A Movie Review: Sila-Sila (2019)
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.
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 baggage or even add more weight into it. Gab's circle of friends - Nicole, Kevin ,and Jared, the latter being his ex whom he 'ghosted', represents the complexity and dynamics of friendship and relations. The honesty, concern, and love-hate relationship among friends are greatly signified in the talkative dialogues. However, such a case apparently inhibits connections. By that, I mean miscommunication was central to the conflict of the story. The verbal does not always translate to resolution, but in a way bridges the silences that bombard one's emotion.
Because it is normal.
And it shall not be different.
To love is normal; so is one's expression of it. And it is this normalcy that Sila-Sila manifests which makes it more than the drama it presents.
The film succeeds in telling a genuine story of the LGBT community. The title itself has even originated from the conception that such a community has only the "same people" thus the same ex's, so same struggle, and same experiences.
Sila-Sila is well-written (by Daniel Saniana). Given that it was a work in progress for three years (from highly collated personal experiences), it manages to deliver a number of distinct characters with particular but abrupt backgrounds. Essentially, it manages to tell a story - not just of a romantic couple, but also of a group of friends tested by the times, a workplace that has its politics, and of course a narrative of the 'self' that is human - flawed and desirous. It also does not fail to reflect the Filipino-ness - from that carwash boy and traditional reunion setup to a familial death and social humor. That's why the film is regarded for its 'groundedness to reality'. I agree despite the defeatist tendency to represent reality, i.e. losing ideals to practicality.
Working in an NGO, Gab, being the progressive as he is, frustrates himself under the prevailing structures of the world, even perpetuated by the workers themselves. Greatly highlighted in his workplace, there's a sense of redemption from the defeat as he is offered a promotion, although remotely. This layer of conflict adds a highlight to the struggle of the person.
One has to decide, take things into consideration - be selfish as it is valid. Get mad as it is human. Commit mistakes and regret.
Sila-Sila is well-directed (by Giancarlo Abrahan). Selective long takes and sequencing, deliberate framing, purposeful scoring (prolly my first exposure to SHIREBOUND & BUSKING. Great music!), the film is crafted in such a manner that only triggers your tear while partially serving laughter. This is not to be generic nor incomplete. For realism, as contextualized from our society, is of humor and pain. And the combination does not make it less truthful.
Creative! If any, as it is well-written and well-directed, the mastery of narrativity is greatly exhibited in its technique - the script parallels, the material symbolism, and consequently, even the short logic as an "excuse" for the motivated actions.
The film is filled with subtleties, I assure. If you're keen, things can be apparent - from the exhibitions of "door" openings and closing - be it a car or a room, the display of skin and the Gaze to the indulgement of vices - be it smoke or alcohol. These subtleties compose the depth of the characters and the profoundness of the narrative (from the motivation to express, the reason behind the silence, the sexual urges, and personal inhibitions among others). Being grounded to reality means representing a culture - a known culture to others - from "car fun", idea of threesomes, and public encounters to drinking sessions, accompanying embarrassment, and social confrontation. Such scenes would resonate with those who share the same experiences and who 'remember so many people'. AHA!
However, as it capitalizes on familiarity, it may come short to a wider audience for its implicit language of a sectoral community. The film introduces the intricacies of same-sex relationships but presents it as normal as hetero ones. Sila-Sila succeeds at representing such normalcy which may or may not help the stigma for its naturalness and unapologetic execution. Regardless, it is able to show that romantic relationship of same-sex couples is just as complicated as hetero-relatioship. Sure, it dramatized things as cinema does, but clearly does not sensationalized homosexuality. And that's mainly the strength of the film!
Sila-Sila is queer and humble. Humble because it does not dare to represent itself as political as similar films usually exhibit. It may be its failure but it still resounds and attempts to display a generic reality where pain turns people at their worst, and love makes people be their best. "To err is human" after all. And it's what we do after that counts.
Finally, the film is a soft ('kilig' despite the harshness) but realistic take on the stories of gay couples. Sila-Sila manages to exhibit the intricacies of friendship, relationship, and of simply being - no matter how shitty, self-absorbed and contradictory at times.
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11 November 2019
---
The author of this film review is a film student who was able to screen Sila-Sila in the University of the Philippine Film Center - Cine Adarna and got to listen to a post-show Q&A with the cast & crew last November 11, 2019
I was surprised when the lead actor, Gil Gahol, entered my row and sat one seat away from me during the screening. Hahahaha!
This is JUST A FILM REVIEW (written for three hours after watching the film) and not a CRITICAL REVIEW NOR A CRITIQUE.
Discussions about contextual points in LGBT representation, social norms and decorum, heterosexual perception, workplace toxicity, dating app culture, and technical considerations, among others can be brought up.
