Young Star

Emotion Picture: Cinemalaya through a newbie's eyes

July 29, 2011 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - One of the rare times I went to see a local movie was back in college. I had planned the entire date from scratch: we would watch Chito Roño’s Sukob, a Tagalog horror film that starred Kris Aquino, just for kicks. To “rough things up” a notch above our pampered conyo zones, my date and I would also see to it that we take the train to and from Gateway. The movie turned out okay, mainly because my ignorant ’06 self had estimated it to be the dullest, most drawn-out version of its flaming poster.

Fast-forward a few years later to this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival, at which I jumped at the chance to boost whatever noob-level local film experience I had. I wasn’t someone disillusioned, looking for an indie way out; I only wanted to experience another side of filmmaking. And I thought Cinemalaya had to be a curiously good second start, especially since the MTRCB had no say in its creative endeavors. No censorship, in short.

In-depth commentary on death: Laurice Guillen’s film opened Cinemalaya on a heartfelt, family-oriented note. Cinemalaya

So just a few weeks ago, I attended the 7th Cinemalaya’s opening in Greenbelt 3, where I caught Laurice Guillen’s film Maskara. I was surprised to see a crowded pool of well-known actors, from Tirso Cruz III to Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino and Guillen’s talented, theater-trained daughter, Ina Feleo, who also wrote the screenplay. The more I wondered where the indie was in this in-depth commentary on death, the more famous actors appeared onscreen, like Angelica Panganiban. Still, I appreciated the fact that established actors paid doting attention to this lesser-funded industry. I guess indie was too abstract to be monopolized anyway; everyone should just appreciate film for film’s sake. Besides, Mark Gil’s mustache? It was always the law. It always looked like it could be an epic B movie in itself.

Wincy Ong’s San Lazaro was one for the books as well. It was interesting to see how Ramon Bautista’s unsinkable style of comedy would blend with a horror plot. My two cents on this one is simple: unless the horror draws from the wellspring that is our Filipino culture, the horror cannot be effective. The Ring and Rec, for instance, are excellent references for horror film production but unless the horror film is rooted in certain Filipino belief systems and superstitions, the film is unlikely to deliver. San Lazaro presented all this quite superbly, through a story of an infamous faith healer and the demonic possessions that ensue. Instead of a constant chain of shocks, I was treated to a horror so subtle and well-paced, it allowed the fright to creep in and out, without diverting you from a genuine narrative.

You already, Eugene: Veteran actress Eugene Domingo won Best Actress for this gripping full-length feature, which also won Best Film, Direction, and Screenplay. andronico.word press.com

The Cinemalaya Awards Night held at the CCP the following week, however, had everybody’s eyes on Babae Sa Septic Tank, which won Best Film, Direction (Marlon Rivera), Screenplay (Chris Martinez), Actress (Eugene Domingo) — even cropping the Audience Choice Award. A story about filmmakers gunning for “authenticity,” Babae Sa Septic Tank became a crowd favorite because it zeroed in on the romanticized view of poverty — something that gets exploited by too many filmmakers nowadays. A comedy, yes, but it also reminded everyone that poverty is more of a precarious reality than something artists can just ambitiously explore without consequences. I thought Domingo had the luxury of a joke as she received her award, though: “Kailangan ko pang kumain ng tae para lang manalo nito (I needed to eat manure just to win this).”

The night was a lot less explosive than that quote but it was a joy to see celebrities, veteran or not, mingle with common folk. From Mother Lily sporting her black Adidas Superstars to Gretchen Barretto in real life (apparently “in real life” was enough for me) to Boundary star Ronnie Lazaro sharing a joke with the camera men, the Cinemalaya Film Festival couldn’t have culminated in a much stranger, more amusing fashion. All I’m saying is the next Cinemalaya ought to come faster.