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Ang Nagpapabulag sa Nagpapasilaw
A Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag Analysis
Jobs and occupations are tough to acquire, especially in the Philippines years before. People will go through thick and thin just to earn money or make a living. The Philippines may be advertised to the world for its national beauty and landmarks, but what people fail to see is the struggles daily Filipinos face, especially people who live in poverty, people who struggle to find a well payed job, people who struggle handling the family and household, and people who are victims and witnesses of crimes and wrong doings. Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag, a 1975 drama Film, is considered as one of the most iconic and most prevalent film of the Philippines. Staring Bembol Roco who played as Julio Madiaga, played one of the most memorable roles he played as an actor. Showing the hardships of a Julio, the protagonist, and his way of living, earnings, and “relationship”. The film sheds light to not the beauty of Maynila but the evil that lurks within it and its people.
The film is coherent, original and realistic in nature. It was filmed in various places in Maynila, and depicted the atmosphere and authenticity of Maynila. It also showed how tough it can be living in a very urbanized city especially if you’re not used to it such as Julio when he was working as a construction worker. The moral aspect of the film is strongly not for the underaged, it’s a film that phenomenally showed the sexual side of Maynila and its people. The sexual elements in the film were not romanticized, the sexual elements were not present to woo the audience, but to show how vast it is and how much people desire it most especially in times where you need money. Julio engages with escorts with the intention of getting money, and besides that, the film also covers prostitution (Ligaya and Ah-Tek) and how devious acts like this can still exist in our country. And it shows the complexity of urban cities and the film itself. There are literal people who engage in sexual activity for money because they had no other means of earning, how people can be (easily) tricked in prostitution, how gloomy it can be to work especially as a construction worker, and how family and closed loved ones can be greatly affected with your deeds – all captured into a beautiful 2 hour long film.
The referential meaning of the film has some underlying symbolism. Julio’s last name is Madiaga, a play on the word “Matiyaga” which means hardworking. Ligaya, Julio’s childhood sweetheart, means joy. Ligaya is literally the ligaya is Julio’s life, Ligaya gives Julio the joy and happiness he desires, he sees her as the paradise or his paradise of joy, which is why his heart strongly beats for her. Ah-Tek is a play on “kita”, money. Ah-Tek is a reference to how greedy a person can be and all he cares for is what s/he earns most especially money. And lastly Mrs. Cruz, the one who tricked Ligaya to Maynila for prostitution, is a reference to cruz or cross, meant to represent the “burden” she carries. Cruz can also be an alias, because Cruz is a common Filipino surname, which could explain why she gets away with things and/or not being suspected as a suspicious person. It overall shows the hard work (Julio) we have for our joy in life (Ligaya), and we have to be determined and patient in order to get what we love, even if our burden, sins (Mrs. Cruz) and greediness (Ah-Tek) makes us lose our way towards joy.
The symptomatic meaning is how society comprises a lot of variety in terms of financial recovery, job listings, family struggles, economic decay, and sexual favors, can be hidden in even the central cities of our nation. Our entire world spins if money continues to spin, it is because money is so powerful it can define an entire future. 1 peso today is not much compared to the time of the film, around the 70’s, where 1 peso is worth more than it is. And when people struggle to earn money especially if their job blows, it’s tough to find other ways to getting money that often engaging in sexual favors in exchange for money becomes a legitimate option. People would dare to leave their families and their hometown in hopes of getting better job opportunities. And there are also times where family cannot help you. When Ligaya was held captive by Ah-Tek, she couldn’t even tell her family about her situation especially if her life’s on the line.
It was such a blast watching this film. This film is actually listed in the “1001 movies you must see before you die”, Maynila sa mga kuko ng Liwanag is one of the, if not, the only Filipino film/s present in the list, and it shows. An old classic film cleverly captivates the viewer with it’s story, themes, and social constructs. The implicit meaning for how I interpreted the film is how there’s always a bright side and a dark side in life, and more often than not, the dark side is bigger. Both Julio and Ligaya left home in hopes of getting better jobs, they looked at the bright side where there is more to look forward to in a big city. But only to end up as a construction worker, and held for prostitution, doesn’t seem that much of a bright opportunity. Maynila, as told by a number of characters, is “mahirap”. It is never easy to live in such a city. Sometimes there is also light in the darkness, and darkness in the light as well. Prostitution and escorts are not a pretty “occupation” but at the very least you can technically earn from doing so, which is what both Julio and Ligaya have had in mind, when there’s no other way to go. Again knowing that there’s always darkness in light, Julio and Ligaya plans to escape and go back home, with a plan already in stored what’s the worst that could happen? Apparently, a life’s cost, Ligaya lost her life in attempts of trying to go back with Julio and leaving with her kids. And with Julio’s despair, he plots to kill Ah-Tek, thinking it could bring his emotional peace but only to end up being beaten up himself by a crowd of people. There are times where our deeds often lead to a bright thing but we take for granted the dark side of it, and often times, we have to settle to the darker or more devious choices because it’s our last and only choices.
The explicit meaning is how in the real world, it will not always be pretty, and evil can lurk in any crook, especially in ourselves. In the film, Julio was so retaliated and shocked how he instinctively fought purse snatcher and almost gotten to fight with another man, knowing he will actually end up being a bad guy himself by killing the person who kept Ligaya and (allegedly) killed her. We could take our actions and choices for granted, not knowing where it could lead us. And other thing to add, is how much we can get and lose things in life. Julio has lost so many things in his life, his family when he left, his money, his job, his friends, and Ligaya. While we still have these things with us, let us make the most out of them, and not take the wrong turn that can make us lose all of them one-by-one.
Maynila sa mga kuko ng Liwanag is one of the most profound Philippine films and a definite must-see. Beauty can have its flaws, and beauty can have its ugliness. Maynila is a beautiful city even before, but it’s not always the case because if you take a closer look, and experience the place, you can see how every nook can have its darkness. The film gravely captured how in the real world, how it ugly it can be and how evil can lurk in what’s bright – Maynila in the claws of the light.
Written by Keith Daniel Nicodemus
#Maynila#Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag#Maynila in the Claws of Light#FILMLANG#MM22#itsKeithDanNic#Philippines#Film#Analysis
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The Act of Killing
The act of killing is a documentary style movie but done in a quite extravagant way, asking a group of mass murderers to recreate their weirdly spectacular murders. I find it quite disturbing that they even conduct their murders in such a way, but also find it quite funny as to how they do it- with dancing, music and the works. I like that they carried out their kills in style I find it better than just straight up murdering people like with a knife or something. One of the other things that disturb me about the film is the fact that they openly admitted to the camera that they raped younger children. There is another detail that lead me to be stunned is the fact that the politicians call themselves gangsters. It’s funny to me. They only call themselves gangsters because to them it apparently means free man- which is good for Indonesia?
Other details that are sort of funny but also eerily creepy is how they just flat out say it without hesitation, like they see nothing wrong with what they have done. There are other things in the film like corruption and communists but what interests me the most are the murder scenes. Inspired by stuff like John Wayne and Mafia films from Hollywood at the time. Anwar also admits he gets nightmares from the horrible things that he has done. Even in one reenactment scene he had to take a pause as he was posing as a victim for the scene and contemplated all his deeds. As Oppenheimer said we can destroy ourselves with our deeds.
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Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM LILA CUNTAPAY
This film by Antoinette Jadaone is about a veteran extra , Lilia Cuntapay who was starred extra in Filipino Horror Films. This film showed the life of Lilia Cuntapay who worked very hard for her roles as an extra. Many people recognized her and seen her passion in acting. Lilia Cuntapay is not like any other actor. She’s smart, witty and friendly. I loved how she was so driven to make a speech for the award that she was nominated for, even if she did not win. It just means that Lilia work really hard for everything she wanted to have.
Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay is another proof that many recognize her. And with Lilia Cuntapay’s passing, the film had some benefit screenings at Cinema 76 last August 25 – 28, 2016.
