intelligence and boldness of indie films with the charm and charisma of the mainstream, and ultimately ventures into that “unexplored area of films” that might even turn out to be a bright future for local cinema. Amazingly, for all the new doors the film is opening for our local movie industry, the filmmakers actually had a simpler intention at heart when they were making the movie. Direk Marlon shares, “Chris [Martinez, the writer] and I just wanted to make a film we like and believe in…the only thing we knew is that the script is fresh and funny — the combination should hit either way, di ba?”

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Indeed. In fact, the combination hit so hard we can’t wait for the next Martinez/Rivera film, which will most likely continue closing up the indie/mainstream divide: “If I work with studios, I want to keep the daring spirit of indie films. On the other hand, I’m hoping to bring in more polish to my next indie films. I want to have access to more equipment.”

In the same way that Eugene Domingo boldly went where no man — not even her stunt double — had gone before, into that pungent pit of (fake) excrement, so Ang Babae sa Septic Tank unexpectedly plunged into a new brand of cinema, less disgusting and certainly more appealing than a septic tank, but equally overlooked and unexplored... until now.

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If you haven’t seen it yet, Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank is on an extended run in theaters this week until early next week. Check your local cinemas for schedules.