Cinemalaya 2015 Winners and Cinemalaya 2016 Finalists

Congratulations to all of the winners of Cinemalaya 2015. My comments are in italics.

Audience Choice: Sanctissima

 I personally voted for this film, because it was a definite crowd pleaser (and my other two picks would probably get other awards anyway.)

Best Screenplay: Papetir
I honestly don't remember the dialogue for this film.  All I remember was the puppet was very angry at the dude. Maybe the judges saw something I didn't.

NETPAC Award - Wawa

Special Jury Prize: Wawa 

It wasn't exactly my thing, but this is a gorgeous movie that needs repeated viewings. So I guess it's ok.

Best Director- Petersen Vargas, Lisyun qng Geografia
The reason this movie won was because it was a technically sound and refined execution of all the elements of cinema (paraphrasing here.) In that sense I agree.

Best Film - Pusong Bato

I was rooting for either this film, Lisyun or Sanctissima to win. The judges got this one right.

After giving the awards, they also announced the finalists for Cinemalaya 2016. Speculation is in italics:

Ang Bagong Pamilya ni Ponching, by Inna Salazar and Victor Villanueva

The poster looked like rows of smartphones each with a letter on them. Maybe this is a film about how one's online friends can become their second family. 

Ang Mga Bisita ni Mamang by Janice O'Hara and Denise O'Hara

The O'Hara twins were responsible for last year's Sundalong Kanin, which had a generally good reception. I have no idea what this is about.

Dagsin, by Atom Magadia
The poster of Dagsin shows some sort of statue of justice. Atom Magadia is better known as a photographer, so we may get a visually stunning movie.

Hiblang Abo, directed by Ralston Jover
Ralston Jover recently directed Da Dog Show, which was a good social drama. I'm going to guess this is also going to be a social drama.

I America, directed by Ivan Andrew Payawal

Based solely on the title, the movie could represent Filipino expats or the Fil-am community. We haven't got a lot of the latter (Batang West Side comes to mind, but there are a smattering of other examples too) so this could be interesting.

Kusina, by David Corpuz, Cenon Palomares

This poster brazenly proclaimed Judy Ann Santos as its main star. Well, that's one reason to go to next year's festival firmly in the bank. I've only seen experimental stuff from David Corpuz so I don't know what to make of this film. I sincerely hope that this isn't two hours of Judy Ann just standing in the middle of the kitchen. I kid.

 

Lando at Bugoy, by Vic Acedillo, Jr.

A veteran to Cinemalaya, Vic Acedillo wrote 2006's Batad: Sa Paang Palay and directed 2008's Ang Nerseri. The poster was really rudimentary so I don't know what this is about.

Mercury is Mine, by Jason Paul Laxamana

Director of Cinemalaya 2013's Babagwa, and MMFF New Wave's Magkakabaung, which was one of last year's best Filipino films. There was like a drawing of some guy and a woman on the poster.  I don't know exactly what they were doing. Perhaps like Babagwa and Magkakabaung this one also takes place in Pampanga.

 Pamilya Ordinaryo, by Eduardo Roy, Jr. 

I bet two pesos this family is anything but ordinary. Roy recently directed 2013's Quick Change.
 

Tuos, by Derick Cabrido

Another former Cinemalaya finalist, most recently for last year's Children's show. The poster shows a woman in the middle of a dense forest. Anything goes for this one.

These filmmakers have one year to prepare their film. Hopefully the extra prep time means grander ideas, broader concepts, more exciting and polished films.

Cinemalaya 2015: Cinemalaya Film Institute Shorts, Endo

This was an exhausting week, but totally worth it.

As an aside, I watched The Tale of Princess Kaguya (again) on the big screen. I will be writing something about this and The Wind Rises in a future post.

CINEMALAYA INSTITUTE SHORT FILMS

The Cinemalaya Institute was founded recently, and it offers intensive courses in filmmaking. The institute is currently headed by Carlos Siguion-Reyna. Near the end of this year's Cinemalaya, the filmmakers' output in the form of short films were shown to the public for the first time.

One more thing before I start: for the sake of transparency, I must disclose that the director of Litson, Jojo Nones, is my first cousin. I try to be as objective in my reviews as possible, but still, please keep that in mind while reading this.

