YR 47 Issue 1 2011
Letters
Cinemalaya Review
Ligo na U Lapit na Me
Complexities of a star-crossed love
By ARDIGAIL C. SARANGELO
LOVE, a four lett er word with complex and multiple meanings, has the capability to rouse emotions and cause stupor. It can nurture or destroy, infl ict permanent scars, and leave lifeti me lessons that eventually make a person forever stripped out of his innocence.
Based on one of the bestselling novels of 2009 Ligo na U, Lapit na Me by Eros Atalia, this romance-comedy fi lm dubbed with the same ti tle tells a modern-tale eroti c love story on how adolescents of the present generati on deal with social norms, peer mockery, relati onship, temptati on, friendship, love, longing, and anything and everything else in between, while fi nding their own space and worth in the world.
Brought into a visual medium by director Erick Salud, producer Noel Ferrer, and scriptwriter Jerry Gracio, this movie was one of the applauded fi lms in the 7th Cinemalaya Film Festival under the New Breed category. Starring Edgar Allan Guzman (Karl Vladimir Lennon J. Villalobos a.k.a. Intoy) and Mercedes Cabral (Jenny), the fi lm befi ts the interest of diff erent age groups that makes it entertaining for both young and old alike.
In the movie, Intoy fell in love for the fi rst ti me with his friend, Jenny, the rich, sophisti cated, and most sought-aft er girl in campus. Intoy is an ordinary, street-smart, and guileless student while Jenny is the opposite—rich, sensual, and expressive.
Together, they found trust, comfort, and pleasure in each other. Even if love fuels Intoy’s longing for Jenny, his reluctance suppressed the mutual feelings they have for each other. As the movie progresses, it centered on Jenny’s pregnancy brought about by her relati onship with another man. Intoy did not see Jenny again aft er this big revelati on leaving him baffl ed and brokenhearted. Feeling desolated, he tried extreme means to get Jenny out of his head, only to realize in the end that he still yearns for her return.
The film’s main characters were convincing in delivering their lines and fl aunti ng their expressions. Guzman and Cabral successfully portrayed their characters in showing the clear division between their poor-rich and asti g-sosyal characters. Salud, a known director of many local television series about love and fantasy, was successful in making the movie at par with the story-telling approach used in the book.
Witty and realistic, the movie intertwined various ways in giving life to the story’s screenplay: normal conversati on among characters, Intoy’s narrati on, and his act of breaking the fourth wall by talking to the viewers. Not to menti on that adding comic-like animati ons in certain parts of the movie added fl avor and left a humorous impact to viewers.
The musical score used in the movie was also good as Monet Silvestre used a background music that perfectly matched the scenes. Gracio’s screenplay was laudable as he was successful in making the viewers laugh several ti mes from the humorous lines and body language used by the characters. He was also able to transport the audience and to empathize with Intoy when he was in his most depressed stage in the movie.
The 85-minute movie adaptati on did not progress in a linear manner compared with how it was written in the book. The movie started showing the middle porti on of the story and jumps forward and backward in many sequences. It was produced that way so that viewers who were not able to read the book can easily adapt to the movie.
Even if the movie captured reality in a raw and new approach, some porti on of the fi lm may be offensive to viewers who are not used to seeing obscene acts in movies. Also, the fi lm’s subti tling is deplorable. Some scenes do not have subtitles due to editi ng errors while some parts are out of synchronization.
Overall, Ligo na U, Lapit na Me brings viewers to the daring and complex world of young adults who struggle to achieve their goals and desires in life. F
Ang babae sa septic tank
Uncovering the rigors of indie filmmaking
By ZHEA KATRINA R. ESTRADA
FILMMAKING has been one of the outlets used by artistic and visionary individuals to either reflect reality or translate their uncommon ideas into a visual presentation.
A great range of story lines—ranging from socially relevant, satirical, humorous, and even romantic—have been expressed through films, but the rigors and ups and downs of filmmaking itself have rarely been captured and translated into a workable medium.
Created by director Marlon Rivera and producer Chris Martinez, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (2011) is an exemption as it showcases, in a light and comic manner, the complex yet fulfilling art of independent filmmaking. It evolves with the film-within-a-film theme as it tackles the pursuit of independent film makers to create a medium that will reflect reality in the simplest yet most effectual approach.
In the movie, Kean Cipriano (Ranier), JM De Guzman (Bingbong), and Cai Cortez (Jocelyn) are conceptualizing the details of their upcoming movie titled “Walang-wala”.
