The Light We Cannot See By Meiji Cruz
Cinemalaya 2015: Broadening Horizons was really remarkable
for me. Even though I used to attend Cinemalaya since 2012 it was only now that
I appreciate films even more. I learned so much from the speakers of Cinemalaya
Campus. It was a great opportunity to be part of a crowd that time even though
mostly scholasticans are the audience; I hope next time more students and film
enthusiast will be part of this congress. It was not an exhausting kind of
absorbing information because you can feel from the speakers that they know
their craft and there is a burning passion in them. I have some picks, though
from the speakers. Mr. Ronald Baytan was very poetic in his film review and critique
and it was very beautiful no wonder he mastered literature. I’ve seen how
empowering words are. I also like Sir Patrick Campos. He’s very light. He spoke
casually but the substance was there. I learned from him, in order to
understand a film you should have a relation with it in the sense that how a
film related to you in any perspective. My most favorite Mr. Nick from NETPAC
unfortunately we don’t have so much time but his presentation was really good.
I hope one time we have the chance to have him as a speaker because I know
there are so much more to learn from him. The most important thing he left—for
me, was the PASSION. Yes, I capitalized it because the way he talked was full
of energy and dedication about his craft. It was like an open gate welcoming
you in another dimension of life.
Philippine
Independent Film Festival: Short Film entries. Shorts A.
Apasol by Ryanne MurciaAccording to its promotion tarpaulin,
apasol means chasing sun. It was a farewell story of a gay relationship. First
of all, the cinematography of this film was very beautiful! However there were
scenes that I did not appreciate. We had the chance to ask some directors about
their films. According to Murcia the film was trying to convey the feeling of a
day that you don’t want to enf because you are with the one you love but for me
he did not successfully conveyed the message that he wanted. The idea was there
but the way he executed was not clear. There were ambiguous reactions by the
actors that led to wrong interpretations of the film. Another thing, is the
script especially the opening lines I cannot relate the story that was
mentioned with the whole plot. Also, I noticed the panning of camera
contributed to the ambiguity of the film. The use of dialect also was not well
executed particularly by El, there were words that sounded straight Tagalog,
familiarity of the language used is a plus point like K’na The Dreamweaver (intertextuality).
Moreover, I observed that Murcia have very good ideas he just need to have a
lot of exposure and for sure he’ll get it.
Gatilyo ng Baril by Glenmark Doromal
& Eero Francisco
It was about the assassination of
Ninoy Aquino. As I interpreted it, the girl was the representation of Ninoy.
And she’s investigating about Marcos’s incident. Her eagerness to know the
truth was intense by the tone of her voice. She asked few questions to the
witness. When I was watching the film there was an expectation that the
investigator will get killed because of the facial reactions of the interviewee
and the lack of enthusiasm to answer the questions given. Though I did not like
the way the actress acted. She has a monotone dialogue and for me, if you are
an investigator asking questions you should have a different approach to the witness
in a soft manner probably for you to get answers. The use of effect is also
appropriate to help the audience to have idea about the setting and time of the
story.
Sanctissima by Kenneth Dagatan J
Marisa is living in a dark and sinful
life. Women who do not want to continue their pregnancy are coming to her.
She’s performing abortion for several years already but there is another reason
why she’s doing that—for her child. To the extent she killed someone for his
child’s satisfaction.
My favorite and bet for best short film but
unfortunately did not won but the film got the audience choice award. I like
the direction; it was a very clean and well-executed piece, it seemed that the
director was not a first-timer. I like story as well, though it was a thriller
genre, I like the idea of a mother and child. The only thing I’ve noticed in
the film was, it showed that Marisa was raped by a demon 20yrs ago but a child
looked like 15yrs old. I think it should have information-presentation
sensitivity to show consistency. Nevertheless, I like the film! I also like the
director. The actors were fit to their roles. The use of lights and shadow was
appropriate and other technicalities.
Kyel by Arvin Belarmino.
Okay, I’ll be honest. I did not get this film.
Anyone? Anyhow, what I like was this film gave me a fluctuating feelings and
false hope meaning the film was effective. I’ve read the short description
about the story before watching it so I expected I could see it in the film; he
could be redeemed from using drugs. On the contrary, he wasn’t.
Nenok by Milo Tolentino.
At the very beginning I was aware that
the director of Nenok is also the director of Andong and Andong was a very nice
short film. So I expected a little higher in this film. It was a story of a
child living alone who always steals pandesal from Mang Johnny a parish
groundskeeper. Later on, Manong Johnny found out that this child is already
orphan missing maternal guidance. When he learned about that, his heart softens
and this time around he’s the one deliberately giving pandesal to the child. In
the end, they found what they are looking for in each other company.