These short films are mostly 5 minutes long, are in black and white with one exception, and aim to tell a narrative with little to no dialogue. With those restrictions in mind, here are the CFI short films:

Run and Hit is a clever short that plays with your sensibilities. It was shot seemingly at the CCP parking lot, which I guess is taking it close to home. I wish the gunman had better aim though. 3.25/5

Timpi kind of flew over my head at first, but it makes itself clear towards the end. People have different coping mechanisms for a tragic event. Simple as that. 2.75/5

Sampung Piso is one of the two comedies in this program. Simply put, it's a tale of karma. I love the sound effects on this one because I'm eight years old. Just Kidding. 3.5/5

Te Amo Adios is probably my least favorite short of the lot, maybe because it felt longer that it really is. The story doesn't help a lot either - I had to look at the synopsis to find out that the two men were best friends. 2.5/5

The Tax Collector - My favorite short of the lot. I guess they hired non actors for this one. I wish the person who played the beggar could emote more, it would have added to the impact at the end. 3.75/5

Sa Taas - Feels like the ending to a longer movie. The ending is slightly implausible but it's still kinda sad even if you have that in mind. 3/5

Serbisyo Publiko - This movie has a far more interesting premise than what I expected from its relatively short first half. This is one of the films that I think could be expanded. 3.75/5

Litson - the second of the two comedies featured in this program. It's witty, it has broad audience appeal, and it doesn't overstay its welcome. I love the little cutbacks during the end credits. 3.75/5

Pitik - I watched the color version of Pitik during the Saturday screening (the original version was in black and white.) I'm sure most of us has thought of doing what Pitik's protagonist did in the film at some time in our lives. The muzzle flash effects look really weird and a bit unrealistic, but with a limited (maybe even zero) budget, what can you do, right? 3.25/5

Mercedes - An okay short, but uses a lot of techniques I see often on television. The slow motion was a stylistic choice that I didn't particularly agree with, but to each their own. The scenario itself is kinda sad, especially the big reveal near the end. 3/5

Chicken - once you get to the last few seconds, you know exactly what's going to happen. I guess this could be the third comedy, but the laughs are darker and less overt. That sound at the end really jolted me though. 3.25/5

Apart from the full length shorts, other shorts by the directors were shown. These shorts are part of the requirements for the Institute's curriculum and is an exercise in a particular film style or technique. There are too many to mention, but some notables include Muse, which is an exercise in making a Cine-roman, the slightly disturbing Order Ni Mayor, Sakdal Laya which has Ina Feleo in it, the post apocalyptic short Deserted, and video prank gone horribly wrong Sangandaan.

All in all it's an impressive program, with most of these directors being first timers, having been involved in either TV or other media previously. I look forward to next years input and possible future full length films for these directors.

I really wanted to see this film way back in one of my first years of watching Cinemalaya. I guess it is appropriate that everything has come full circle and I finally am able to watch Jade Castro's Endo as my last film for this year's festival.

Endo is a story of love. Love gained, also love lost. But it also tells another story - the stories of the men and women who work short contracts - usually three to five months at a time - to make ends meet.

The film follows Leo (Jason Abalos) and Tanya (Ina Feleo) as they build a romantic relationship. Both are contract workers; Leo has just broken up with his girlfriend Candy because their respective jobs have ended, and because of distance issues. Tanya immediately takes a liking to Leo and romance blooms.

Of course, this balance can't last forever. Like the temporary jobs they both work in, Leo and Tanya's love is tested by their own beliefs and the transience of fate.

Leo represents this generation of drifting workers. Because they lack the luck and experience to get a more stable job, they risk their work benefits to become a short term contractual worker. They flit from job to job, never gaining any sort of familiarity with anything. Coworkers come and go, and while some keep in touch, some are never seen again.

Leo and others like him work merely to survive. Their generation is a generation devoid of hope, with a life that is dictated by the end of one work cycle and the start of another. While Tanya actively tries to break free from this never-ending cycle, Leo is trapped in it. His stagnation proves destructive and he runs the risk of being left behind by everyone he cares about.

The chemistry of the two leads works greatly in favor of the film. This is a believable romance, with believable twists and turns. And their ultimate decisions, whether to stay or move on, are completely understandable. Endo takes its time to build their love, and it takes its time to make the relationship run its course.

Endo is a capable romance that sheds light on a workforce that has lost the ability to dream. Perhaps, the movie tells us, something like love or the promise of something better can make these transitory workers want to dream again.

And that's it for this year. One more post for the winners, but this is the last review post for this year's Cinemalaya. See you next time at the movies.

Cinemalaya 2015: An Kubo sa Kawayanan, Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig

Penultimate Day of the Festival. I think this is the year where I've written the most stuff.

Alvin Yapan's films mostly talk about connections, whether it be between man and others (Sayaw, Gayuma), one's past (Mga Anino ng Kahapon), or faith (Debosyon).

His latest, An Kubo sa Kawayanan, can either be an extension of his films about our relationship with nature, or a metaphorical exploration of we as a people and our relationship with our home.

Michelle (Mercedes Cabral) lives in a small hut beside a bamboo grove. She makes ends meet by doing embroidery and selling the bamboo growing near her house, but otherwise her life is pretty mundane. During the course of the film, fellow villagers and outsiders try to urge her to leave, to no avail. We also find out that Michelle has a strange relationship with the hut, who behaves like it has a consciousness. We see it jealous, protective, even loving in a way.

An Kubo ng Kawayanan thrives in its simplicity; Michelle often engages in small things to pass the time. She is content with the rhythms of her life, and this comfort is often the reason she decides to stay. She is, in a way, a gatekeeper; she believes that without her presence the house would quickly fall into disrepair. Her thoughts, counterpointing her speaking voice, record her inner feelings about her house and her place in it.

