The Originals

MANILA, Philippines - Experimental is a word that would normally make a moviegoer squirm in his theater seat. The very thought of viewing something out of the ordinary either brings a certain discomfort or grotesque amounts of excitement. Films like these give viewers a jolt from the standard mainstream and even independent fare they’re used to. They’re bold, daring, and more importantly, original.

In its 7th year, CinemaOne Originals Festival shakes things up as it runs from Nov. 9 to 15 at the Shangri-La Plaza Cineplex. It brings together an eclectic group of veteran and newbie independent filmmakers whose works range from horror romcoms and idyllic explorations to very intimate experimental pieces.

Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay

Filmmaker: Tonette Jadaone

Eugene Domingo better watch her back, because Lilia Cuntapay’s gunning for her throne as the queen of indie. Who is Lilia? She’s only the creepy 75-year-old lady with the long, white hair who made you pee your pants in those Shake, Rattle, and Roll movies. Tonette describes her as that famous extra with no prominent screen name, but if the film does well, that might actually change.

Earl Bontuyan follows the Aeta’s plight in Sa Ilalim ng Tulay

“Lilia is such a character,” says Tonette. “There are extras who see being extras as just work, extras who just want to be seen on screen, but there are those who have dreams. Lilia’s one of them.” The movie offers a day-in-a-life look of this iconic extra as she’s set to accept a prestigious acting award.

Sa Ilalim ng Tulay

Filmmaker: Earl Bontuyan

Like fish out of water, a family of Aetas find themselves lost and vulnerable when a volcanic explosion in the province (a display of Earl’s visual effects background) displaces them to Manila. Instead of greener pastures, they are met with tall buildings, busy streets and buses, and a whole lot of trouble. The movie’s plot makes room for comedy, which highlights the family’s resilience despite all the drama and the hurdles they’re given.

Ka Oryang

Filmmaker: Sari Dalena

Alessandra de Rossi plays the silent revolutionary Ka Oryang

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill martial law film, and Sari isn’t your typical director either. She and her sister and close collaborator, Kiri Dalena, have a knack for being political with their own experimental and non-narrative shorts. Ka Oryang pushes Sari out of her comfort zone all for the sake of reigniting a fire.

Sari explains, “The new generation is suffering from a national amnesia over the legacy of Martial Law. The film offers to revisit the past so that we won’t forget.” Having been only a baby in the ’80s, Sari captures the era with fresh eyes as she tells the story of Ka Oryang, an accidental activist who chronicles the suffering of women at that time through her writing and poetry. The film’s title character is played by Alessandra de Rossi, who delivers a very soulful performance.

Cartas de la Soledad  (Letters of Solitude)

Filmmaker: Teng Mangansakan

Rashid writes a letter of solitude.

In Cartas de la Soledad, Teng draws a parallel between peace and chaos, two things he’s become accustomed to as a heritage conservationist in Maguindanao. “I know I would be raising a lot of controversies,” says Teng, “I explored classes in this film. Maguindanaon society is extremely class-oriented.”

Teng tells of Rashid, a Maguindanaon who comes home after living in Spain for 25 years. Disappointed upon seeing that his hometown hasn’t changed, Rashid secludes himself by writing letters in Spanish. This gives him temporary solace as a war begins to brew. Teng explains, “I’ve always been drawn to the subjects of isolation and alienation in my films. It also talks of how in restricted, confined spaces, you can create your own sanctuary.”

Big Boy

Filmmaker: Shireen Seno

Shireen Seno recreates her father’s memories in Big Boy

Shireen may be biting off more than she can chew by shooting the entire film using Super 8, but she’s certainly excited about it. “Super 8 has an intimacy unlike [that of] other formats... the projected images are really grainy, but that gives them a very visceral effect, kind of like recalling memories.” The resulting effect isn’t merely for show; it creates the feeling of nostalgia, which, according to Shireen, is exactly what the film needs.

Shireen’s Big Boy is a personal project that very loosely recounts her father’s tales of growing up as a cod liver oil poster boy in Mindoro in the ’50s. Armed with her Super 8 camera, she went to Oriental Mindoro, cast a family of non-actors, and recreated those memories on film. “I guess these particular memories just stuck with me, and I needed to deal with them, to demystify them,” she says.

