By Randy
Renier I. Espinoza
The
naysayers are mistaken. Philippine Cinema is not dead. And 2013 was shining
proof that it is alive and flourishing. Even pop culture commentator Jessica
Zafra was quick to say in September that 2013 heralded another golden age of
Filipino movies and could well be the best year the industry has ever had.
We’re not talking about box-office revenue, though. We’re talking about the
breadth of the year’s harvest of quality films, most of which were
independently produced.
Three
Filipino features made it to Cannes, arguably the world’s most prestigious
festival: Lav Diaz’s Norte, The End
of History and Adolfo Alix’s Death
March in the Un Certain Regard section; Erik Matti’s On the Job in the Directors’ Fortnight section. Four films made the
cut at the Toronto International Film Festival, currently the world’s most
“important” film market: Diaz’s Norte,
Jeffrey Jeturian’s The Bit Player,
Brillante Mendoza’s Sapi, and Raya
Martin’s La Ultima Pelicula (in collaboration with Mark Peranson). Not to
mention many others which were exhibited in major and minor international film
festivals and continue to make the rounds in the film fest circuit.
Norte earned rave reviews at Cannes
and everywhere it screened and cemented Diaz’s standing as an arthouse
heavyweight. It won the top prize at the Nuremberg International Human Rights
Film Festival and was hailed as one of the best films of the year by many
foreign critics. On the Job snagged
international distribution and Hollywood remake deals and won Jury’s Choice
Prize and the Best Actor award for Joel Torre at the Puchon International
Fantastic Film Fest.
Other
productions, most of which are Cinemalaya products, also received attention in
the international scene. Nuwebe
bagged the Youth Jury’s Mention of Honor at the III Festival Internacional Lume
de Cinema in Brazil, the Special Mention Citation at the Puebla Internacional
de Cine in Mexico, and Best Actress for child actress Barbara Miguel at the
Harlem International Film Festival in New York. Quick Change clinched the Critic Jury’s Prize at the Vesoul
International Film Festival of Asian Cinema held in France and was exhibited in
the Panorama section of this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. Rekorder won the Special Jury Prize and
Best Music at the 31st Annonay International Film Festival in France. Ekstra won for Vilma Santos the Best
Actress plum at the Dhaka International Film Festival. Meanwhile, Barber’s Tale earned for Eugene Domingo
the Best Actress trophy at the Tokyo International Film
Festival. Recognition in the global arena for Filipino films produced in 2013
will continue as there are many more festivals they can screen and compete at.
Sadly,
though, many of last year’s indie films didn’t gross much at the box-office and
some have not even had commercial screenings. Be that as it may, with the
attention that many indie films receive abroad, it can be argued that it is the
new wave or the independent movement in Philippine Cinema that seems to be
earning prestige for the industry. Star Cinema and the other lesser movie
outfits may be having a lion’s share of box-office returns, but the indies are
revolutionizing the art of filmmaking in the country and taking it to new
heights.
Film-Grant Festivals
It can be
observed that except for a few committed artists who self-finance or seek out
funding for their projects, many of the brilliant filmmakers who came up with
some of the better films last year were able to do so because of subsidy from
grant-giving entities. Foremost of these entities is Cinemalaya, the country’s
pioneer film-grant festival, which continues to be a source of hope for many
and has now become the country’s premier film event. Another festival that has
been providing grants for filmmakers is the CinemaOne Originals Film Festival,
which turned in a good roster last year.
What made
2013 truly a watershed in the annals of local cinema is the emergence of three
new film-grant festivals: CineFilipino, Sineng Pambansa, and the QCinema: Quezon
City Film Festival. These new festivals infused new capital to the otherwise
cash-trapped film practitioners, whose vision and commitment would otherwise
have remained futile without budget. In addition, film maverick Tikoy Aguiluz’s
brainchild, the annual Cinemanila International Film Festival -- although it
hasn’t received much media attention and hasn’t gained enough prestige to
make it a major film event, either locally or internationally, throughout its
existence – extends support to the industry by finding audience, albeit small,
for some Filipino features who make it to its official selection. Metro Manila
Film Festival, on the other hand, provided venue for five indie films during
its run. 2013 is perhaps the winningest year for local films in terms of number
of festivals held during a single year. Interestingly, all of them transpired during the second half
of the year.