The use of magical realism is subtle compared to Yapan's other films, with many of the overt scenes occurring as dream sequences, which may lead to differing interpretations of the film. Is Michelle imagining everything or not? The film leaves this open to discussion.

An Kubo sa Kawayanan tells us how we sometimes hold on to things because we sense that life itself  is fleeting; because life is fragile and prone to disappearing.

Composed of twelve short films, the omnibus Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig varies all the way from more conventional fare to experimental stuff. Overall, the experience is a mixed bag; some parts may end up better than others depending on one's preferences. Let's talk about them one by one.

Julia is structured as one long dialogue that skips from scene to scene. Julia talks about her uncertainty towards love. We realize that in every scene she is with a different man. Each iteration's 'I love you' seems less truthful than the one that comes before it. Also, maybe vampires.

Ding is probably the most accessible short in the whole bunch. It's a short meditation on second chances and how we unconsciously or consciously inflict heartbreak on each other.

Anyone who has petitioned a higher power in the name of love will get what Ferdie is trying to do. Minimalist in tone, with a sense of desolation, it ends exactly where it should.

Rudi at Divino is hilarious and cute. The 'pag-ibig' connection seems tenuous at best. You do get a sense that the glamourized artifice of love is far removed from reality. Also, Soaplands are nice. I think.

September at Simon has a daring scene by Lilia Cuntapay. I'd never think I'd write something like that, ever, but here you go. It's a treatise on how love survives in a couple's relationship despite the burden of children and work.

Maria lays on the metaphors so thick, you can see where it comes from a mile away. If you take Chynna Ortaleza's character to be Maria's lover instead of a Gabriel-like figure, it takes on a different meaning.

Lope is about a boy and his grandmother talking. While it seems to be a simple argument about tinola, it reveals far deeper wounds from the grandmother's past. Despite her wounds, her love for her grandson persists. Also features a daring scene by Erlinda Villalobos, also among the things I thought I would never write, ever.

Tisoy is plain weird, but is one of the funniest shorts in the lot. Not surprising considering that the directors are behind Asan si Lolo Me? and Pusong Bato. Were there any evil librarians in Diliman? I thought we only had them here in Manila. Heh.

I want to say Delia at Weng took my pre-nup video idea, but its depiction of a battle of affections for the hand of some groom is different from my idea of random explosions and car punching. It's short and sweet.

Every full blooded man who has a "stash" somewhere in their room (if you know what I mean) knows exactly what Paula is about. Part of the fun is figuring out who the hell Paula is and why does she want her panties so bad. I mean, you could always wear shorts or go commando...

Kiko Matos stars in Eva, which shows us love's twisted side. While looking at the synopses at the individual films, I learned that Eva was his estranged lover, something I didn't pick up while watching the film. It's meant to be disturbing, and it may not be to everyone's taste.

From the director of last year's The Ordinary Things We Do, we get another experimental short with Dencio at Meng, which encapsulates the eternal game between man and woman, chasing after and finding each other, then losing them, then chasing after them once more. 

One's mileage may vary when watching Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig; fans of experimental or theatric fare will probably like this, while moviegoers with more mainstream sensibilities may end up confused. Also, who can pass up the opportunity to see Lilia Cuntapay's daring scene. Come on, dudes.

Cinemalaya 2015: Niño, Da Dog Show

Today's a bit of a lean day thanks to commitments and overall malaise. Watching movies is tiring, yo.

Loy Arcenas' debut film, Niño, is a tightly scripted work, and an astonishing output for a debut. The Lopez-Arandas were once a solid part of the upper class establishment; a family built from Old Money. Their splendor is now lost, the money is mostly gone, and most of the remaining family members live in a dilapidated house. 

While some of the family members, such as faded opera star Celia (Fides Cuyugan Asensio), try to bask in their own nostalgia in a futile effort to reclaim their former lives, others like her sleazy son Momvic (Art Acuna) want nothing more than to sell the house and leave it all. In the middle of it all is Momvic's son, Anthony, who becomes our eyes and ears into the family's many intricate relationships. Soon, however, Gaspar, Celia's older brother and owner of the house, falls ill, irreparably shifting the dynamics in the family.

I've seen Arcenas' subsequent film Requieme! first, and there is no doubt in my mind that Niño is the superior film. Much of the credit can be traced to Rody Vera's script and amazing performances, with special mention to Fides Cuyugan-Asensio, who uses her talents both in singing and acting to create a tragic, human character.

Inevitably, conflicts arise , which culminate in the fantastic final act, a party that seems to symbolize a celebration of things past, but evolves into a ritual of acceptance and change by the final frame. A tehcnically adept work, precisely told, Niño really is worth the accolades.

After a production history beset by numerous roadblocks, Da Dog Show finally premiered at the World Premieres Film Festival earlier this year. This week, the film makes its Cinemalaya debut.