For me, the best thing in Lilia Cuntapay's story is what happened after this film. She won her first acting award for this mockumentary, received new acting projects, and was introduced to a younger generation through a popular TV series ('Forevermore'). While she spent the final days of her life seeking medical and financial assistance, I'd like to believe that she died remaining committed to an industry that finally returned her love and recognized her legacy.
Besides than that, her poverty and lack of recognitions were questionable. At the start of the film, Direk Antoinette Jadaone asked random strangers and celebrities who worked with Lilia. Some of them don’t know Lilia, some of them weren’t sure who Lilia was, so on and so forth.
The used of camera angles were purposely awkward that satirizes the whole film, and for it to be funnier. The cinematography was purposely for the feel of the movie, it showed the house of Lilia which was at the squatter’s area which was very realistically implied, especially to us Filipinos.
Lilia Cuntapay proved that she could also be a lead actress, and she was more than an extra in a horror movie film. It broke my heart to see her still at that position in her life where she was financially unstable, but she was working very hard to get there someday. It just showed how hard it is to be in the acting industry. Most of the time they only pay you half as much as the other actors, and most of the time don’t even get recognition.
The last part was a very heartbreaking, realistic scene where she did not win the AFTAP award, and I could feel her embarrassment. Lilia Cuntapay worked so hard for her speech to be the best speech she could possibly ever say in an award show and she did not win. It was a brilliant film, because I did not have many expectations in this film. This film surprised me, made me laugh and cry. If I could rewatch this, I definitely would. This film also showed that not all people who work hard in the industry get paid, and treated equally. This is heartbreaking.
The emotions of the actress and her ‘neighbors’ were real, I could feel as if I was just sitting with them everytime. It’s a good film because, it inspired me that even a woman who was hired so many times by the star business worked very hard and proved that she was different from all the other extras. The film was realistic, and implicit. It talked about a literal meaning that Lilia Cuntapay was a hard-working supporting actress. Lilia Cuntapay was one hell of an icon in the film industry.
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WEEKLY BLOG#1 - Six Degrees Of Separation
Lico Daniel Nicolas Lizardo
FILMLANG
MMA24
The film Six Degrees of Separation is about Lilia Cuntapay and her legacy in the showbiz industry. It is about her, after decades of acting, finally receiving an award as Best Supporting Actress, and readying her speech about it.
At first I thought that the movie was a typical documentary about the life of a celebrity that even though was famous, was also unknown by the people. Due to my experiences as a viewer who has watched various documentaries in the past, I initially expected that this movie would be a documentary, with a serious tone, where in they would interview Lilia herself, and various celebrities and directors that she had worked with in the past, to give the audience insight of Lilia’s acting career. But when the scene of Lilia coming onto the bizarre looking stage and telling her speech, I immediately realized that this film must not be a documentary. Though I was tricked into thinking that it was a documentary, I was still able to experience the movie in an enlightening way, by keeping an open mind to it even if this type of film is still new to me. I think that it successfully relayed the message that it was trying to tell its audience.
At the start of the movie there was a director discussing Lilia Cuntapay’s time as the actress of roles that were about “aswang” and “multo”. The way the scenes with that director were recorded is just like how an interview in documentary films are presented. To sit in the middle of the frame and answer the questions that are given by the interviewer, whilst showing the scenes of Lilia Cuntapay acting out her roles. This cheated the expectations of the audience with the film as they are sure that it would be a documentary, but it was actually a mockumentary because just after the interview, the audience are presented with a scene where there is this bizarre looking stage, that was filled with mountains of objects with only a narrow path in the middle to show the podium and Lilia Cuntapay getting on it, and trying to tell a speech. This scene made the viewers feel an entrapping atmosphere. The fact that Lilia, in this scene, was having trouble telling her speech enforced this atmosphere. After that scene, it was just Lilia holding a newspaper and being asked about it by the director. The newspaper contained an article about nominations, and she was included in the “Best Supporting Actress” section. The next scene was her in the bizarre stage again, unable to complete her speech. The way these scenes were built gave the audience an idea that the scenes that took place in the bizarre stage could be a representation of her mind trying to make the perfect speech for when she wins the award. At this point of the film the audience were now sure that the movie would be about Lilia Cuntapay readying herself, especially her speech for when she wins the award.
In my opinion, the film had a referential perceived meaning. Though the movie had fictional scenes, it was based on Lilia Cuntapay’s struggle with being noticed during her career, and also her struggle during the time she had finally been nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Award. The reason I say this is because it is a fact that people are familiar with her face since she had appeared in numerous horror genre films. She is famous and also unknown to the horror fans, especially those who just watch films as a pastime. People would usually refer to her using her roles and describing how she looks in those roles, but rarely using her name. That is why in the opening scenes of the film, where the Director, Antoinette Jadaone, was asking people whether people know the name Lilia Cuntapay or not, the people would always answer no. But when she told them her roles and what she looked like, people then said yes and explained that they know her by face but not by name. Even celebrities that were featured in the film said the same thing, and that they only referred to her through nicknames. Other extras and actors who only get side characters suffer through this as well. Even with hardwork and years of dedication, they fail to get noticed, thus this is a referential perceived meaning.
The film succeeds in bringing out emotions in its viewers. If the film wants to make you feel sad, it will do just that. If it wants to make you feel happy, it will do that as well. A scene that is a great example of this is when Lilia Cuntapay invited a lot of people to her house to watch her interview in ABS-CBS. People were screaming with excitement. As the viewer, you knew what she went through because of the previous scenes, and now that she is getting what she deserved, you cannot help but feel happy for her recognition. But her interview was not featured that night, and you could feel the atmosphere in that scene slowly sinking, until it felt sad and lonely. The audience knew that, even though it is a mockumentary, this was based from her real life. And so, the sorrow in that scene and the following scene where she exited the house, echoed through the audience. The film undoubtedly succeeded in making the audience feel what it wanted them to feel.
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2022, das Jahr in dem “Doctor Who” starb - Der Status von “Doctor Who” heute und wem der zu verdanken ist
Letzte Woche bei der ComicCon hieß es noch “bester Job der Welt”, und wir bekamen vor allem Teaser zu hören und nur wenig echte Informationen, und dann wenige Tage später der Schock: Jodie Whittaker und Chris Chibnall verlassen beide die Serie nach der aktuellen Staffel. Ja, “Doctor Who” braucht einen neuen Doctor und einen neuen Showrunner. Eines von beiden war abzusehen, das andere eigentlich auch, ist aber sehr schlecht für uns alle, aber dazu später.
