|
Independent Filmmaking:
An Emerging Solution to the Declining Philippine Film Industry
Daniela Alana Picazo
Asian Cinema, Fall 2008
Dr. Kim Shin Dong
October 26, 2008
Brief Background on Philippine Cinema
It did not have such a bad beginning. Actually, it received a very warm welcome. The year 1897, just soon before Spanish colonization ended, marked the introduction of the film industry in the Philippines. It became an instant hit. The Philippines have witnessed the modern transitions of film – “from silent movies to talkies; black and white to colored,” (Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts, n.d.). People from all walks of life spent their leisure time enjoying themselves in movie theaters with their family and friends. Eventually, it became one of the Filipinos’ favorite pastimes. Indeed, a new art form that was waiting to be cultivated by the strong Filipino culture.
However, good beginnings do not always assure one of a smooth sailing venture. Throughout the years, film in the Philippines had undergone a number of specific periods; each influenced by the kind of society it merged with. Films during the Japanese occupation were more likely to delve into propaganda. Japanese officials hired Filipino filmmakers to make movies for them which depicted Japanese-Filipino relations as something beneficial for the sake of the country (PNCCA, n.d.).
Then, during the 1950s, Philippine cinema has finally reached its zenith. Movies were inspired by the war-held society that we had years back. With that, four big production companies emerged – Samaguita Studios, LVN Pictures, Premier Productions and Lebran. These companies brought about many of the Philippine’s well-acclaimed movies. Unfortunately, they did not uphold their successes on too long. The next decade manifested a decline in the film industry. The production companies slowly closed down and movies did not imbibe much of an artistic quality. A bulk of productions that came out were just Hollywood inspired films and fan movies (PNCCA, n.d.).
The Martial Law period, on the other hand, subjected Philippine cinema in strict censorship by the government. Movies were encouraged to just show features of an ideal society. Filmmakers felt a certain deprivation of expressing themselves. After the Martial Law, nationalistic films that portrayed remorse against the former government flooded the theaters and thus, the “Second Golden Age”. Today though, Philippine cinema continues to be slumped in a chain of problems. This is evidently bringing us into a disheartening standstill.
A Threatened Entertainment Industry
Cinema Purgatorio -- that was how Uro de la Cruz, a screenplay writer, entitled the article he had written for the Philippine Center of Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) discussing the condition of Philippine cinema in 2004. Clearly, his message was negative. “Movie workers already believe that the local film industry is either dying or dead,” (de la Cruz. 2004). He said that it had become usual to see no Philippine film in the theaters of Metro Manila. He also mentioned that in the year 2003, only a total of around 60 movies were produced compared to almost 150 films we were making in 1998 (de la Cruz, 2004). The annual Metro Manila Film Festival held during the end of the year became one of the few remaining motivations for films to be produced. Other than that, it’s all hindrances to an abundant stream of quality Filipino films.
Unreasonably high taxes, meager budget, cloudburst of Hollywood films, proliferation of piracy, star system, conventional formula narratives – all these contribute to such a downfall. Taxes are set to encourage production of quality films but the film industry protests that it has been over the top. Leo Martinez, director general of the Film academy of the Philippines, said in an interview with the International Herald Tribune that more than half of the film revenues go to the government (as cited in Conde, 2007).
Piracy is another incessant issue. Pirated DVDs of movies come out even before they are actually shown in the theaters. It is all over the city that it is usual to see vendors selling these in almost every busy street corner around the city. Spending for one movie in a theater will cost one person around P130 while pirated DVDs just P50-P80. Watching movies seem to have become an activity for the elite that the mass is given no choice but to just purchase a pirated yet cheap DVD.
Also, Hollywood has become a magnet to Filipino audiences. There are more foreign films showing than locally produced ones. This also leads to the fact that many audiences tend to prefer these Western movies than our own. Noel Vera (2006), a well-established Filipino film critic, in an interview with Pinoy Post, suggests that high taxes should rather be imposed to the Hollywood movies that enter the Philippines. This way, there would be higher budget available for enhancing the quality our films, or at least for producing more films.
Because of the high risks and financial uncertainty that subjugates filmmaking in the Philippines today, it is as if movie makers are becoming idle. Directors highly extolled for their works before have not seen producing new films recently. Despite all these, the local film industry slowly but surely oversees a possible solution. It may not be a panacea to all this pessimism, but it can certainly account for an effective resolution, or at least a fresh alternative.