Walang-wala discusses the story of Eugene Domingo (Mila), a mother living in the slums who exhausts every possible means just to feed and to take good care of her children. Due to extreme poverty, she is forced to give one of her children to a pedophile in exchange of a hefty amount. The amount is sufficient enough to feed her family but all at the expense of feeling the guilt every time she is bugged by her conscience. In the end, she did not carry out the plan to sell her child but due to a sudden twist of fate, the boy died in an accident.
Like most independent films, Walang-wala aims to feature the abstract problem of poverty in the country. Domingo, Cherry Pie Picache, and Mercedes Cabral were the choices to play the lead role in the movie. Each had their own portrayals in the film but Domingo was eventually chosen because of her funny antics and mother-like image.
Every portrayal occurred through the creative and vivid imagination of Jocelyn. As the film goes on shifting from one character to another, it explored and depicted different genres such as neo-realist, musical, melodrama, and documentary-drama.
The three filmmakers also visited the location where they will shoot the film. The place is a dumpsite located in one of the major slums in the metro. They were amazed to see the place and how poverty was vividly illustrated. Unfortunately, the people living in the area took advantage of them by dismantling their car and taking away its expensive parts.
Domingo successfully conveyed her role as a sought-after comedian in the movie. She was able to tickle the funny bone of every viewer with her antics and comic gestures. Her acting was so natural making her stint in the movie funny and light.
On the other hand, Cipriano and De Guzman acted well as their collaboration focused on the ups and downs of filmmaking. The shift from one movie genre to another is also remarkable as it properly exhibited the effectiveness of films to deliver a particular message to its audience. Its editing is remarkable using a variety of video clips to show a particular scene. The film is also characterized with a notable creativity because of the dynamism and variety it possesses. Such characteristics may be the reason on why it
was awarded the Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay distinction in the New Breed Category of the seventh Cinemalaya Film Festival.
However, a deep scrutiny of the movie will reveal the shallowness of its storyline. It only tackled on the process of independent film making without giving emphasis on other aspects and elements. Aside from that, it only focused with the pre-production process of the craft which essentially does not present the art in a clear and complete manner.
But in a general sense, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank will make your imagination work to explore unlimited ideas and possibilities while keeping yourself grounded to the realities of
life. F
Complexities of a star-crossed love
By ARDIGAIL C. SARANGELO
LOVE, a four lett er word with complex and multiple meanings, has the capability to rouse emotions and cause stupor. It can nurture or destroy, infl ict permanent scars, and leave lifeti me lessons that eventually make a person forever stripped out of his innocence.
Based on one of the bestselling novels of 2009 Ligo na U, Lapit na Me by Eros Atalia, this romance-comedy fi lm dubbed with the same ti tle tells a modern-tale eroti c love story on how adolescents of the present generati on deal with social norms, peer mockery, relati onship, temptati on, friendship, love, longing, and anything and everything else in between, while fi nding their own space and worth in the world.
Brought into a visual medium by director Erick Salud, producer Noel Ferrer, and scriptwriter Jerry Gracio, this movie was one of the applauded fi lms in the 7th Cinemalaya Film Festival under the New Breed category. Starring Edgar Allan Guzman (Karl Vladimir Lennon J. Villalobos a.k.a. Intoy) and Mercedes Cabral (Jenny), the fi lm befi ts the interest of diff erent age groups that makes it entertaining for both young and old alike.
In the movie, Intoy fell in love for the fi rst ti me with his friend, Jenny, the rich, sophisti cated, and most sought-aft er girl in campus. Intoy is an ordinary, street-smart, and guileless student while Jenny is the opposite—rich, sensual, and expressive.
Together, they found trust, comfort, and pleasure in each other. Even if love fuels Intoy’s longing for Jenny, his reluctance suppressed the mutual feelings they have for each other. As the movie progresses, it centered on Jenny’s pregnancy brought about by her relati onship with another man. Intoy did not see Jenny again aft er this big revelati on leaving him baffl ed and brokenhearted. Feeling desolated, he tried extreme means to get Jenny out of his head, only to realize in the end that he still yearns for her return.
The film’s main characters were convincing in delivering their lines and fl aunti ng their expressions. Guzman and Cabral successfully portrayed their characters in showing the clear division between their poor-rich and asti g-sosyal characters. Salud, a known director of many local television series about love and fantasy, was successful in making the movie at par with the story-telling approach used in the book.