Based on a true story, Da Dog Show is the story of Sergio (Lou Veloso,) a former fisherman who has taken up doing dog shows in the streets of Manila to make money for his children.

His life is not a walk in the park, either, his eldest (Mercedes Cabral) is mentally disabled, they live inside a mausoleum at the North Cemetery, and his estranged wife has their son.

Da Dog Show is a tale of how one man can be dedicated in his craft, and how his love for his family drives him forward. His struggles for his family are palpable, whether you are rich or poor. Lou Veloso is a good fit for the role of Sergio (the actual Sergio was slated to play the role but was unable to do so because of health concerns). Behind Sergio's words is anguish and a lifetime of regrets.

The movie leaves a number of plot points hanging, and the dogs' role in the film are pushed to the side to focus more on the family drama. The ending, where a metaphorical exchange is made between one 'child' and another, seems a bit rushed.

It may not be to everyone's taste and it has its share of flaws, but Da Dog Show is an interesting film with a touch of social realism.

Cinemalaya 2015: Last Supper No. 3, Shorts B, Esoterika: Maynila

There were two conflicting feelings in my head as I watched Last Supper No. 3, part of 2009's Cinemalaya. One was mirth; the film is, on the surface, quite hilarious. The other is a deep seated unease. The remarkable thing is the film makes it work. Based on true events, Last Supper No. 3 refers to a Last Supper tapestry that is the center of the film's events. Once Wilson Nanawa (Joey Paras) loses the item in the course of a film shoot, he soon gets entangled in a legal kerfuffle that slowly eats away at his time and money.

While Wilson patiently goes through each tedious and excruciating step of his legal journey, we are shown the rotting innards of our justice system, which through corruption, a bloated, inefficient bureaucracy and a lack of facilities, has turned into a labyrinthine nightmare, a shell of the system it was supposed to be.

His tribulations over the resulting legal proceedings (which in the movie and in real life took the better part of two years) wear him down, and apathy and even dread begin to set in, always with the threat of incarceration looming over his head. We sympathize for his character, and while we laugh at some very well placed jokes, we feel sorry for Wilson and his plight.

Last Supper No. 3 is a capable comedy, but it also reveals a systemic social problem simply by presenting a case study without resulting to theatrics or melodrama.

CINEMALAYA COMPETITION SHORTS B (a.k.a.  We Want Short Shorts Short Shorts Reviews 2015)

 

The second and last of two sets. Overall the quality of this set is far better, but I'm betting on Set A's Sanctissima to get at least the audience choice award.

 

Lisyun qng Geografia (Geography Lessons) - Simple in concept, and everything is so well done and polished. A small capsule of friendship, heartbreak, and loss. 4/5

Wawa - Probably the most gorgeously filmed short in this year's program, Wawa is a meditation on death and moving on. Tells a lot without saying much at all. The cinematography makes the locale ethereal, otherworldly. 3/5

Mater - Mater takes an experimental approach, which is not really my cup of tea. Some uneven sound design at times hinders the work. I interpret it as a film that tackles the dangers of overabundance, be it religious zeal or a wanton lifestyle. Sometimes, after passing through one extreme, you end up on the other side. 2.25/5

Pusong Bato - absurd, funny, and ultimately entertaining, one of the main draws of this short is how it manages to recreate the look and feel of footage from the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema (a feat that, I've learned, was done mostly in post production.) Mailes Kanapi nails it on the head. 4/5

Papetir: Sonder n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. Simplistic premise and a bit short, but is purportedly part of a bigger, as yet unproduced film. It still manages to tell a lot of backstory with the constraints it places on itself. 2.75/5

I had a really weird thought when I was watching Elwood Perez's swan song, Esoterika: Maynila. For some reason, this film felt like Querido. You know, Mystika, Neil Nilaga, etc etc. A few hours after watching I think I know why. (No, it's not because both have a macho dancer at the end.) 

Querido has been a film that I have come to respect, in its own kooky way. For that film and this one, the similar feel lies in the exuberance of the filmmaking at hand, at times delving into the absurd, and a sense of self-awareness that enhances the overall experience.

It's hard to nail Esoterika: Maynila down. It's basically a man's journey to finding his craft, meeting many of Manila''s art scene along the way. Sexuality also comes into play, with many characters engaging with both male and female partners. There are vampires (ish) too. There is an action scene which feels like something out of a bloody revenge film. It all feels so surreal that imagination and reality blur.

And yet, it treats its material with a healthy dose of self awareness, where we see some characters noting (even with just their facial expressions) the absurdity of some of the situations they are in. This film knows exactly what it is, but it really doesn't care. And that brazenness is kind of charming in a way.

This is not to say the film is perfect: the dubbing has a number of problems, some scenes are edited weirdly and the story meanders at some points. The acting by some of the first timers is uneven, with Ronnie Liang coming out on top among his fellow co-stars (no pun intended.)