Independent (Indie) Filmmaking, a Motivating Trend
Just a few months ago, a hopeful news has dawned the Philippine film industry. Serbis (Service), a full-length, independent film by Brillante “Dante” Mendoza, entered the main competition category of this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival. An article in The Earth Times mentions that the last time the Philippines made it to Cannes was in 1984 with Lino Brocka’s Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim also know as My Country: Gripping the Knife's Edge (Anonymous, 2008). This is indeed a significant step to anticipate breakthroughs for Philippine cinema.
Independent filmmaking has been the talk of the town in the Philippines for at least 4 years now. Because of the innovation of digital technology, filmmakers are now finding their niche in digital filmmaking. Talented directors, both young and old, have discovered a new and cheaper way to vent their creative ideas in movies. If you have a digital video camera at hand, a laptop, a few friends willing to act or simply help out behind the scenes, a suited location nearby, and an imaginative yet moving script ready, then you’re definitely good to go.
In the report of the 2007 workshop held by the International Association of Film and Television Schools or the CILECT, the emergence of independent filmmakers and the digitization of film became the main topics of discussion for the Philippines. It described traditional independent filmmakers as those that have sought filmmaking that is independent from the studio system, the star system, the mass audience, mass distribution and exhibition (CILECT, 2007). Digitalization of film was their approach because this poses to be the most economical yet flexible method.
I believe that this is more than just a finding-the-easy-way out kind of filmmaking technique. Yes, it is easy, but even more enlightening is the fact that it creates a wide range of opportunity for Filipinos eager to bring out their stories, unconventional stories in that case.
The digital filmmakers admit that this method compromises technical qualities provided by traditional film. Like again, for Noel Vera, who also thinks that digital film is a good alternative but commented on this compromise in 2006, as this trend was emerging saying:
Digital is not a beautiful medium for me. They have their advantages but they are mostly of budget and convenience. When you look at it on screen, I’d prefer film. I am a conservative on that sense. What you capture on digital isn’t the same on what you capture on celluloid (film) with the chemical reactions. It’s not yet as sharp. It might be sharp, who knows one of these days, but not yet. (Vera, 2006)
We have seen that for the following years, such a technical issue has not become a great deal of liability. Digital films are now improved and made in such a way that the quality of the picture per se remains to accentuate proper cinematography. Filmmakers are now able to maximize the potentials of digital technology. And also, many would agree that the quality of the narratives of indie films produced so far have been consistently exceptional. Stories are more likely to probe into significant Philippine social issues, consequently encouraging more original works.
Few of the first people to utilize digital filmmaking are students. Universities of the Philippines film students have used this economical medium as early as the 90s because of scarcity of affordable films (CILET, 2007). At that time, film festivals all over the world have significantly modified their criteria of a good film giving a notable gravity to that of content and concept (CILET, 2007). This served as an opportunity for the independent to thrive in the film industry.
The Cinemalaya Film Festival, Driving Force for Digital Filmmakers
The Cinemalaya Film Festival, which started in 2005, is now considered a prestigious award-giving body that primarily supports independent filmmaking in the Philippines. In an interview with the president of the Cinemalaya Film Festival, Nestor Jardin, he expounds on the mission of festival saying that it:
…aims to discover, encourage and honor the cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. It aims to invigorate the Philippine film industry by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers. It also intends to help, develop and create new film works that speaks of Filipinos as a people and as a society through films that are not restricted or bound by commercial studio formulas. (as cited in Cantera, 2007)
The pioneers of this festival were considered to have done such a “brave and bold move” for the upturn of the declining local film industry (Cantera, 2007). Quite hesitant at first, they were worried about gaining audiences and more crucially, having entries. Being well supported by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP,) the University of the Philippines Film Institute and the Film Development Council obviously did the festival well. These institutions have organized and maintained other major film festivals in the Philippines, and that is reason enough for the growing success of Cinemalaya.
Every year, since 2005, the Cinemalaya screens indie films in various venues around Metro Manila, with the Cultural Center of the Philippines being its main. For the competition itself, this biggest award-giving body for indie films selects 10 full-length films and 10 shorts. It does not only feature its final entries but also other indie films that have been produced in the past years. Jardin (2007) accounted that in 2005, the festival only featured 30 films in four venues. In 2006, an increase in audiences is observable with a total of 15,234 people compared to the last year’s 8,440. The 2006 competition showed 40 films in five venues. Providentially, an enormous increase in popularity was gained the 2007 screening with 120 films in six venues.