"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 baggage or even add more weight into it. Gab's circle of friends - Nicole, Kevin ,and Jared, the latter being his ex whom he 'ghosted', represents the complexity and dynamics of friendship and relations. The honesty, concern, and love-hate relationship among friends are greatly signified in the talkative dialogues. However, such a case apparently inhibits connections. By that, I mean miscommunication was central to the conflict of the story. The verbal does not always translate to resolution, but in a way bridges the silences that bombard one's emotion.
"Ganda ka?"Being gay appears to be nothing but normal. Having a same-sex relationship seems to be anything but different.
Because it is normal.
And it shall not be different.
To love is normal; so is one's expression of it. And it is this normalcy that Sila-Sila manifests which makes it more than the drama it presents.
The film succeeds in telling a genuine story of the LGBT community. The title itself has even originated from the conception that such a community has only the "same people" thus the same ex's, so same struggle, and same experiences.
Sila-Sila is well-written (by Daniel Saniana). Given that it was a work in progress for three years (from highly collated personal experiences), it manages to deliver a number of distinct characters with particular but abrupt backgrounds. Essentially, it manages to tell a story - not just of a romantic couple, but also of a group of friends tested by the times, a workplace that has its politics, and of course a narrative of the 'self' that is human - flawed and desirous. It also does not fail to reflect the Filipino-ness - from that carwash boy and traditional reunion setup to a familial death and social humor. That's why the film is regarded for its 'groundedness to reality'. I agree despite the defeatist tendency to represent reality, i.e. losing ideals to practicality.
Working in an NGO, Gab, being the progressive as he is, frustrates himself under the prevailing structures of the world, even perpetuated by the workers themselves. Greatly highlighted in his workplace, there's a sense of redemption from the defeat as he is offered a promotion, although remotely. This layer of conflict adds a highlight to the struggle of the person.
One has to decide, take things into consideration - be selfish as it is valid. Get mad as it is human. Commit mistakes and regret.
"Paikot-ikot lang tayo. No matter what happens, we're always gonna love each other."
Sila-Sila is well-directed (by Giancarlo Abrahan). Selective long takes and sequencing, deliberate framing, purposeful scoring (prolly my first exposure to SHIREBOUND & BUSKING. Great music!), the film is crafted in such a manner that only triggers your tear while partially serving laughter. This is not to be generic nor incomplete. For realism, as contextualized from our society, is of humor and pain. And the combination does not make it less truthful.
Creative! If any, as it is well-written and well-directed, the mastery of narrativity is greatly exhibited in its technique - the script parallels, the material symbolism, and consequently, even the short logic as an "excuse" for the motivated actions.
The film is filled with subtleties, I assure. If you're keen, things can be apparent - from the exhibitions of "door" openings and closing - be it a car or a room, the display of skin and the Gaze to the indulgement of vices - be it smoke or alcohol. These subtleties compose the depth of the characters and the profoundness of the narrative (from the motivation to express, the reason behind the silence, the sexual urges, and personal inhibitions among others). Being grounded to reality means representing a culture - a known culture to others - from "car fun", idea of threesomes, and public encounters to drinking sessions, accompanying embarrassment, and social confrontation. Such scenes would resonate with those who share the same experiences and who 'remember so many people'. AHA!
However, as it capitalizes on familiarity, it may come short to a wider audience for its implicit language of a sectoral community. The film introduces the intricacies of same-sex relationships but presents it as normal as hetero ones. Sila-Sila succeeds at representing such normalcy which may or may not help the stigma for its naturalness and unapologetic execution. Regardless, it is able to show that romantic relationship of same-sex couples is just as complicated as hetero-relatioship. Sure, it dramatized things as cinema does, but clearly does not sensationalized homosexuality. And that's mainly the strength of the film!
Sila-Sila is queer and humble. Humble because it does not dare to represent itself as political as similar films usually exhibit. It may be its failure but it still resounds and attempts to display a generic reality where pain turns people at their worst, and love makes people be their best. "To err is human" after all. And it's what we do after that counts.
Finally, the film is a soft ('kilig' despite the harshness) but realistic take on the stories of gay couples. Sila-Sila manages to exhibit the intricacies of friendship, relationship, and of simply being - no matter how shitty, self-absorbed and contradictory at times.
---
11 November 2019
---
The author of this film review is a film student who was able to screen Sila-Sila in the University of the Philippine Film Center - Cine Adarna and got to listen to a post-show Q&A with the cast & crew last November 11, 2019
This is JUST A FILM REVIEW (written for three hours after watching the film) and not a CRITICAL REVIEW NOR A CRITIQUE.
Discussions about contextual points in LGBT representation, social norms and decorum, heterosexual perception, workplace toxicity, dating app culture, and technical considerations, among others can be brought up.
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