It might be a reflection of our country's pop culture and its cinematic history from the post colonial period onwards. It might be a treatise on sexuality and accepting one's self. It might be a silly 'road movie - like' tale of a man finding coming to terms with his own art. Whatever Esoterika: Maynila may be, it was one hell of a weird ride.

Cinemalaya 2015: The Monk, Pepot Artista, Lorna, The Move

In one particularly iconic scene in Myanmar's The Monk, our titular monk Zawana is struggling in vain to retrieve his robe, while passengers in a passing boat try to persuade him to join them. This scene encapsulates Zawana's struggle in this film: a choice between an austere and spartan life as a Buddhist monk, or the carefree life of a normal teenager.

Throughout the film, his temptations are many: he has an eye for a local girl; his fellow novices are leaving the monastery, and the abbot is strict and stern with the young man. He comes at a crossroads in his life, and through his actions he ultimately tries to gain enlightenment and acceptance of the thing he really wants to be.

The Monk offers us a glimpse of Burmese culture that has rarely been seen in contemporary Southeast Asian cinema, thanks to a lengthy dictatorship and a cinematic culture that was shackled thanks to the regime and the subsequent 8888 Uprising. It's interesting to see how villagers interacted with each other, how Buddhism figured into the community, and how different the city is from the rural areas.

The film is beautifully shot, showing the serenity of the monastery and the relative quiet of the village, contrasted with the chaos of the city. And yet, there is also a feeling of familiarity - some of the city scenes look like they could be shot here in Manila.

Myanmar itself, a country only beginning to realize its future after the end of its dark dictatorial days, may be likened to Zawana and his own struggle. Will the country empty itself of all its past attachments and reach enlightenment, the ultimate goal of Buddhism? Only time will tell.

C

Clodualdo Del Mundo Jr.'s Pepot Artista is a film from the early years of Cinemalaya; where digital video was not as sophisticated as it is today. Despite the technical limitations, it still makes an interesting point at the end.

Set during the seventies, Pepot is a boy who wants to be a movie star. His daydreams of making it big often overflow into parodies of Philippine Cinema's second Golden Age. But his life is far from perfect - the family struggles to make money, and he isn't very good at school either. He then embarks on a series of adventures to try to gain stardom.

The film is chock-full of references to Philippine movies and celebrity culture from the era. At times scenes segue into clips from films by Guy and Pip, FPJ, and others. There are even some appropriate cameos from mainstream actors (given that this was released in 2006, this was a novelty for a Cinemalaya film.) Seeing this in 2015 makes me a bit sad for some of the performers who have since passed away, notably Yoyoy Villame, who plays a blind guitarist, and Tado, who makes a memorably funny turn as an obstinate female teacher.

The film delves into the Filipino fascination with stardom and showbiz. Many of our countrymen want their entertainment as escapist, thus most of our media is escapist as a result.  It's understandable; with a life as hard as it already is, it's hard to keep up morale. But there's also a certain fascination with the prospect of somehow making it big and entering a world many think is financially lucrative. Thus, the flood of talent shows and the popularity of shows like Star Circle Quest and Starstruck. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky.

The visuals may be dated, but Pepot Artista still has a message that is relevant to today's showbiz culture.

Shot through the heart and you're to blame / Darlin' you give love a bad name

Lorna is a movie about love. That is, looking for love, perhaps in all the wrong places. Our titular character (played by Shamaine Buencamino) is already sixty years old, but age doesn't stop a person from wanting to love.

Her journey to find love is stopped at every turn, each setback punctuated by a metaphorical shot to the heart. She seems to finally find someone in the form of Rocky, her old highschool classmate, played surprisingly by famed director Lav Diaz. Will true love last?

The movie is brimming with charm thanks to great performances from the cast. From the supporting cast, Lorna's friends (Raquel Villavicencio and Maria Isabel Lopez) bring out a ton of laughs. Shamaine Buencamino carries the bulk of the film on her shoulders and does a marvelous job at it.

The film does get a bit long, bloating the running time a bit, but in this particular case, I'd excuse it for the sake of proper character development and indulge the film's indulgences. It paces the comedic events just right and doesn't drag. 

In the end, Lorna is a film that tells us of the universality of wanting to fall in love; it tells us that sometimes it's okay to be just the way you are right now. And it tells this to us as honestly as it can, a fact that enhances its enduring charm.

The opening shot of Kyrgyz film The Move is a shot of two rocks standing still in a river. The water's current buffets the rocks gently, almost as if it were trying to drag it along, giving me the impression that slowly, over time, these rocks may be swept away.

An old man and his young granddaughter live beside a pumping station river, peacefully living every day. It's not an easy life, but they have each other. The sudden appearance of the man's daughter puts their lives into flux: she invites the old man to live with her in the city and sell the old family house where they, as a family, spent most of their lives. Things are not as simple as they seem.