However, such increase in number of audiences is still small compared to the number of movie goers in Metro Manila. So far, a bulk of its audiences comprise of young students. Apparently, it is given a high recognition by various academes in the Philippine and so, many of the youth are aware of the emerging indie movies. The University of the Philippines Film Institute’s Cine Adarna has been one of its consistent venues. Various student organizations take part in promoting the screenings of specific indie films. Just last month, I was able to watch ‘100’ directed by Chris Martinez. It is a finalist of this year’s competition which also won the KNN Choice Award in the recently concluded 13th Pusan International Film Festival. Another Filipino short film, Andong by Milo Tolentino bagged the Sonje Award in the same competition.
Featuring Few of Today’s Best Filipino Films in Cinemalaya
So far, Cinemalaya have been faithfully upholding its mission. Indeed, there have been a set of new-breed Filipino filmmakers who are slowly changing the course of Philippine cinema. There have been many works recognized internationally as well. A comprehensive profile was written by Jocelyn Dimaculangan (2008) of the Philippine Entertainment Portal released just a few months ago. A digest of the films are as follows.
For the debut of Cinemalaya in 2005, its Best Full-Length Feature film was awarded to Pepot Artista directed by Clodualdo “Doy” Del Mundo. It’s a film about a ten-year-old boy who dreams to become a movie star. This spotlights the expression the Filipino fondness for entertainment despite economic and social turmoil in the country. The film claimed international recognition as Elijah Castillio, who played Pepot, won the Best Actor Award during the Silver Screen Awards for the 19th Singapore International Film Festival 2006. Also, it was released in the Asian Frescoes section of the eighth Osian-Cinefan Festival of Asian Cinema.
Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros), is yet another remarkable independent film as it received a total of 15 awards all over the world. This Jury Prize Winner of Cinemalaya 2005 takes the pride of being the first Filipino film to compete in Sundance Film Festival and Independents’ Spirit Awards in the United States. This coming of age story, directed by Auraeus Solito, is about an effeminate gay living within a family of thieves. It depicted how well-loved he was in the family - definitely one of the few non-conventional angles to portray gays in films. This is very much influenced by the open and considerate treatment of gays in the Philippines.
Tulad ng Dati (Just Like Before), directed by Mark Sandejas, became the first Filipino film to enter the Pusan Film Festival. It also got short-listed in the Hawaii film festival. This is a semi-biographical story of a member of a rock band, known as The Dawn, won the 2006 Best Full-Length Feature Award in Cinemalaya.
The 2006 Jury Prize Winner, Sa Paang Palay is Benji Garcia’s acclaimed film which was also shown in other film festivals including the International Film Festival of Mumbai, Fukuoka Asian Festival in Japan, Longbaugh Film Fest in Oregon USA and Phuket film festival. This movie was shot in the Ifugao province and projects the rural life in the Philippines.
A “graphic and violent” film about gangsters is the 2007 Best Full-Length Feature Film of 2007 (Dimaculangan, 2008). Tribu (Tribe), by Jim Libiran, participated the 58th Berlin International Film Festival and was also awarded the Youth Jury Prize in the 6th Paris Cinema International Film Festival.
Endo, a short term for end-of-contract, is a Jade Castro narrative film focusing on the life of a contract worker in Manila. It unravels the character’s day to day experiences and dilemmas with his social relations. This 2007 Jury Prize Winner also competed in the Festival Des Trois Continents in France.
In the present year, another gay movie dominated the festival. Jay, a film about a homosexual teacher who was murdered, directed by Francis Xavier Pasion, is the winner of the Cinemalaya 2008 Best Film (Atanacio, 2008). Brutus by Tara Illenberger, on the other hand, won the Jury Prize Award. It is a story of two Mangyan children who were eventually caught up in the greedy business of illegal logging.
These are only a few profiles of the many independent films that passed the rigorous screening of Cinemalaya. It is very fulfilling for the film industry to observe the achievements of these films. It gives us a brighter view on how the Philippine cinema may manage to thrive and eventually flourish despite the long dragging years of decline.
