Tue 10 Mar 2009 - cebu indie films at the one visayas

I had to trek for a few minutes to locate the Cebu International Convention Center, under the scorching sun, to attend the One Visayas event, an event which showcases art, food, and tourist spots in the Visayas group of islands. Good thing I asked for directions from my father beforehand, or else, I would have walked from SM City to the CICC since it was in the Reclamation Area. That was the first time that I've been to the CICC, or to the One Visayas event. I didn't took much notice of the building because of the glaring sun, but I remembered the huge parking lot (especially at night because I took lots of photos and was street-curving for the first time.) Good thing, it's a free event, for I am a freeloader. ^__^

The screening that I was able to see were short films from Cebu. Woot. I'm bound to see some familiar names and faces, and I was right.

The first film I saw was Remton Zuasola's Humamai and I was amazed. Because Remton and I were in the same classes years ago and I was impressed with his directing and movie-making skills. I like the film's cinematographic feel, and the way the usual Sinulog story was told, for the first time I saw it not in a dance. And now I know what was Queen Juana's Filipino name. I've been thinking about it for a long time, Rajah Humabon is a native name, how come Juana is not? So, now I know her Filipino name.

The second film I saw I think was Serante Serano, a weird, Kafka-ish film which almost doesn't make sense, like a dream sequence. I love the main actor's acting, especially in the opening scene, where he was in bed and having what seems like to be a cross between an epileptic attack and an evil spirit possession. And I was wondering what the heck does “SERANTE SERANO” mean, until the main actor formed the words “EARNEST REASON” with a couple of scrabble tiles. Weird movie, all I can say.

Another weird, yet terribly hilarious film was Di Na Lagi Mausab (It Won't Happen Again), and this time, Homer Medici  (another classmate from fine arts) was in it. It wasn't quite Kafka-ish, but it was funny, in a very Cebuano/Filipino way. It was about a two friends who always got into all kinds of trouble, no thanks to Homer's character, who kept being blamed and beaten up by his thin, aggressive companion. After every predicament, Homer's character would utter “di na lagi mausab.” In the end, he died, with his last words “di na lagi mausab,” making his friend angry because he still haven't had his revenge.

The chantings from Babaylan were pretty amazing, haunting and mesmerizing. I wanna learn that chant myself. Babaylan is a film about a mother and her daughter who were “babaylan” or witches. But “babaylans” are not really witches, blame the Spanish conquestadors for spreading that rumour, but in truth, babaylans are shamans or healers. And the pretty and famous Bambi Beltran played the role of the mother babaylan while her own daughter played as, well, her daughter in the film.

Too bad I wasn't able to see the other provinces' screening because of time constraints, I would really love to see good-quality films from the region. This is why I love film festivals, we learn more about other cultures and ways of life, not just entertaining or mind-numbing, like the usual feed from mainstream films. I want to see more good films from talented Filipinos so that we can be proud to showcase our culture. By the way, whoever said that indie films are films by amateurs was wrong. He needs to open his eyes and his mind.