The Kyrgyzstan we see in The Move is a country slowly moving out of its Soviet past; many characters have friends or loved ones who were lost in Soviet conflicts in Afghanistan. It is mired in poverty with few economic opportunities for its citizens. And while its younger citizens flock to neighboring countries or the city centers to seek economic benefit, the villages and the old folk are left behind. The family's many problems could have been solved by living back in the village, or in the house of a long neglected aunt (whose spacious house could shelter all three family members), but this stubborn city-centric mentality prevails. (or perhaps things are done differently in Kyrgyzstan.)

The Move uses many of the conventions of slow cinema - it takes a minimalist approach and its scenes are mostly long, sweeping shots of the Kyrgyz countryside and its surrounding mountains. Mahat Sarulu and his DOP Boris Troshev create frames of desolation and deceptive tranquility - a minimalist meditation on life's impermanence, a South Asian mono no aware. Contrasted with scenes from the countryside and Kyrgyzstan's alpine terrain  are scenes of giant industrial facilities, monolithic and looming, yet empty.

Hidden behind its ominous spaces and silences is an interesting family drama that, despite its long running time and slow-paced approach, is simple in concept yet still emotionally devastating.

Cinemalaya 2015: Little Azkals, Above the Clouds, Shorts A, Coming Home

Sports is always an interesting topic for documentaries, because the passion for sports is deeply rooted in people's hopes and dreams, hopes and dreams that serve as fuel for great documentaries.

In this case it's the Little Azkals, young boys from different parts of the Philippines aged under eleven. Rather than pursue the country's more obvious sports obsessions (read: BASKETBALL), these young men have taken up football, a sport that in my opinion really suits us Filipinos. Their individual skill at the game allows them to qualify for a training camp in the UK for three weeks.

This documentary chronicles these three weeks, sometimes focusing on the aspirations of one or two boys in particular. Surely somewhere in this film you can find a particular Little Azkal to connect with, as they have different personalities and are from various walks of life. But make no mistake, even though some of these kids have only recently met, they are a formidable team of kids.

As an aside, perhaps it's also fitting (and heartwarming) to see the UK Filipino community helping out the team as much as they can. Like the boys they are helping, every Filipino is part of a larger 'team', no matter where they are in the world.

There are a lot of funny moments and the movie is engaging from start to finish. I don't really watch football games but after seeing these kids, I'd watch a match with them in it and cheer them on.

Pepe Diokno's sophomore effort, Above the Clouds, is markedly different from his first, Engkwentro. Above the Clouds is a character study about two people trying to find themselves in a world that has left them only with each other.

Andy (Ruru Madrid) an angsty teen whose natural teenage angst is compounded by the recent death of his parents. Pepe Smith plays Andy's Grandfather; a family member who has been all but absent from Andy's life thus far. He comes into Andy's life and tries his best to care for the boy, and attempt that is far from perfect. Andy's Grandfather then decides to take Andy with him on a climb up Mount Pulag, the third highest mountain in the country.

In Above the Clouds, the ascent is also healing, the journey, emotional - during the ascent each character, sheds their own baggage, emotionally and literally. It's a concept that has been tackled before. In this case, the endpoint of both characters' emotional and physical journeys - literally reaching above the clouds - brings about a catharsis, perhaps one already reached through the journey itself. Over the course of the film they share feelings of guilt, regret and loss that weighs down on them heavily.

Unlike Engkwentro's tension, Above the Clouds is much more solemn. Mount Pulag itself becomes a third character, humming along to its own natural rhythms. This is partly thanks to gorgeous cinematography with vast vistas of the mountainside, our characters minute, at times seemingly lost.

Pepe Smith turns in a strong performance as a man who, despite his idiosyncrasies, only wants to do right by Andy. And Ruru Madrid as Andy is troubled, seeking attention, avoiding attention, pleasant and annoying at the same time - exactly what a teen is supposed to be.

Above the Clouds is not perfect - at times the narrative gets a bit lost in itself, and to some the premise may feel like a retread of something else. But thanks to strong performances and excellent visuals, the end result is more than satisfying, a solid, contemplative family drama from a very promising director.

CINEMALAYA COMPETITION SHORTS A (a.k.a.  We Want Short Shorts Short Shorts Reviews 2015)

One of two sets. I'll try to make them as short as I can.

Apasol - nicely shot, but the story is something we've heard about a number of times before. The execution matters more in this case, and it's at least passable. 2.75/5

Gatilyo ng Baril - The conspiracy angle is a nice concept, but we hear more than we are shown, the dialogue ends up not being compelling, and the performances end up uneven. 2/5

Nenok - Milo Tolentino, a veteran to the shorts section of Cinemalaya, plays off his usual themes (religion, street kids, comedy, friendship between unlikely folks) and once again makes a capable crowd pleaser. People expecting something drastically different need not apply - but who cares, it's fun. Nino Bonito shares a bunch of similarities with this one, but Nenok ends up superior to that film. 3/5

Kyel - a weird mental trip bordering on experimental. Needs to be seen more than once to catch every small nuance. 2.5/5

Sanctissima - Crisp, seamless, and done on a shoestring budget - an achievement in itself. The scope and ambition of recent contemporary Cebuano filmmakers is astonishing. It's based on Fruit Chan's Dumplings (the short version of Dumplings was part of the horror anthology Three: Extremes), and it's evident from the first scene. Realistic practical effects and clever production design makes this a winner. 4/5

 

Zhang Yimou's Coming Home, part of the international offerings for this year's Cinemalaya, is a heartbreaking tale about memory, grief, loss, and ultimately love.

