Cinema One Originals 2018 | Mamu (and a Mother, Too)

Upon seeing the central conceit of Mamu (and a Mother, Too,) that of Mamu, a transgender prostitute who becomes a mother  figure to her recently orphaned niece, Bona, herself a transgender person. I expected a social realist tale, gritty and full of histrionics. I expected Bona and Mamu to spar verbally and clash as they tried to adjust to each other. But the film is nothing like that, and it's all the better for it; Mamu is a funny, gentle slice of life drama about a number of good people who just want to live in a world that continually tries to marginalize them.

The film feels rather aimless and meandering, but I mean that in a good way. Weirdly enough I found comparisons in tone to films like Hirokazu Kore-eda's fantastic Umimachi Diary (2015). The biggest character struggle that moves the story forward is Mamu's desire to get breast implants and attract more Johns. There is no real conflict between Mamu and Bona for most of the film, they actually get along quite well from the getgo, perhaps due to them identifying with each other. There really isn't a villain either; even Vincent (Arron Villaflor), Mamu's boyfriend who seemingly leeches from her, is ultimately a misunderstood character with issues of self worth.

This leads to the third and final act where conflict does happen, and thanks to the way Mamu and Bona's relationship is portrayed (or not portrayed,) it feels a little unearned. Despite the nature of the scenes that follow (scenes that will no doubt shock some viewers), it's a tender and powerful statement on the lengths parents (even surrogate parents) will go to for the sake of their children.

This treatment is also the movie's greatest strength, in that it subverts the usual audience expectations for conflict and oppression. Within the communities of this film, there's a sense of acceptance that other films struggle to portray. There's a sense of sisterhood, of camaraderie, a sense of bayanihan and community that exists because the characters of Mamu have no one else to lean on but each other. There are hints of of the larger, harsher world beyond, such as when Mamu attends the funeral of a friend killed by an American soldier - but there is a feeling of safety here in this place Mamu and her friends have created for themselves. 

And there is kindness in this film. I have to repeat my description of the film earlier, for emphasis - for all its hilarity, Mamu is a very gentle film, full of characters that just want to live, even when job opportunities are scarce or limited. Aside from its central message of motherhood and sexual awakening, the film manages to tackle issues about the dangers of sex work, and the difficulty that transgender people face when finding employment in general.

Mamu is a fine addition to Cinema One Originals, and a film that I have grossly underestimated. It's a great start to the fest. True? True.