Witty and realistic, the movie intertwined various ways in giving life to the story’s screenplay: normal conversati on among characters, Intoy’s narrati on, and his act of breaking the fourth wall by talking to the viewers. Not to menti on that adding comic-like animati ons in certain parts of the movie added fl avor and left a humorous impact to viewers.
The musical score used in the movie was also good as Monet Silvestre used a background music that perfectly matched the scenes. Gracio’s screenplay was laudable as he was successful in making the viewers laugh several ti mes from the humorous lines and body language used by the characters. He was also able to transport the audience and to empathize with Intoy when he was in his most depressed stage in the movie.
The 85-minute movie adaptati on did not progress in a linear manner compared with how it was written in the book. The movie started showing the middle porti on of the story and jumps forward and backward in many sequences. It was produced that way so that viewers who were not able to read the book can easily adapt to the movie.
Even if the movie captured reality in a raw and new approach, some porti on of the fi lm may be offensive to viewers who are not used to seeing obscene acts in movies. Also, the fi lm’s subti tling is deplorable. Some scenes do not have subtitles due to editi ng errors while some parts are out of synchronization.
Overall, Ligo na U, Lapit na Me brings viewers to the daring and complex world of young adults who struggle to achieve their goals and desires in life. F
Ang babae sa septic tank
Uncovering the rigors of indie filmmaking
By ZHEA KATRINA R. ESTRADA
FILMMAKING has been one of the outlets used by artistic and visionary individuals to either reflect reality or translate their uncommon ideas into a visual presentation.
A great range of story lines—ranging from socially relevant, satirical, humorous, and even romantic—have been expressed through films, but the rigors and ups and downs of filmmaking itself have rarely been captured and translated into a workable medium.
Created by director Marlon Rivera and producer Chris Martinez, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (2011) is an exemption as it showcases, in a light and comic manner, the complex yet fulfilling art of independent filmmaking. It evolves with the film-within-a-film theme as it tackles the pursuit of independent film makers to create a medium that will reflect reality in the simplest yet most effectual approach.
In the movie, Kean Cipriano (Ranier), JM De Guzman (Bingbong), and Cai Cortez (Jocelyn) are conceptualizing the details of their upcoming movie titled “Walang-wala”.
Walang-wala discusses the story of Eugene Domingo (Mila), a mother living in the slums who exhausts every possible means just to feed and to take good care of her children. Due to extreme poverty, she is forced to give one of her children to a pedophile in exchange of a hefty amount. The amount is sufficient enough to feed her family but all at the expense of feeling the guilt every time she is bugged by her conscience. In the end, she did not carry out the plan to sell her child but due to a sudden twist of fate, the boy died in an accident.
Like most independent films, Walang-wala aims to feature the abstract problem of poverty in the country. Domingo, Cherry Pie Picache, and Mercedes Cabral were the choices to play the lead role in the movie. Each had their own portrayals in the film but Domingo was eventually chosen because of her funny antics and mother-like image.
Every portrayal occurred through the creative and vivid imagination of Jocelyn. As the film goes on shifting from one character to another, it explored and depicted different genres such as neo-realist, musical, melodrama, and documentary-drama.
The three filmmakers also visited the location where they will shoot the film. The place is a dumpsite located in one of the major slums in the metro. They were amazed to see the place and how poverty was vividly illustrated. Unfortunately, the people living in the area took advantage of them by dismantling their car and taking away its expensive parts.
Domingo successfully conveyed her role as a sought-after comedian in the movie. She was able to tickle the funny bone of every viewer with her antics and comic gestures. Her acting was so natural making her stint in the movie funny and light.
On the other hand, Cipriano and De Guzman acted well as their collaboration focused on the ups and downs of filmmaking. The shift from one movie genre to another is also remarkable as it properly exhibited the effectiveness of films to deliver a particular message to its audience. Its editing is remarkable using a variety of video clips to show a particular scene. The film is also characterized with a notable creativity because of the dynamism and variety it possesses. Such characteristics may be the reason on why it
was awarded the Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay distinction in the New Breed Category of the seventh Cinemalaya Film Festival.
However, a deep scrutiny of the movie will reveal the shallowness of its storyline. It only tackled on the process of independent film making without giving emphasis on other aspects and elements. Aside from that, it only focused with the pre-production process of the craft which essentially does not present the art in a clear and complete manner.
But in a general sense, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank will make your imagination work to explore unlimited ideas and possibilities while keeping yourself grounded to the realities of
life. F
Year 47 | Issue 3 | 2011
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