Set during China's Cultural Revolution, it tells the tale of Lu Yanshi, who finally comes home after being taken for political offenses. Thanks to an event where Lu attempts a premature homecoming, he finds out his wife (Gong Li) no longer recognizes him, and family tensions have separated his wife and his daughter Dandan (Zhang Huiwen.)

Despite the memory loss, Lu's wife holds out for a husband she believes hasn't come home yet, while Lu himself holds on.

Both protagonists love each other, and it is shown through their unyielding patience for each other. Both make huge sacrifices for the sake of the other, in some cases these sacrifices prove devastating.  These small gestures of love tug at the heartstrings without being melodramatic or manipulative, and they work because of our emotional investment in the characters.

The family's troubles are brought upon by the social upheavals of the sixties and seventies; both husband and wife serve as victims of the times. With China entering a phase of modernization as it becomes a socialist market economy, both protagonists reflect a respective attitude towards the country's old wounds - either to erase these wounds, or try to relive them. These are themes and attitudes that we see in our own country's cinema with respect to Martial Law, where in my experience we often try to do the latter.

Regardless, Lu and his wife's time apart during the Revolution may never be truly regained. The fact that this gap exists tells us a lot about those painful times, and this makes Coming Home more than just a simple love drama.

correction: mislabeled Shorts A as Shorts B. Crapbaskets. It's fixed now.

Cinemalaya 2015 Opening Ceremonies Talk

I can't sleep so I might as well write this one up. I didn't bring my fancy schmancy camera so I'll use rage comics and MS paint to describe what happened.

Generally, the opening ceremonies of Cinemalaya are festive to be sure, but in my experience you can skip them. they usually consist of a few trailers, a few speeches, and maybe a performance of the Cinemalaya theme song. This year was kinda special, however. The moment I heard that the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra was somehow involved, I was excited as fuck. It turned out to be one of the most memorable Opening Ceremonies I have ever attended.

My trip to CCP was pretty uneventful, but on the way there was this lady with a Hello Kitty band aid eyepatch. I thought that was kinda weird. I arrived at the CCP and made it up to the balcony, where I secured a seat right in the middle. When I watch movies, I don't mind which row I sit in, although I do prefer to be somewhere in the middle if possible.

The audience was your typical young crowd. Maybe mass comm or arts majors looking for a reaction paper. Some are probably production staff or actors for Taklub. Some movie directors here and there. There are probably a handful of cinephiles and media people. Of course, this being a movie by Nora Aunor, there were a ton of Noranians around.

I sat next to this dude who kept on fiddling with his DSLR. It was kinda distracting but I didn't mind.

that's me on the right. Yes I look like a hobo

There was one time where he tried taking pictures of a picture on someone else's cellphone with his DSLR. Why would anyone do that!? Computers, how the fuck do they work, right? Anyway he slept through most of Taklub and didn't touch the camera after the usher told him to cut it, so we're cool.

I gave him a beret to make him look more classy.

Anyway, there were two speeches this year, the first was festival director Chris Millado, who explained this year's theme and slogan, "Expanding Horizons." Pretty run of the mill stuff.

It's at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqjENqZlBhc

Afterwards, Laurice Guillen Feleo was up. She talked about this festival being the transition year, and explained the new system: after this festival ends, the 2016 finalists are announced, at the same time the festival is open to entries for the 2017 edition. So everyone has a year to finish their shit, and there's no more New Breed and Director's Showcase. In terms of securing money, it takes more time to secure grants, more time to polish the final product and so on. It might give way for more ambitious projects in the future. I'm kinda excited where this is going to take us as moviegoers. 

She also discussed the rumors floating around (remember last year, the festival looked to be on life support.) Hopefully whatever problems they had last year, they worked it all out with the directors. I'm personally all for artistic freedom for filmmakers and I hope this new iteration expands, not restricts, that freedom.

There was a short clip of the ten short film entries in competition. Finally the orchestra was up.

IT WAS FUCKING AWESOME.

Freddie Mercury was conducting.

Basically the orchestra played musical suites from selected films encompassing the past ten years of Cinemalaya, while showing clips from a ton of Cinemalaya entries on the screen. I'm not sure if they showed clips from ALL of the entries (I don't remember seeing anything from Teoriya, Astig or S6parados) but I saw some of the lesser known films like Ligaw Liham, Still Life, Rekruit, Ranchero, Namets, Boses, Gulong, and Intoy Syokoy ng Kalye Marino to name a few, alongside some of the better known entries like Sana Dati, Bwakaw, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank, Ang Nawawala, Transit, etc.