All the
entities mentioned above, no matter how limited the support and audience they
provide for indie films, contribute to the sustenance and further development
of independent cinema. Even Regal Films and industry giant Star Cinema lend
some support every now and then by bankrolling, albeit with paltry budget, a
few indie-like productions and by acting as distribution arm for a handful of
indies. Star Cinema did its major share last year when it invested in On the Job, which is not really an indie
but it otherwise achieved some plus points for local cinema.
Business and governmental
entities’ support
Another
milestone in 2013 is the big businesses helping out the industry. Leading chain
of malls SM, Ayala Malls, and Robinsons all made available a certain fraction
of their cinemas for exhibition of many indies. SM Cinemas particularly
dedicated most of its theater seats for the entire run of the fledgling Sineng
Pambansa All-Masters Edition fest, albeit the lukewarm reception from the
movie-going public. Businessman Tony Boy Conguangco has long been a major
Cinemalaya investor, although it has been reported that he will be extending
limited support in the years to come. Similarly, business magnate Manny
Pangilinan’s corporate entities are behind CineFilipino’s staging.
The
government also lent support to the industry through the Film Development
Council of the Philippines, the organizing body of Sineng Pambansa, and through
the Cultural Center of the Philippines, a major Cinemalaya governing body. The
local government of Quezon City kicked off the QCinema: Quezon City Film
Festival and gave grants to three film projects.
Showcase for veterans and newbies
2013 saw
the resurgence of veteran artists and the rise of new ones. Master auteur Lav
Diaz and well-established directors Chito Rono, Erik Matti, Jeffrey Jeturian
and some others made relevant films, while young or new filmmakers like Espia
and Sigrid Andrea Bernardo made their presence felt. In the acting department,
veteran actor Joel Torre made a big impact with his tour-de-force On the Job performance. Screen legends
Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor, who both turned in notable portrayals in their
respective indie vehicles, gave a much-needed excitement to the
otherwise tepid indie world. Breakthrough performances from newly discovered
actors lent a certain vibrancy to the scene.
Prospects for the future
Hopefully,
the gains reaped in 2013 will continue this year and beyond. Master filmmaker
Lav Diaz, together with young auteur Raya Martin and prolific filmmaker
Brillante Mendoza will be instrumental here. Accomplished directors who are
more identified with mainstream cinema should help out. New players with vision
and commitment are needed.
Nora
Aunor has at least two indies in the can and is reportedly has one more to work
on this year. While many opine that this is a bad career move on her part, I
think that the indie route will work best for her stature and age. Vilma
Santos, busy with her political duties, is rumored to be in talks for a
possible comedy flick with Star Cinema. I dare say that a follow-up indie
project will serve her filmography better. At this stage in her acting career,
an art film that will challenge her artistry anew is preferable to another
box-office hit. Meanwhile, other veteran actors will surely still dominate the
scene, be it in lead or supporting roles, as they have always done, with help
from up-and-coming stars.
Indie cinema
has now taken on the reputation of being the venue of quality and artistic
filmmaking. But artistry is not enough for it to thrive, let alone to survive.
At the end of the day, it is not enough that it has an audience. In the long
run, it has to have a wider audience. Not just these festivals. But a broader,
more diverse audience.
Indie
cinema needs subsidy from the big movie studios, the private sector, and most
of all, the government. It also needs more seats from theater owners. Film
festivals are good for the industry, but they should be spread out throughout
the year, not constricted during the second half of the year. And they should be promoted more vigorously in order to gain a wider following.
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