Saving the Philippine Cinema in Quality and Cooperation
Being the newest trend in the local film industry will not spare it from receiving criticisms. Many film enthusiasts have been careful in analyzing the problems of independent filmmaking that may pose in the coming years. Rowena Aquino from the UCLA Asia Institute released an article a few months ago sharing her thoughts on the recently concluded Visual Communication's Asian Pacific Film Festival in Los Angeles. The festival featured almost a dozen films from the Philippines. With that, Aquino (2008) says that she is quite worried about how our digital films may lead to producing generic themes in the long run. Although there is an advent rise of the number of digital films we produce every year, quality should not be overlooked or compromised.
A more obvious issue, though, is the tension between indie and mainstream filmmakers. Aureus Solito, director of Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros said that, “When you watch independent cinema, you can see how tones are myriad, you can see the possibilities—that’s what indie is, all possibilities. Unlike mainstream, where there’s only one possibility—to please,” (as cited in Evangelista, 2008). Indie aims to detach itself from mainstream studio and star system movies that have become a means of gaining more money than of expressing substance. Some may tend to become very smitten with the independence they uphold which gives them the freedom to be flexible in presenting their new stories. This, indeed, crafts a viable rift between mainstream and indie. Patricia Evangelista (2008), a young Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist illustrates this issue saying, “In describing indie, many define it in opposition to its more comfortable cousin—mainstream cinema. There is a vilification of the movies churned out by major studios—and the resulting glorification of any and all things indie.” Yes, it is equally obvious that these film artists have found a way to aesthetically improve the Philippine cinema drowning with formula films, but I believe that these two entities should rather help each other out. Indie is in dire need of audiences that mainstream holds while mainstream needs the content and concept that indie exudes. With such teamwork, support from the government, and the real passion for reviving the Philippine film industry, this formula can actually work. It will, however, take time.
For now, I think it is best to discover new filmmakers, to train them, and to also support the well-established ones. Institutions like the Cinemalaya Film Festival have taken efforts to advocate improved Philippine film industry in general. Mainstream actors and actresses have taken part many indie films this year and venues of screenings have been increased, even in theater malls. I see the rise of indie films as another beginning - a beginning that must be carefully nurtured by the entire Filipino society, because the Philippines is undoubtedly an avenue of rich history, culture, tradition, and talent that is waiting to be experienced by audiences from all over the world.
References:
Anonymous. (2008). Cannes entry puts spotlight on Philippine indie films. The Earth Times.
Retrieved October 22, 2008, form http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/203402,cannes-entry-puts-spotlight-on-philippine-indie-films--feature.html
Aquino, R. (2008). (L)imitations of life: The latest in Philippine cinema. Retrieved October 26,
2008, from http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=92162\
Atanacio, G. (2008). "Jay" is unanimous choice for Cinemalaya 2008 Best Film. Philippine
Entertainment Portal. Retrieved October 26, 2008, from http://www.pep.ph/guide/2288/Jay-is-unanimous-choice-for-Cinemalaya-2008-Best-Film
Cantera, J.A. (2007). Putting indie films on the world map. The Manila Times. Retrieved October
23, 2008, from http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/july/22/yehey/weekend/20070722week1.html
Centre International de Liaison Des Ecoles de Cinema ét de Télévision. (2007) The emergence
of a community of Filipino digital filmmakers. Retrieved October 25, 2008, from http://161.58.124.223/documents/News0706%20light.pdf
Conde, C. (2007), A bleak storyline for the Filipino film industry. International Herald Tribune.
Retrieved October 22, 2008, from http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/11/yourmoney/movies12.php
De la Cruz, U. (2004). Cinema purgatorio. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism,
Special Year End Issue. Retrieved October 22, 20008 from http://www.pcij.org/imag/Yearend2004/cinema.html
Dimaculangan, J. (2008). Cinemalaya top full-length films. Philippine Entertainment Portal.
Retrieved October 23, 2008, from
http://www.pep.ph/articles/16525/Cinemalaya-top-full-length-films-
Evangelista, P. (2008). Indie sunrise. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 26, 2008,
from http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=127269
Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts. (n.d.). History of Philippine cinema.
Retrieved October 22, 2008, from http://www.aenet.org/family/filmhistory.htm
Vera, N. (2006). When was the last time you watched a Filipino movie?. Pinoy Post. Podcast
retrieved from http://pinoypost.blogspot.com/2006/10/when-was-last-time-you-watched.html
|