Es gibt die sogenannte “Drei Jahres”-Regel unter “Doctor Who”-Darstellern, die auf den zweiten Doctor Patrick Troughton zurückgeht. Als Peter Davison, der fünfte Doctor, diesen nach Tipps fragte, erhielt er folgenden Ratschlag: “Mach drei Jahre, genau drei Jahre, auf keinen Fall mehr.” Diesen Ratschlag gab er später an seinen Schwiegersohn David Tennant, den zehnten Doctor, weiter, der diesen wiederum an Doctor Nummer 11 Matt Smith weitergab, der seinerseits diesen an seinen Nachfolger Peter Capaldi weitergab, der seinerseits vermutlich diesen Ratschlag an Jodie Whittaker weitergab. Letzter Classic Who Doctor Sylvester McCoy machte übrigens auch genau drei Staffeln, was aber nur daran lag, dass die Serie gecanncelt wurde, er hätte mindestens eine vierte dran gehängt, wenn es nach ihm gegangen wäre, und sein Vorgänger Colin Baker war durch die seltsame Entscheidung eine Staffel zu machen, deren letztes Serial den neuen Doctor bereits vorstellt, ebenfalls in drei Staffeln zu sehen. Man sieht also, dass niemand nach Peter Davison jemals mehr als drei Staffeln blieb - Paul McGann machte nur den Pilotfilm für die US-Forsetzung der Original-Serie, und Christopher Eccleston machte nur eine Staffel, weil er sich mit dem Rest des Produktionsteam böse während der ersten Staffel von “New Who” zerstritt. Das alles führe ich so genau aus, weil es trotzdem zu Beginn dieses Jahres, als die ersten Gerüchte über Regeneration und Jodie Whittakers möglichen Ausstieg nach dieser Staffel aufkamen, hieß, dass sie endlich gefeuer worden wäre, weil sie ja versagt hätte. Was natürlich Unsinn ist, da sie genauso lange geblieben ist wie die meisten anderen Doctor- Darsteller vor ihr und alle seit David Tennant. Außerdem regeneriert sie sich nicht diese Staffel und wurde auch nicht gefeuert, sondern geht aus freien Stücken. Zu Beginn dieses Jahres hat sich irgendjemand an die “Drei Jahres”-Regel erinnert und das Thema aufgebracht und natürlich haben sich alle darauf gestürtzt. Jetzt ist es leider so, dass die Pandemie dazu geführt hat, dass Jodie Whittaker weniger Folgen gemacht hat als ihre Vorgänger. Sie hatte sowieso schon kürzere reguläre Staffeln und außerdem auch weniger Specials, und dieses Staffel hat Covid allen einen Strich durch die Rechnung gehabt. Hieß es zuletzt noch, dass es acht Folgen in dieser Staffel geben würde, gibt es nun laut offizieller BBC-Aussage nur noch sechs. Dafür gibt es ein Neujahr- und ein Frühlings-Special nächstes Jahr, was wohl bedeutet, dass zwei der acht Folgen zu Specials umgewandelt wurden um der Produktion dieser Folgen mehr Zeit zu ermöglichen. Tatsächlich filmen sie seit Monaten an dieser Staffel und waren zur Aufzeichnung ihres ComicCon-Panels noch mitten drinnen, und dieses war auch relativ zeitnah, wenn nicht sogar live, aufgezeichnet worden, da John Bishop erwähnt hat, dass sie vor einer Woche zum ersten Mal zu dritt essen gehen konnten, was mit der Öffnung von Großbritannien in Realzeit zusammen fällt, sprich sie drehen immer noch an dieser Staffel.
Wir bekommen jetzt also sechs Folgen, die immer noch kein Startdatum haben, alle zusammenhängen, also ein Event ala “Torchwood: Kinder der Erde” sein dürften und irgendwann vor Neujahr augestrahlt werden. Dann folgen nächstes Jahr das Neujahrs-Special, das Frühlings-Special, und dann im Herbst ein filmlanges Regenerations-Special. Und das war’s dann für Jodie Whittaker als Doctor und Chris Chibnall als Showrunner. Und möglicherweise für “Doctor Who” als reguläre Serie.
Im offiziellen Artikel auf der BBC-Homepage scheißt der Sender auf seine eigene Serie. Man weißt auf die sinkenden Quoten hin und zitiert Fan- und Altright-Kritik, dass die Serie zu woke geworden sei. Mit keinem einzigen Wort werden die Auszeichnungen der Ära erwähnt, die Tatsache, dass Serie international beliebter ist als jemals zuvor, oder sonst irgendetwas Positives in mehr als einem Nebensatz erwähnt. Das kommt einen doch bekannt vor. Denn ja, damals nach der “Trial of the Time Lord”-Staffel hat die BBC es genauso gemacht, sie hat sogar eine ganze Sendung produziert, in die Fans eingeladen wurden, denen dann auch noch das Wort im Mund umgedreht wurde, um zu zeigen, dass nicht einmal diese Fans mehr “diesen Scheiß alias Doctor Who” mögen, Legitime Kritik, die im Grunde nur war, dass die Staffel besser hätte sein können, was die Auflösung angeht, wurde zu vernichtender umgemodelt, weil das der BBC in den Kram gepasst hat. Erklärungen wie, dass der Haupautor der Staffel während der Produktion verstorben war und das Original-Ende von Skript-Editior Eric Seward aus rechtlichen Gründen nicht verwendet werden konnte, wurden dem Publikum verschwiegen, denn ja es hätte dem Ruf der BBC geschadet all diese dreckige Wäsche zu waschen (denn es klingt nie gut, wenn man zu gibt, dass die einzige Person, die wusste wie die Geschichte ausgehen soll, tot ist, und diese keinem mitgeteilt hat wie dieses Ende aussehen hätte sollen), aber zumindest Teile der Wahrheit hätte man als “Entschuldigung” bringen können. Im Endeffekt ging “Doctor Who” trotzdem noch drei Jahre weiter, und es wurde “nur” Colin Baker gefeuert, während De-Facto Showrunner John Nathan-Turner genug von der Serie hatte und dem neuen Script Editior und persönlichen Freund von ihm Andrew Cartmel viele seiner bisherigen Aufgaben überließ. Unter Cartmel erlebte “Doctor Who” seine kreative Rennaissance, inhatlich zumindest. Produktionstechnisch hinkte die Serie immer noch ihrer Zeit hinterher, vor allem weil niemand bereit war den Verantwortlichen das Geld zu geben, das sie gebraucht hätten. Und die Staffel nach dem 25 Jährigen Jublläum der Serie war dann auch die letzte. Der Verdacht liegt nahe, dass die BBC die Serie überhaupt nur solange weitergehen ließ, weil das Jubliläum bevorstand. Der Todesstoß kam aber letztlich, weil sowohl John Nathan-Turner als auch Andrew Cartmel die Serie verließen. Nathan-Turner war seit Jahren immer wieder erklärt worden, dass die Serie eingestellt werden würde, wenn er es wagen sollte sie zu verlassen, und im Grunde hatte er sie in den 80ern mindestens zweimal zuvor bereits vor der Einstellung bewahrt. Hätte Andrew Cartmel seinen Posten übernommen, hätte die BBC die Serie vermutlich noch ein wenig weitergehen lassen, doch beide Männer zogen es vor zusammen an einem neuen Projekt zu arbeiten, was auch nur zu verständlich ist. Die Serie damals zu machen war mehr als nur ein wenig frustrierend, Cartmel war enttäuscht von vielem, was er in den letzten drei Staffeln produziert hatte, weil er große Ambitionen hatte, “Doctor Who” aber einfach nicht das Budget für diese zur Verfügung gestellt bekam.
Nach der Rückkehr von New Who wollte die BBC “Doctor Who” bereits mindestens zweima erneut einstellen. Als David Tennant und Showrunner Russel T. Davies die Serie nach einer Reihe von Specials nach der vierten Staffel verließen, ging die Serie nur weiter, weil Davies Steven Moffat als seinen Nachfolger vorschlug. Moffat war damals für seine durchwegs exzellenenten und preisgekrönten Scripts bekannt und galt daher als einzig sicherer Ersatzmann, immerhin stammte die für viele bis heute beste “New Who”-Episode “Blink” aus seiner Feder. Als Moffat dann vor ein paar Jahren zusammen mit seinem zweiten Doctor Peter Capaldi die Serie verließ, wollte die BBC die Serie erneut einstellen. Chris Chibnall bot aber an den Posten des Showrunners zu übernehmen, und wegen dem großen Erfolg von “Broadchurch” und einigen neuen Konzepten, die er vorschlug, ließ sich die BBC erweichen. Immerhin hatte Chibnall bereits für “Doctor Who” geschrieben und war zwei Jahre lang Showrunner von “Torchwood” gewesen, man hatte also eindeutig den richtigen Mann gefunden, und Jodie Whittaker als seine Wahl für die erste canonische weibliche Version des Doctors tat das Übrige den Sender zu beruhigen.