For me, the approach of the film was
like mainstream. The essence of filmmaking was lacking; use of images and
cinematography. I can say it was more of movie than a film. It was a funny
movie, though. The story line was light and it caters the audience. The
cuteness of a child can never be defeated.
Shorts B:
Lisyun Qng Geografia by Petersen
Vargas
A story of two high school best
friends named Tib and Tric. They are like brothers and they are always
together. A natural phenomenon happened in an extraordinary situation-- Tric
falls in love with Tib. As they are both males, feelings cannot be entertained.
Tric tries his luck he gave a map with places they have been and pictures
taken. Hurtfully,Tib ended their friendship upon confirming the revelation. As
the time goes by, Tib found the map and he traced every place, memories were
coming back as if they are still happening. High school memories and friendship
that even time cannot vanish. As he’s tracing the map, he ended up in his old
school, a spot where both of them always hang out. He found himself smoking
with the voice of someone he’s very familiar with.
The film
was very nice. For me, the factor that helped to uplift the film more was the
music. It was really affective! The story plot was so beautiful; they loved
each other but in different way. The rising action was also shown. Presenting of the setting was clear. The
actors were good. The use of dialect is commendable, how the lines delivered
was very natural. Bravo! No wonder it won one of the awards.
Wawa by Angelie Macalanda
Different people has the different way
of living—how to cope and how to grief.
Wawa is a story of a boy who grief for the loss of his father. He did not cry
for this loss but the deep hole in his heart is reflected on his face. As his
family take his father to his last journey. His grief is like a wawa (river);
sometimes calm sometimes turbulent.
At first,
I didn’t get this film I am thinking the topic is more than the grief but it
was really about grief. The film was full of images and less dialogue. The
cinematography was beautiful and the plot was very natural. This film won Jury
prize and NETPAC award. This is what filmmaking means.
Mater by Annemikami Pablo
A mother who is overly devoted to her
faith to the point she’s not living anymore in the reality. She has a daughter
who spends her time reading, listening to music and smoking. The daughter knows
that there is something wrong with her mother but didn’t have the courage to
talk about it. Due to lack of attention, she turned to drugs and found herself
dancing with her mother’s beloved religious statue and the dark escape
happened.
In my
interpretation, in the end of the film she killed her child, as she can’t take
what her daughter has done. For me, this film is dark in the sense that it’s
like awakening the demons inside you. On the other hand, it showed that we
should keep our faith but also keep in mind that we should also live in the
reality. There was a scene she was praying so hard but I didn’t understand why
it seemed to be a different dialect, anyhow in this scene, she was praying over
the electric bill. It was a perfect example of Filipino saying, ‘nasa tao ang
gawa nasa Diyos ang awa’ Living in the real world is hard but living in a mere
devotion will not supply you goodness but a false faith. Also there are many
aspect of this film that can be tackled about, many symbolisms are shown. The effects
in the film contribute ambiguity for me; is she really has daughter? Are the
two characters representing as one? There are a lot of aspects and I think I
can answer that if I can watch the film again. A film is like a book; you need
to re-read to fully understand it. First, enjoy it and second, read like a
critic.
Pusong Bato by Martika Escobar
A former actress is trying to relive
her fame. Day by day she’s making herself up to conceal the frustrations she’s
keeping inside. Every day she’s watching her old film to feel alive again. One
day, an earthquake came and suddenly there was a heart-shaped rock that has
fallen. Something ignites her and later on she treat this rock as a person, as
her partner to the point she had sexual intercourse with it. And there is a
true, as in legit man who is trying to court her but she always reject him
until one moment, the guy found Cinta as a rock.
This film
was very creative. It’s like a symbolism within a symbolism. I like the ending
part when the guy found Cinta as a rock because possibly in the very beginning
Cinta was really a rock made by the guy and he’s the one living with his
idolization and fascination about the former actress. The camera techniques are
creative as well and the presentation of setting. The actors were also fit to
their roles. Music is also a big help to establish the time and addends
emotions to the scene. Well done!
Papetir by Darwin Novicio
A story of
a puppeteer with a wounded heart. As he tries to make the crowd laugh the place
reminded him of an event of his life that he did not want to remember anymore.
As the performance going, his scar re-opened the story went deeper and deeper.
And he cannot control it anymore.
Best
screenplay. The actor was good and the script was commendable. It was a nice
film that will make you wonder until when it will take? Will it take furthermore?
How deep that scar is? Can he cope from this?
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