The Boy Who Stutters

The end of a world war started the beginning of a new world             In commemoration of the centennial of the First World War, a forum was conducted last November 9, 2018 in UP Film Institute where Professor Nick Deocampo, a film historian, gave a lecture entitled “1918: The Year That Changed The World Film Order”.   As an armistice was signed in November 1918 that signaled the end of the WWI, it also signaled a beginning of a new world cinema. The war did not spare much of the European industry, hence Europe has experienced a total devastation of film infrastructure that resulted to an end to their film dominance; whereas the United States of America started its overseas conquest to set up Hollywood , their movie industry, to the world. 1918 also gave birth to the notion of national cinema to Asia particularly that of the Philippines. What followed were history!         ...

"The film is open for interpretation, but i don't owe you any explanation." displays a disclaimer before the movie started. It was necessary after all, you'd realize, as the film concludes. If any, Ariel was conscious that it may be problematic and his film IS indeed problematic. Kings of Reality Shows is the first reality movie in the Philippines that documents Ariel and Maverick’s journey to the US 10 years ago while they were trying to audition for American Idol Season 7. Since the film was canned, Ariel picked up the story where it left off and proceeded to write his true-to-life story. ( Philstar ) Ariel Villasanta persevered to obtain the film rights from GMA films even at the expense of mortgaging his own house. With the help also from his friends - his contemporaries, celebrities, and politicians, he earned the support and received pledges to finally show the movie to the big screen. He doesn't want to have 'regrets'. That's the basi...

Too normal yet resounding, personal but all-encompassing. The statement lies in the subtlety of multiple narratives ingrained in each character and their connection that makes up the film. "Nakakapagod ba akong alagaan?" "Kung alam mo lang."   Sila-Sila (The Same People) is a story of several people. They say it's not a ghost story but a ghosting story. Oh, the nuances indeed. The nuances are paradoxically easy to feel. Regardless of your gender or sexual orientation, you would feel the intimacy, the agony, the desire, the silent but loud feelings. Even the awkwardness, tension, the push and pull drive of the impulse, Gab (Gio Gahol) embodies such persona which displays a conflicted mind and heart. As the story makes someone at his 30s, who is confronted by his personal baggage of the past, the central character, the people that implicated him with happiness and heartbreaks have respective responsibilities and motivations that help him ease that bagga...

What truly sets the Independent Cinema apart from the Mainstream Cinema? The film industry was generally classified financially and thematically into two: the independent and the mainstream. That is why the Philippine cinema has been subject to change, to progress, and even to confuse one with the other. The history of the Philippine Cinema proves this with regard to the Spanish and American influences during their occupation which led to the birth of cinema in the country   (Deocampo) and the political impact of the past which shaped the ‘nation’ and the ‘cinema’ (Campos) . Today, Filipino independent films, also known as “indie films,” have been establishing its identity that distinguishes it from the commercialized mainstream movies or popular cinema through the establishments of various Philippine Independent Film Festivals and the historical feats of independent Filipino filmmakers in both local and international arena. Redefining indie films as its own style or genre in the...