Doch leider hielten die Flitterwochen nur bis zum Produktionsbeginn. Man sieht es Whittaker-Staffeln nicht an, aber im Grunde war Chibnall die letzten drei Staffeln lang in der gleichen Position wie Andrew Cartmel in den 80ern. Wenn er einmal als Witz gesagt hat, dass er sich gar nicht mehr traut die BBC um irgendetwas zu bitten, dann war das im Grunde kein Witz. Toxische Fans, die Frauen und POCs als ihre Hauptdarsteller nicht aushalten, taten ihr Übriges. Und Chibnalls Versuche die Serie inhaltich in eine andere Richtung zu bringen, kamen auch nicht bei allen gut an. Die britischen Fanboys, die damals schon über “Trial of the Time-Lord” gejammert haben und Steven Moffats “alle Folgen und alle Szenen sind wichtig”-Staffel (Nummer 6 von “New Who”) nicht mochten, wollte immer nur Daleks und Cybermen sehen und den Doctor mit dem Sonic Screwdriver herumwedelnd durch Gänge rennen genießen. Während die sozialkritischen Töne seiner ersten Staffel besonders bei weiblichen internationalen Fans sehr gut ankamen, reagierten die Briten ungefähr so darauf wie damals auf die sozialkritischen Cartmel-Staffeln. Denn ja, die Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen der Ära Cartmel und Chibnall sind vielfältig. Es geht sogar weiter. Andrew Cartmel war der Erste, der angedeutet hat, dass der Doctor mehr als nur irgendein normaler Time-Lord ist und in Wahrheit um einiges älter und mysteriöser ist als gemeinhin bekannt. Und genau das enthüllte Chibnall in seiner zweiten Staffel - ein Retcon, der ähnlich wie zuvor die ganzen Moffat-Retcons eher schlecht beim Publikum ankam - noch mehr da die “ursprüngliche” Form des Doctors, in der sie damals auf Gallifrey ankam, eine weibliche war, und eine schwarze Frau eine Inkarnation von ihr vor dem ersten Doctor war.
Im Grunde hat Chibnall mit diesen Retcon nur gesichert, dass “Doctor Who” ewig weitergehen kann, da die Limitationen der Time-Lord-Regneration nicht mehr auf den Doctor zutreffen. Die Story dahinter, nun, ob die in sechs Folgen und drei Specials ordentlich aufgeklärt wird, bleibt zu bezweifeln. Aber darauf kommt es im Grunde auch nicht an. Die meisten Moffat-Storylines haben genauer betrachtet nicht viel Sinn ergeben - besonders die so hoch gelobte erste Matt Smith-Staffel Story um Amy und den Crack hat hinten und vorne keinen Sinn ergeben - aber das hat die Briten noch nie gestört. Der nächste Showrunner wird sowieso wieder alles vergessen und mit neuen Doctor und Companions bei Null anfangen, so wie es bei Moffat und Chibnall der Fall war.
Nur, dass wir hier zum Problem kommen: Vielleicht wird es keinen neuen Showrunner geben. Die BBC ist im Sparwahn, der Brexit hat sein Übriges getan, die Probleme die “New Who” schon seit der Capaldi-Ära hat sind nicht zu übersehen: Es werden immer weniger Folgen, es gibt immer öfter zwischendruch “Who”-lose-Jahre, die Kritik wird vor allem online immer toxischer, und die BBC selbst nutzt diese um den jeweiligen Showrunner gefügig zu machen. Steven Moffat war nicht schizophren, er hat oft in einem Jahr das komplette Gegenteil vom vorherigen gemacht, weil das was er zuvor getan hat zu stark kritisiert wurde und zwar vor allem auch hinter den Kulissen. Ähnliches gilt für Chibnall, der um die Fanboys glücklich zu mache in seinen zweiten Jahr zu viele Kompromisse geschlossen hat, was zu einer unausgeglichenen Staffel geführt hat. Und in der Folge der Pandemie wird alles noch schwieriger.
Andererseits steht die 60-Jährige Jubiläum an. Würde die BBC sich wirklich die Gelegenheit entgehen lassen noch ein letztes Mal Kapital aus “Doctor Who” zu schlagen und das abseits von Lizenzprodukten? Es ist überaus unwahrscheinlich, dass sie die Serie ausgerechnet jetzt absetzen. Zugleich haben sie aber auch kein Geld um sie zu machen. Sechs Folgen und drei Specials entsprechen im Prinzip einer ganzen Staffel. Ja genau genommen sind es dann nur neun Folgen, also so wenig wie niemals zuvor, aber kostentechnisch (und darum geht es der BBC) würde es so viel wie eine normale Staffel kosten, wegen der Pandemie vermutlich sogar eher noch mehr.
Was erwartet uns also? Ein neuer Showrunner und neuer Doctor, die einfach noch kürzere Staffeln als zuletzt bestreiten? Acht Folgen pro Jahr und eventuell ein Special alle zwei Jahre? Geht sich überhaupt eine ganze Staffel vor dem 60er aus? Normalerweise müsste ein Who-loses Jahr anstehen, und 2022 zählt nicht wirklich als solches oder doch? Wenn sie aber eine normale Staffel machen wollen, bevor sie das Jubiläum feiern, dann muss 2022 als das Who-lose-Jahr herhalten. Und es wäre sehr seltsam wenn sie das 60Jährige Special mit einem Doctor bestreiten, der oder die gerade frisch regeneriert ist und den Zusehern unbekannt ist. Aber wer ist blöd genug heutzutage den Showrunner für “Doctor Who” zu machen? Gerade nach dem ersten weiblichen Doctor. Ich meine, wenn die Serie zurück zu männlichen Doctoren geht, wird ein gerechtfertiger Shitstorm wegen Sexismus aufkommen, und wenn ein weiblicher Doctor bleibt, werden die üblichen Verdächtigen der letzten Jahre zuschlagen, und wenn es ein POC oder WOC wird, dann erst recht. Und einen Non-Binary Darsteller zu nehmen, würde alles noch schlimmer machen und am Ende vermutlich beide Seiten gegen sich aufbringen. Sprich egal wer der neue Doctor wird, derjenige, der diese Person aussucht kann nur verlieren. Wer würde sich das also freiwillig antun?
Und wen würde die BBC überhaupt noch an “Doctor Who” lassen? Wenn sogar der große Chris Chibnall “versagt hat”? (und nein, Neil Gaiman hat in den nächsten Jahren absolut keine Zeit auch noch “Doctor Who” zu machen, ich weiß sowieso nicht wann er plant zu schlafen). Man doch nicht riskieren irgendwen zu nehmen. Was wenn der wieder “versagt”? (Ist ja nicht so, dass heutzutage die meisten Menschen auch gerade in der UK “Doctor Who” online anschauen und nicht live im Fernsehen, weswegen die Quoten natürlich schlechter sind als vor zehn Jahren, als das noch nicht der Fall war, aber daran denkt natürlich keiner).
Fragen über Fragen. Wahrscheinlichstes Szenario: Kein Showrunner mehr, keine Staffeln mehr, sondern nur noch Specials, mit jeweils ausführenden Produzent, der wechselt. Wenn das nicht vor den 60er kommt, dann kommt es garantiert danach, außer die Quoten werden auf wundersame Weise wieder toll während die Folgen zugleich nichts kosten. Alternative: Netflix oder andere Co-Produzenten, aber das würde bedeuten, dass die Serie eben nicht mehr exklusiv auf der BBC läuft. Ist also eher unwahrscheinlich. Ein amerikanischer Doctor blüht uns also eher nicht. Obwohl das irgendwie schade ist. Netflix würde vermutlich einfach irgendeine briliiante australische Charakterdarstellerin als nächsten Doctor nehmen, und dann irgendwo in Europa mit einem internationalen Cast, der einen berühmten US-Star als Companion beinhaltet, drehen.
Also, das ist das aktuelle Problem. Und das es soweit gekommen ist, haben wir im Grunde dem toxischen britisch-männlichen Fandom zu verdanken. Ich habe genau diese Situation seit Jahren vorausgesagt, und jetzt haben wir sie. Aber ihr werdet schon sehen, was ihr davon habt.
