Indies dominate year-end screenings

Author: People's Journal
Column: Meanderings

IT used to be that the last two weeks before Christmas were considered the worst playdates one could possibly get to screen one's movie. Because Christmas day would mark the start of the Metro Manila Film Festival, no one would be watching movies prior to that, saving their money for the festival offerings.

Only the desperate independent producers would accept these playdates since they had no chance of crashing into the good playdates long promised to the big studio cartels.

But things have changed immensely. Gone are the big studios and only Star Cinema and Regal persist regularly in keeping alive Philippine cinema. The indies have taken over, but it will be a long time before they can muster the audiences that used to support Filipino features.

On these worst playdates of the year, we see the indies happy to be getting into mainstream theaters. Among those indies showing are "100" which follows the last three months of cancer patient Mylene Dizon who decides she must fulfill her list of things to do before she dies with her bestfriend Eugene Domingo, mother Tessie Tomas, and other friends. A sort of "Bucket List" but in a more endearing, more humorous manner, the film is shot in beautiful locations such as Bolinao beach, the miraculous shrine of Manaoag, the Mt. Pinatubo crater, even Hong Kong.

At the 2008 Cinemalaya, "100" which was one of my favorites, won Best Director/Screenplay (Chris Martinez), Best Actress (Mylene Dizon), Best Supporting Ac tress (Eugene Domingo) and the Audience Choice Award. At its international premiere in Pusan competing in the main section of the "Sundance of Asia", "100" got rave reviews, several awards, and US$ 10,000 cash prize.

"100" showed at SM Megamall and North EDSA, Robinsons Ermita and Galleria, and Glorietta. Its exposure can be already considered phenomenal for an indie, but then again it is one of those indie compromises - possibly the most commercial of this year's Cinemalaya entries in terms of plot; and it stars names known on mainstream television and cinema.

Another indie, the digital "Cul de Sac," directed by newbie Juan Miguel Sevilla is also enjoying this worst playdate with gusto. Of course, like "100" this project of Cinemabuhay for the PLDT Smart Foundation has recognizable stars in it like Sam Milby, Jody Santamaria-Lacson, and Chin-Chin Gutierrez. The film got into all SM digital theaters.

The title from a French word which could denote 'a dead end', the film deals with a mysterious call center agent (Sam), who seems stuck on a dead end. I still have to watch this debut feature by Juan Miguel whose only directorial experience has been music videos for bands. He shot the film for 13 days with the P1 million film grant.

A FILLING DOSE OF "DOSE"
Cinema One Originals Digital Filmfest had its seven entries screened in various schools late November, and at the Robinson's IndieSine early December. The seven were Alon, Dose, Yanggaw, Motorcyle, Imburnal ( it won the Lino Brocka Grand Prize at the recent Cinemanila Filmfest Digital Lokal). UPCAT, Kolorete. We chose to watch "Dose" having heard much about it from others.

"Dose" written and directed by Senedy Que stars Yul Servo, Emilio Garcia, Irma Adlawan, Fritz Chavez, Arlene Tolibas, and Alex de Rossi in a cameo role. It tells of the friendship between a 12-year old (Fritz) on the brink of adolescence and an oversexed gardener (Yul).

There was a sizable crowd in the theater, more than the many screenings at IndieSine I have attended in the past. It couldn't have been due to its suggested gay theme since I had watched other decidedly gay films there with less audience attendance. It must have been for Yul Servo that they as well as I went to the screening. And I must admit to have been thoroughly satisfied.

In "Dose," Yul is a simple uneducated country bumpkin who could neither read nor write, but had a good heart and raging testosterones. In his simple heart, he believes that his only gift to man, woman, and adolescent awaking to his own sexuality is to make them happy with the only thing he knows best to do - his erotic prowess which he dispenses with happily. The film investigates profoundly the thin line between love and lust, friendship and passion. Things are not as simple as they seem.

Once again, Yul Servo shows how much he deserves all the accolades he has been receiving of late. Yul has just won his 7th Best Actor Award this year, three of them from the Brussels International Film Festival. His first from Brussels was "Batang Westside" directed by Lav Diaz in 2001, the "Naglalayag" a May-December relationship with Nora Aunor directed by Maryo J. de los Reyes in 2004, and "Torotot" (Forbidden Passions) with direction by de los Reyes in 2008.

"Torotot" Filipino slang for a husband cheated by his wife is Maryo's first digital project. Produced by Viva Films, it deals with forbidden relationships based on a newspaper account from Julius Babao, written by Jun Lana, and resurrected after 8 years by Viva. Leads are Maui Taylor with Baron Geisler, Yul Servo and Precious Adona star, but it is the actors who shine as performers.

Obviously, we can expect more from Yul in the years to come. He is truly an actor who has been ripened by time and experience and the various projects he accepted.

Email the author at bibsycarballo@yahoo. com

Source: People's Journal