Mga Anino Sa Tanghaling Tapat

Filmmaker: Ivy Baldoza

Althea Vega as Ezra in Mga Anino sa Tanghaling Tapat

The summer heat brings forth a sudden sense of freedom and growth and a splash of sensuality in this coming-of-age film about two barrio lasses and their outsider cousin, Ines. The three are far from being heroines. The girls, as Ivy describes them, are very passive. “The characters are very ordinary. They are most likely not going to stand up for anything or champion a cause or represent something very positive.”

“I just wanted to breathe,” Ivy explains. “I grew up in the province. Life there can be cyclical and fatalistic… You can be subjected to rituals and beliefs that are beyond your control. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. You may choose to embrace the cycle because it’s comforting. It’s home.”

Anatomiya ng Korupsiyon

Filmmaker: Dennis Marasigan

Maricar Reyes plays Cely in Anatomiya ng Korupsiyon

In his return to CinemaOne Originals — his first entry being 2005’s Sa North Diversion Road — Dennis is taking Malou Jacob’s politically charged stage play to the big screen. Set in the ’80s, the film tackles corruption in the court system with a satirical twist. It stars an ensemble of notable stage actors including Sid Lucero, Lou Veloso, and Ricky Davao, and is led by Maricar Reyes.

Dennis, who’s had experience directing the play several times, thinks it’s the best time for people to see it on screen. “[With] the recent news reports about corruption being unearthed in various branches and offices in government, I felt that a film version of [the play] would possibly connect to viewers.”

My Paranormal Romance

Filmmaker: Victor Villanueva

She’s got the mark: Phoebe Kay Fernandez and Van Roxas star in My Paranormal Romance.

Victor’s festival entry is a romantic comedy adventure that takes a turn into the realm of the paranormal. If it sounds a bit like Joyce Bernal’s D’Anothers, Victor assures us it’s different. “It’s Cebuano,” he kids. “I made this film in the phase of moving on and [dealing] with a lot of changes... changes I wouldn’t normally understand. It’s like the paranormal.”

The film follows Merry, a girl who would much rather stick her nose into books than into relationships. But with the sudden addition of kapres, white ladies, and killer refrigerators and rabbits into her daily routines, her life suddenly gets a little bit more interesting, if not ridiculously bizarre.

Di Ingon ‘Nato (Not Like Us)

Filmmakers: Ivan Zaldarriaga and Brandon Relucio

There will be blood: Rez Cortez and a group of zombies

Hot off the heels of the surprise indie blockbuster and now cult classic, Zombadings, is another zombie movie, this time with more gore and gunfire. Ivan and Brandon’s story is set in the far-flung boondocks in Cebu where a zombie infestation forces a group of villagers to use their age-old wits and tactics, coupled with religion and science, to fend off the flesh-eating fiends. The typical Cebuano saying, “di ingon ‘nato,” which basically means “not like us,” obviously gets a whole new meaning. The film stars a gun-toting Rez Cortez and indie favorite Mercedes Cabral.

Sa Kanto ng Ulap at Lupa

Filmmaker: Mes De Guzman

Mes feels right at home with his film. For starters, it’s set in a place he calls his childhood home. Nueva Viscaya’s rural landscapes come to life as we follow four boys who have all left their families to find happiness and a shot at better lives. “These kids are the story,” Mes points out, “Their real life makes their character unique and effective.” Much like his previous films involving non-actor children, Mes interacts with the kids before writing the final script. He goes with their flow, rendering a more organic feel to his film.

Mes (in the gray shirt) with his crew on location

As a staple of the foreign film circuit, Mes says the Filipinos have become more discerning of good films. “In international film festivals, many of the audience are more critical. For them, your film is good if you have something new to say and your film opens new discourse. Here, I think, it is the same now. Filipino cinema is more alive and dynamic now. It’s evolving.”

For more of the interviews with the filmmakers and reviews of the films during the festival, check out http://pelikula.tumblr.com