Kritik zu üben ist eine Sache. Zu sagen: “Trial of the Time-Lord” hätte besser sein können/müssen, weil das Ende keinen Sinn ergibt ist genau das. Aber so zu tun als wäre alles daran schlecht gewesen und nicht mal die eigenen Fans würden es noch mögen, ist was anderes. Und wenn man sich anhört wie viele Fans verkleidet zu Nachtdrehtarbeiten in Pandemie-Zeiten kommen (!!!!), dann muss doch selbst den blödesten Personen klar sein, dass die Behauptung die Serie wäre nur noch schlecht und keiner würde sie mehr ansehen wegen Whittaker und Chibnall einfach nur Unsinn sein kann.
Aber genau diese Behauptung hat uns in die Lage gebracht, in der wir gerade stecken. Danke also vielmals, ihr Hate-Tube, Alt-Right-Fans und Penise auf Beinen, ihr habt das geschafft, was Whittaker und Chibnall nicht geschafft haben, ihr habt “Doctor Who” getötet. Vermutlich wird das erst in ein paar Jahren allen klar werden, aber wer aufpasst, für den ist das jetzt schon offensichtlich.
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FILMLANG, Finals.
Clarianne B. Cruz
Reynalyn M. Magallanes
FILMLANG MM23
Introduction about PPP
Definition
Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) is a film festival in the Philippines in celebration of the Buwan ng Wika. It is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines. The shortlisted films are shown in cinemas all around the country. For this year’s PPP, ten films were featured, which are the following: Cuddle Weather, G!, I’m Ellenya L., LSS: Last Song Syndrome, Open, The Panti Sisters, and Watch me Kill for the main entries, and Circa, Lola Igna, and Pagbalik for the showcase films. It also featured Verdict, a feature film not competing for any accolades for the festival. Aside from these full-length films, there were Sine Kabataan Shorts that were created by aspiring filmmakers.
When did it happen
This year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino kicked off last September 13, 2019, which also celebrates the centennial year of the Philippine Cinema. Hence, these films were distributed in all cinemas nationwide until September 19, 2019. However, due to popular demand of some films, many have extended their release in commercial and independent cinemas.
Purpose of PPP
Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino aims to promote Filipino artistry in films and to promote the country and its talents in the global scale. It also aims to protect our film cultural heritage and to empower every Filipino through film development and education. The Film Development Council of the Philippines envisions reaching to every Filipino in creating a thriving and self-sustaining film industry that contributes to the cultural and economic development of the country.
Film 1 – LSS: Last Song Syndrome
From the creators of First Day High, My Amnesia Girl directed by Jade Castro presents a runner up film from the PPP or Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019 celebrating the 100th cinema viewing in our country presents LSS or Last Song Syndrome, starring Gabbi Garcia as Sarah and Khalil Ramos as Zak, a film that heartbreaks and hardships intertwine that gives inspiration, chase-your-dream-teen, romance, family lesson, and the important theme of this theme revolves around music. Music that creates or gives connection to everyone you meet throughout your entire life. Music that sends you to a different dimension changing your entire being into another you. Music that affects your spirit lifting you to a higher ground relating to what you feel towards your unending journey to an unknown place.
The morning starts with Zak going to commute on his way to visit his crush while holding the precious gifts that he will deliver for her to admire and to try understanding Zak’s feeling towards her best friend. To which he tries his best to court her but ends up failing otherwise because of her having sudden surprise relationships that he was not able to relay her emotions towards her and can’t find any will to confess.
As they both end up in the same place of transportation area, Sarah was able to spot Zak unknowingly because they both ended up singing the tune played in the film. After awhile of finding seats among the crowded people, Sarah and Zak was able to sit together during the trip. They both introduced that they like the same band and idolises Ben & Ben then after, they both told each other their dreams and goals in life wherein Sarah wanted to be a composer of music and that she also joined the music camp back then but wasn’t chosen and thus decided to try harder for them to notice her and then saving their family of hardships and to finally attain her goal in life. While Zac introduced Ben & Ben too, saying his dream to become a producer and saying that his away from his father, living with his mother when he was young.
After all those confrontations and chat they heavily went onto a deep conversation wherein Zak decided to give his empty disk then after wrote Sarah’s first lyric onto the disk with a permanent marker making her more inspired and to not give up on her dreams and goals in life. While for Zak, after all those confrontations and confidence he decided to put up all of his courage and would confess to her best friend so that she’ll finally understand his feelings for her. The two promised to meet each other again at the latter date gig of Ben & Ben. With the trip ending, their conversations were like a glimpse of what it would feel like for their dreams to be achieved and prosper together with their loved ones. But taking a look on their backs as they go in their separate ways apart from the bus that they’ve enjoyed their moments felt that they were destined and was fated to meet to change their entire aspect of life and that they would go higher to achieve their goals and never stop believing into something they can do.
For Sarah’s side of the story further in the film at one point Sarah ended up fired for all the hard work she’s putting up for to let her brother to graduate already but has no choice but to find another job and since her dream is to become a composer but for now toss all dreams aside for the ones you love to support them until they are able to walk on their on steps. But along the way, when the moment that all earned cash for Sarah’s brothers graduation gift was used to buy an expensive branded shoes Sarah’s brother confessed that all of the earned money that Sarah gives to him to be used for the tuition fees as well as the miscellaneous expenses that the school gives but all went to fund his band studio and said that he stopped coming to school ever since and that made Sarah literally broke down and tried to quell her anger upon her younger brother because she knew that as someone as herself achieves to reach and feel her dreams but has to sacrifice, she understood that if it is for her brother’s goal so be it, so she finds another place to work.
Along the way of the two protagonists, Sarah and Zak had gone into a breaking moment that they were both fated to meet at a bar where Ben & Ben will have their gig, there along the crowds full of surprises and endless stream of mixed emotions Sarah and Zak met in the middle of the fans while tearing and crying, looking at each other pretending to not notice the whole crowd going wild for cheering not realizing that Sarah and Zac is behind them going closer to each other wanting to hold each other trying to understand each other’s pain and suffering, until the two Sarah and Zac could reach each other like a dream of wanting to see and know how they ended up going at the same venue, getting closer to each other together with time slowing down as if fate led them together as both of them went nearer giving them their very special moment until they had their first kiss, giving a sign of their affection to each other that the perfect moment was now.
Film 2 – The Panti Sisters
The Panti Sisters is a Filipino comedy film directed by Jun Lana, starring Paolo Ballesteros as Gabriel, Martin del Rosario as Daniel, and Christian Bables as Samuel. It premiered during the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019, and has won several awards, thus extending its release in local cinemas. Aside from the Audience Choice Award, the picture won Best Production Design Award and del Rosario won as Best Actor.
The Panti Sisters consist of Gabriel, Daniel, and Samuel who have discovered their homosexuality at their young ages, but were not supported by their controlling father, Don Emilio y Panti (starring John Arcilla). At the start of the film, Gabriel hops off a jeepney, returning to their patriarchal house after years of being in exile. Reuniting with her parents and her sister Daniel, Gabriel asks their father what is the reason that they were both summoned. Their stepsister Samuel and her mother Vilma Panti were also in attendance, much to Nora Panti’s dismay over seeing her husband’s mistress.
It was then revealed through numerous flashbacks that all of them have received cold treatment from their father that they have never considered returning to their home. Samuel had longed to meet her father, as she never grew up close to him. For a comedic film, their journey as homosexuals were at best, sad and very timely to the Philippine society’s acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. Don Emilio then revealed that he was about to die from cancer, and he is willing to give his 300-million-peso inheritance to his children fairly, but under one condition.
With Don Emilio disagreeing with the sisters’ gender identity, he challenged them that the only way they could get their share of 100 million pesos each is to give him a grandchild before he dies. Much to the sister’s surprise, they jumped to the deal, with Vilma being completely supportive of Samuel impregnating Chiqui, a childhood friend, for the sake of getting monetary benefits from Don Emilio. Gabriel, at first, hesitated, but when her friend Kat decided to help him out, he gave in to the deal. Daniel wasn’t about to jump to the challenge, but after rescuing a pregnant neighbor named Joy from her abusive boyfriend, they made a deal to claim that Joy’s child was Daniel’s instead.