I admit that I only find a few Cinemalaya musical cues really memorable, but I didn't care. Of course the Philippine Philharmonic was awesome as always.There was a short pause around the time when the orchestra started playing the theme to Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (!!!!!!!) which may or may not be a glitch, but at this point I really don't care. There was a short clip of Ekstra which was applauded, which was followed by a clip of Nora Aunor from last year's Hustisya, which (given that a good chunk of the audience were composed of Noranians) was met with cheers and applause.

Around the third suite (I think this was the suite from Transit) the music swelled, then it hit me.

I've been watching this shit for the better part of ten years. 

All the emotions and nostalgia flooded back at that moment, and you could swear ninjas cutting onions suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I'm a grown ass man, damnit. Thankfully I also have long hair that can hide such tears. No bawling or sobbing - one manly tear fell from my cheek. (Okay, maybe two.)

The last part was an orchestra-backed rendition of the Cinemalaya theme song, which was pretty nice, although I couldn't hear some of the lines being sung. Thanks to the orchestra, there was limited space to dance in, so not a lot of dancing was happening. I still prefer the original Grace Nono version, but this gets a pass.

Anyway, that was my Opening Ceremonies experience this year. This is the only year so far where I've deemed the Opening Ceremonies to be something worth talking about. I hope that this says something about the festival and the movies I'll be seeing ahead.

I'll see you at the movies.

Cinemalaya 2015: Taklub

Cinemalaya's opening film is Taklub, (Trap), directed by Brillante Mendoza and starring Nora Aunor. Its setting: Tacloban, one of the places hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan (known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda.)

Mendoza uses a style that borders on docu-drama to take a glimpse into the lives of four groups of people, one year after the Typhoon struck. Each character has experienced profound loss as a result of the typhoon, either directly or indirectly.

One year has passed and Tacloban and its people are still reeling. Grievously wounded but still standing, there is some evidence of rebuilding, but much of the city is still in ruins, giving some scenes an almost post apocalyptic feel. Beyond the damage to property and to self, it is the psychological and spiritual damage that weighs heaviest on the viewer, even though these scars seem least visible.

Thanks to superbly understated performances by all, these scars make themselves more evident as the film goes on. There is a certain sense that, even though their respective losses are palpable and real, there is the matter of trying to survive in a world that seems ever bleaker with each passing day. The dead can rest, but the living still have to walk on. The government's stopgap solutions to the problem, as well as a bureaucracy that leaves its constituents stuck in the mud, offer no hope for a lasting solution.

Scripture (from Ecclesiastes) serves as a postscript of sorts, and the film does tackle our protagonists' struggle to find faith in the face of a silent god. In the setting of a seemingly never ending chain of loss, the burden sometimes becomes too much to bear; in one scene, both literally and figuratively.

My viewing of the film also raised some questions, such as: Where are the millions in aid given generously by other countries? What can we do to prevent such a disaster from happening again? If disaster does strike once more, how can we improve? There are no easy answers, and the movie doesn't give any. In doing so, it avoids the pitfalls of being preachy or being made to suit an agenda.

Technically the film is competent with a few sound sync issues. Some scenes can be too dark to see at night, perhaps partly due to technical limitations. While mostly relying on ambient sounds, the credits feature a haunting choral piece set to pictures of the devastation wrought by this tragedy. These stories are hewn from real experiences, to show that this is no cinematic fantasy. These wounds cut deep into our country, staying with us as we walk into a clouded future. But perhaps, as the movie's final words tell us, there is a time for us to move on - and this may be that time,

Cinemalaya XI starts tomorrow!

Tomorrow we will see the start of this year's Cinemalaya. It's a bit small scale this time; no full length features in sight. Don't fret; we'll get to see past Cinemalaya entries, some indie festival standouts and (most probably) other crazy shenanigans this year.

I generally try to minimize or avoid spoilers whenever I write about films, but there may be some small spoilers in some of these reviews, so be forewarned.

For the movies that I've seen already, here are my reviews:
INDIE NATION SECTION
Balut Country
Bambanti

INDIE FESTIVALS BEST SECTION
Dementia
Imbisibol
Magkakabaung
Violator

CINEMALAYA RETROS 2005-2014
Tribu
Halaw
Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank
Diablo
Transit
Bwaya
Donor
Bisperas
Sana Dati
Kasal

CINEMALAYA RETROS SHORTS
Rolyo

Wag Kang Titingin
Walang Katapusang Kwarto
Victor
The Houseband's Wife
Asan Si Lolo Me?

SPECIAL JURY PRIZE 2005-2014
Engkwentro
Sampaguita
Requieme
Quick Change
K'na The Dreamweaver
Two Funerals
Kamera Obskura 
Hari ng Tondo

I've already seen Brutus, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros and the international section's Tale of Princess Kaguya (ALL of which I wholeheartedly recommend if you haven't seen them yet) but I haven't written (or completed) reviews or writeups for them. Because reasons.