When Chiqui, Kat, and Joy all presented to Don Emilio as pregnant with his grandchild, he still doubted the authenticity of it, so he ran DNA tests to them in order to ensure the kids have Panti genes in them. Kat was indeed pregnant, but she wasn’t sure if his ex-boyfriend or Gabriel was the father. Chiqui was pregnant too, but she agreed to do it with Samuel with believing Samuel loves her the way she loves Samuel. After reuniting with some old family and friends and a friendly volleyball match, in which the sisters’ cousins mock their sexuality, Chiqui found out that Samuel’s main reason for conceiving a child with her was out of dire need for financial gain.
This resulted in a spat between the two, but Chiqui had a miscarriage, in which the sisters felt the true weight of this challenge. Samuel came to her senses about this, and amid his mother’s insistence, he backed out of the deal, especially when Don Emilio didn’t even visit the hospital to mourn for his lost grandson. Don Emilio also found out that Joy’s child wasn’t Daniel’s, also Kat’s child. Both disheartened at their father’s demands, they ran away along with their mother Nora.
After fixing up bad blood with one another, Daniel and Gabriel decided to patch up things together with their stepsister Samuel. One night after bonding together as three sisters, they were faced with trouble. Several men attacked them in the parking area, but they didn’t win over the sisters’ innate martial arts skills. Leaving Daniel alone, she was faced with another group of men, seeking revenge over their defeat. This time, however, they brought a gun with them, and shot Daniel without any hesitation. It was too late when the sisters found her; she was already dead from a bullet through her chest.
On Daniel’s funeral, which was all pink instead of the traditional neutral color scheme, Don Emilio was still hesitant to show his love to his children, in which both Samuel and Gabriel have accepted. However, days after burying Daniel’s body, Don Emilio visited her grave, much to the surprise of the sisters. He then confessed that he had been too hard on them, that the reason for his rough upbringing is that he loves his children so much, and now he is ready to accept his surviving children with all his heart. The tearful family hugged each other, signifying their reunion as one family, and Don Emilio now allows his daughters to call him “Papa”.
The film ends in Kat’s and Gabriel’s wedding, that, despite Gabriel’s gender identity, she chose to be a “second fabulous mom” to Kat’s unborn child and that they will raise the kid together. The cast takes some photos, with Gabriel and Samuel of course, stealing the spotlight one last time.
The Panti Sisters is a refreshing take on typical Filipino films that has homosexual, flamboyant characters, in which Vice Ganda (Jose Viceral) often takes the centerstage. Sure, the color schemes are often bright, vibrant, even trippy at times, but it masks the darkness that the conflicts and the issues of the film. The comedic relief makes it easier to tackle the serious issues, yet The Panti Sisters had scenes wherein the message was delivered in an obvious manner. Jun Lana could’ve done this intentionally to avoid confusion among its target audience, the masses.
The film tackled on a lot of issues that it failed to give proper nods and spotlights to some of the scenes, and without the makeup and the slapstick comedy, Gabriel, Daniel, and Samuel would stay as one-sided characters with stereotypical personalities. Putting it aside however, the film featured wonderful production designs that catches the attention of its viewers. The Panti Sisters also highlights empowerment of people from the LGBT community, breaking away from the barriers that homosexuals are physically and mentally weak. It also shows women empowerment and the effects of toxic patriarchal culture and sexism of the Philippines.
The Panti Sisters is a representation of what the LGBT community wants the rest of the Filipinos to see, not just for the sake of comedy and their entertainment. Through this film, Filipino traits were highlighted both in a good and bad way, which is a wakeup call for all of the masses. Lana emphasizes the negative effects of having an overly-dominant figure in the household, as it stunts the emotional growth of young children. It resulted in an emotionally-constipated family that they only came around when they’re missing one Panti. Hence, albeit being a homosexual-themed film, The Panti Sisters gives emphasis on the importance of acceptance and and love from the family first.
Film 3 – Lola Igna
Lola Igna is a 2019 Philippine film directed and written by Eduardo Roy, Jr., and was one of the entries for Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019. It stars Angie Ferro as the titular character and Yves Flores as his great-great-grandson. It was released last September 12, 2019, which is close to the celebration of Grandparents Day. The film was a great success as it received generally positive reviews from critics, even snagging Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Musical Score, and Best Actress for Ferro. Due to high demand from the public, it extended its release in commercial and independent cinemas across the country until October 3rd, 2019 in UP Film Institute and Cinema ‘76.
Lola Igna follows the story of Igna, a 118-year-old woman who is leading a simple life by herself in the rice fields. The film starts with a shot of her waking up, peeing on a pot, scaring away the birds from her farm using stringed tin cans, and cooking adobong kangkong for breakfast with a mug of tuba (coconut wine), in which she takes time to talk to a framed photo of her husband, Carias. Igna already shows signs of longingness to die the moment she buried a dead bird she found in her farm; even congratulating the bird that it had died, and wished its luck as the bird travels in the other life. Albeit a sweet, sentimental scene that recurs in multiple parts of the film, it is obvious that the flying birds are computer-generated. For the untrained eye, it retains its sentimental message, yet if you spot the artificial birds flying around while the cans clang against each other, it showed some form of comedic relief.
Unlike other Filipino films that “glorifies” poverty so much, Roy has found the perfect balance of portraying poverty in a way it does not fetishize the idea of being poor in the Philippines. Instead of focusing on the economic status of the main characters, through its camera angles and mostly-silent scenes, Roy showed the audience how Igna is content in such a solitude as she waits (rather impatiently) for her death to arrive. Her relatives then arrive in her humble hut, telling her to get ready to meet the mayor. Igna was hesitant, amid Nida’s coaxing, and she refuses to wear the dress that her great-granddaughter, Ana, left inside her cabinet. The red dress, according to Igna, is the one she wants to wear for her funeral.
After dressing up in a simple white ensemble, Igna jokingly tells Nida that her makeup’s fitting for her funeral, which Nida frowned upon. After all, Igna is one of the candidates for the longest-living grandmother not only in the Philippines, but the whole world by an organization named Amazing People of the World. Upon meeting the mayor, it was made clear that when Igna gets the title, she will be awarded $50,000 for every living year she already passed, giving a total of $5.9M. Obviously, the mayor and Nida are both invested in keeping Igna alive, even if the mayor explicitly says that they are not doing this “for the money”. A press conference then follows, with Igna sharing her secret to her long life is to eat fresh vegetables, breathe fresh air, and drink coconut wine from time to time. One press asked Igna if there is anything she’s waiting to happen, given her long time alive, and Igna, with all confidence, she answered that she wants to die. Of course, everyone was in shock at the stark difference of Igna’s wishes to what everyone else wants her to achieve. The mayor dismisses it as part of Igna’s sense of humor, yet it showed some distress on his part, also with Nida’s.
Yet, it is obvious that Igna is pressured by the community with “tourist” activities and stuff, such as taking photos with them, letting people in her home, and Nida exclusively selling shirts, mugs, pins, and magnets with Igna’s face in it. These merchandise, although shows capitalism at one side, gives a connection between the poverty of the town and their desire to improve their resources with Lola Igna’s winning as the oldest living grandmother.
It comes to the point that Igna is already too furious with noisy tourists waiting for her to look out of the window and take photos with her. She takes her urine-filled pot, and pours it to the annoying tourists, with a young man named Tim (Yves Flores) taking most of the hit as he is in front. After driving the tourists away, Tim stays, introducing himself as the son of Lola Igna’s missing great-granddaughter, Ana (played by Merryl Soriano). Igna is overjoyed that she quickly hugs Tim even if he’s still soaking in her own piss. Afterwards, Tim shows his intent to make a vlog about his grandma as one of the oldest living in the world, much to Igna’s confusion (even calling “vlog” as “bla”).
Igna shows Tim a special place in her house, with photographs of her relatives who have passed away. Tim sees the photo of his mother Ana, and it made Igna relieved that after all this time, her missing great-granddaughter is still alive and doing well. Tim stays in for the night, only to be in shock seeing his own great-great-grandma peeing on the pot in front of him. She then starts to open up about her previous job as a midwife after a couple requested to birth their child (in which Igna refused as she’s too old and weak to deliver a baby).
When evening comes and Tim is fast asleep, Igna is left in the dining area drinking her coconut wine. However, she notices someone outside her hut, so she shouts at the figure, but the person doesn’t answer. With slow movements and the suspense coming the background music, Igna goes outside to face the unknown figure, only to find out that it is her husband, Carias. In Filipino superstition, “seeing” your dead loved one, or pagsundo, means that your death is nearing, which makes Igna hopeful that she will be reunited with her husband real soon. The next morning, she goes to Gusting, her gay friend who is also the first child she helped to deliver to the world, and asks if she can borrow her axe and hammer. She also shares to Gusting that Carias was already “fetching” her and she would make her own coffin. Gusting then wonders who would be there to fetch him when he dies as he never got the chance to marry and have children. She and Tim then goes to a lumberjack, asking for some scrap wood, in which Tim carries back to their hut without knowing the reason for it
Igna, overjoyed, then tells Tim her secret about meeting Carias and then requests Tim to make her coffin for her. Tim, obviously confused and hurt with his great-great-grandmother’s request, quickly refuses to do it, saying that they’ve only met for a short time and he wants to spend more time knowing his grandmother. He shares about his struggles back home, where Ana has met another guy and they’re expecting a child real soon. Tim confesses that he feels out of place at home because he doesn’t feel loved, so one of the reasons he went to Igna’s place is that his mother won’t step foot on that place. Igna contemplates on this, and when morning arrives, they learn that Gusting never woke up from his sleep.
Being the first baby that she delivered, Igna shares her grief over Gusting dying ahead of her. Igna shares that she has assisted in the delivery of all the citizens of the town. She then jokingly says that her long life could be credited to her selfishness in being a midwife; that with every child she delivers, it adds more years to her life. However, it doesn’t make her happy anymore because of the long years of her life, she’s the one who always being left behind grieving when someone passes away. Igna also says that she doesn’t know the people from the town anymore, and she’s already tired of living. Tim listens to all of this and after sharing tuba together, he starts building his great-great-grandmother’s coffin.
Over the next few days, Igna has grown kinder to the tourists since her sole wish of having her coffin built is now materializing. She offers to take photos with them, but due to exhaustion, she fainted, and eventually as the story progresses, the doctor explains that Igna had hit her head as she fainted, leading to stroke and comatose. This scene, albeit emotional and filled with suspense, felt rushed and disjointed to the whole film since it wasn’t clearly shown how Igna actually passed out. The transition left viewers wondering how would Igna have hit her head when the tourists near her were quick on their feet to catch her from falling.
Moving on, with Igna unconscious, Nida and Rene finds out that Tim is supporting Igna’s wish of building a coffin, and, thinking it is the source of the evil surrounding Igna (according to a faith healer), Rene destroys it without hesitation. Tim pleaded not to do so since Igna has been telling him over and over again that she wants to die soon, and Nida’s selfishness showed up; she told Tim that if Igna dies, her business and merchandise will suffer a lot. The mayor also forces the family to keep Igna alive, as the results of the award will be announced really soon. Tim finally calls Ana to visit Igna as soon as possible, and he wishes to bond longer with his great-great-grandmother.
Ana, few days into giving birth yet her face filled with beating scars, arrives to the town, in which made Nida angry and resentful over her sister finally returning after many years of abandoning them. Ana tries to wake Igna up over tearful eyes, and in a cliche “finger-jerking” moment, Igna wakes up, wanting to pee. She rips the IV off her wrist, and hugs Ana right away. Tim runs to the town, sharing everyone the good news that Igna is now awake and doing fine. It leads to Nida and Ana reconciling in front of Igna, and it makes her feel happy and grateful to have witnessed it.
Igna opens the windows again to more tourists and fans, even asking who wants to take a selfie with her. After a long day, everyone gathers for dinner and with the mood being set that Igna is satisfied with her simple life as it is, especially with her great-granddaughters reuniting and her family being complete, she shares that death should not be a thing to be afraid of. It obviously set some of her relatives back, especially Tim, but they accept what Igna wishes and now they support her in any way she wants. After dinner, with everyone asleep, Igna sees Carias again, this time, Igna is sure that her time is finally up.
Ana and Tim walk around the farm when morning arrives, confessing to Tim that she already left her boyfriend. Tim’s face lightens up when he finds out that no matter what happens, Ana still loves him as her son. However, she then cries out in pain; she’s about to give birth. With no one with them, Tim calls Igna, pleading her to help Ana to give birth. She carefully delivers the child in the middle of the farm, and from the distance, Carias appears again, but instead of Igna seeing him, it was Ana who sees her great-great-grandfather, and immediately dies after giving birth to a daughter (who remained unnamed until the end of the film). The red dress, that Igna wants to wear for her own funeral, is worn by Ana instead.
In the end, Igna did not get the title as she is being outlived by another woman in Geogria. Merchandise stop selling, and things are slowly becoming more peaceful and quiet around Igna’s small hut, now housing the newborn baby and Tim. One night before going to sleep, Tim records Igna singing a lullaby to the baby, until Igna notices that Tim has been recording her all this time.
For the final scene in the movie, it comes full circle with the first scene where Igna is sleeping by herself; this time, the baby is right next to her, sleeping as well. It isn’t specified how long it had been since the baby looked significantly older. The scene then cuts to Tim’s final vlog, which shows Igna from his point of view, and uploads it to YouTube. Igna carries the baby outside, looking at the fields with his face showing various emotions. At one side, it looks like she found a new meaning to live now that she has to take care of her great-great-great-granddaughter. At another side, however, she looks frustrated as she had helped deliver another human being, which means her years on earth is still far from over.
Lola Igna shows a kind of existential crisis that is not often told and shown to the audience. Usually, this type of crisis is often seen in coming-of-age films marketed to the youth, however, this is the same crisis, but in a different perspective. When we think of “existential crisis”, the common conception that the crisis only affects those who are still not sure of what to do with their life and what’s the point of being alive. Lola Igna, on the other hand, have been living for so long she has lost the will and purpose of staying alive.
Through this film, although marketed as a “comedy” film, has tugged our heartstrings with every life (and death) moment that Igna faces. It is a drama lightened up with Igna’s quick humorous comments and simply our appreciation with the wisdom of the elderly. Lola Igna is a recommended movie for Filipino families who want a feel-good film that’s still etched with various emotions that will make you laugh, cry, and contemplate the value of life that we have.
How do these films represent Filipino Cinema the way they want to?
These three films represent Filipino Cinema in at least three different perspectives. LSS: Last Song Syndrome represents Filipino’s love for music and pursuing their passion, but is often frowned upon if thought of as a source of income or a career choice. It also represents the youth’s longing for love — be it from someone we like or a parent we haven’t seen yet. The Panti Sisters represents both the good and the bad aspects of how Filipinos treat and regard the LGBT community, especially in the familial structure. Lola Igna represents how Filipinos can literally “idolize” anyone that trends on social media that we often become victims of capitalism and consumerism. It also shows Filipinos’ connection with their loved ones even if they’re far away from us. The stories — both main and side stories — show a slice of the Filipino life that, albeit being formalist in nature, builds a connection between the film and the viewers.
LSS: Last Song Syndrome has a coming-of-age feel, with the addition of Ben&Ben songs to add and emphasize certain parts of the film and to give more context to the audience what the film is all about. It is a musical in essence, but unlike most musical films with original songs written for them, Ben&Ben, being one of the executive producers of LSS, made sure that their existing songs and the plot of the film are connected with one another. Aside from the music, colors of the scenes provide the emotions intended. The Panti Sisters has an extravagantly colorful and vibrant color scheme, with filming techniques similar to the typical Filipino slapstick comedy films that the masses are used to. It could be done intentionally since the film targets this part of the audience; the message they want to send is on a serious, even darker, note that if such was delivered in a dramatic, realistic manner, it will not fulfill its purpose. Lola Igna has a lot of still, silent sequences with Igna going about with her life alongside loud, dynamic sequences with Igna being distressed in front of many people shows. The closeup shots are often used with the main character since her emotions are a vital part of the film. Using wide shots to show Igna’s home, especially with Tim alongside her, is a representation of their bonding as grandma and great-great-grandson.
Each film depicts a story in the life of an ordinary Filipino. They can be viewed as a chapter in what the Filipino society was like that can be looked back on by future generations. In celebration of the centennial anniversary of Filipino cinema, LSS: Last Song Syndrome, The Panti Sisters, and Lola Igna are prime faces of how the industry has evolved over the past 100 years. Yet, with all the innovation in filming techniques and change in socio-political and economic structure of our society, there are still traces of the traditional Filipino cinema that survived through time. They still possess a strong Filipino identity, aside from the language, but the cultures they portray in the film. Such cultures include, but not limited to: patriarchy, tolerance (but not acceptance) of the members of the LGBT community, indifference of elders over the creative/music industry, consumerism, and strong family ties.
Resolution
The future of Philippine cinema
Like all countries improving and flourishing with their way of living and how technological advancement will eventually come to appear and support the establishment like our country, the Philippines slowly changing from old its system to the new progress of the government and nation. The Philippine cinema from its old times improved beautifully from the computer-generated imagery or CGI to the plots of the story lots of variants for different improvements up to now. Actually some of the screened films from our country get to international cinemas and some even get achievements that is how amazing our film directors have improved all these years.
Inspiration for future filmmakers
For the future filmmakers, there are plenty of inspirations and motivations that enables then to get references as idea for their desired film, like drawing you have an artist to follow to be inspired more like that idea for movie making for the upcoming directors that will soon reach the top and change the people that will watch. Films can be easily accessed and made nowadays as well with the boom of the Internet and social media. You can now make a short film with your phone, and watch them with the same platform. With its accessibility to aspiring filmmakers, it can be used to explore and generate new techniques and new perspectives for audiences to watch in the films of the future.
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The Raid: Redemption
directed by Gareth Evans
I watched this film a few days ago, and I think it's one of the most exciting films I've watched this year.
It's about a SWAT team going in the tenement to take a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs. It's a hyper-violent film involving guns, knives and martial arts.
One of the most obvious things I loved about the film were the fight scenes. The choreography was gruesome, intense and insane. There was a scene when Rama (the main character) jumped back and dragged the enemy to impale his neck with a broken door.
Another thing I loved about the film was the cinematography. Near the beginning of the film, an over-the-shoulder shot shows a kid from the distance yelling "Police!" just before a bullet rips through his neck, then the camera pans to a close-up shot showing the other kid's reaction.
My reaction was "Holy sh** that camera's good!"
It makes me feel like I'm in the film.
I also love the suspense in some scenes, especially when three SWAT members are hiding in the toilet as an enemy wielding a machete slowly walks and looks through each door. You could hear him tapping the machete against the wall as he walks, which adds to the suspense.
The music score was created by Mike Shinoda and Joseph Trapanese, and I think that they did an amazing job with it because it adds the epic, grungy and intense atmosphere, which is what most of the film is visually.
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Empress to Success
A Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay Analysis
Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay was a phenomenal mockumentary that sheds light in the Philippine Film Industry and the actors/actress with the likes of Lilia Cuntapay. The life of an actress is complex to the point that fame, awards, set roles, and lifestyle becomes either filled with glee or anticipation. Lilia Cuntapay, the star of the documentary, was longing to be awarded – as Best Supporting Actress – and she has been in the filming industry for about 30 years without winning an award, that her anticipation and anxiety, grows more and more. Finding out one day she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but losing to Rio Locsin. The desire of winning was in her eyes but it instantly faded as she found out she didn’t won, and this documentary shows her perspective and why winning this award is such an anticipated moment for her.
The documentary’s referential meaning is about the Philippine Film Industry, how often times actors and stresses don’t get the treatment and recognition they deserve and been longing for and Often times discriminated or told they want other people for roles or categories to win. In the documentary, Lilia Cuntapay, an actress who has been in multiple movies for years, was informed to be on set 6AM the day, without receiving any other information such as role, script, or even what the movie is about. And when the director finally met Lilia Cuntapay, he went off saying if they can get another person to fill her role since she’s old and did horror related tasks. And through-out the years, Lilia’s work has been iconic, yet she hasn’t won an award yet even though she centers the “Hollywood” of Philippines, labelled as the “Kevin Bacon” of the Philippines.
The documentary was complex in terms of its originality, because it shows Lilia’s thoughts on wanting to win Best Supporting Actress, and it is Realistic, Coherent, and Original in a sense that this is the life and the experiences a (veteran) actress goes through. She hopes for the better but sometimes it just doesn’t show up, but it will in the end. The documentary explicitly means that when you work hard on something, it will not be easy or as smooth as you thought it would be, but you will get your vocation and your worth in the end. She never won an award, but when Rio Locsin – Best Supporting Actress winner – shared her label and award to Lilia Cuntapay. And working in the film industry for years and not earning an award is tough in the eyes of an artist because even though awards aren’t everything, it gives a strong sense of value and “acceptance” to the awardee, and this documentary is Lilia’s award. She won best actress in this documentary, awards that she never got the opportunity to acquire. It will come by in the end. Even if you feel like hope is lost that doesn’t mean it’s no longer worth fighting for. And it is moral because despite of the satire and laughable elements, we can learn how a veteran actress is passionate and caring for her recognition and with the people that helped her on her journey.
When I watched this documentary I was laughing, I was thrilled, I was down, and I was proud – for Lilia Cuntapay. What made this film so original is the internal monologues and thoughts Lilia has on giving her thank you speech if she wins. This was shown in cuts where she wears a dress, surround by references to her past films, and struggling to talk in the podium.
The entire documentary itself is just an internal thought of Lilia about desiring to win an award – in my own interpretation. Through-out the film she was trying to construct her speech, and shown in parts where she visualizes herself giving the speech. And at the day of the awarding ceremony, she rehearses her speech only to find out she lost, and basically gave up on her speech, and was literally lost on what to say when Rio Locsin invited her on stage with her award. This whole documentary was a visualization of what Lilia’s desires for when winning, she tries hard to get interviews, recognition, be nominated, and she did it, she did it because of this documentary. She may not have won in her past roles, but for her role in this documentary - a documentary showing her desire to win - made her an award-winning actress.
Director Peque Gallaga expressed his love and amazement about Lilia Cuntapay and how much she is one of the amazing Filipino actresses there is. He also mentioned how much an award is worth it to an actor/actress. The documentary symptomatically means how just in real life awards should actually mean anything, but the psychological and emotional attachment it has is very strong, and society always look upon any person with an award in glory. Just the label “award winning actress” shows great value to the actress and looked up on society. The psychology behind awards is that give the awardee that entitlement that they did amazing, they are worth it, they deserve this from all their hard work, everyone will see how amazing of a person you are. It literally just a label, paired with a piece of material like a trophy, medal, certificate etc. But the power it has is strong. In the real world, the label you have will make you stand out and looked up on the most, even in Politics. A person who has categories such as award winning actress, best production, charity head, etc. has a way bigger reputation and earns more opportunities, compared to someone who is just an actress for years or has years of experience in acting. The entitlement means a lot to an individual as well as awards, and it’s normal to a person to desire for that, especially to an actress who was 75 years old and working in film for many years.
Winning isn’t everything, but it sure is something. Lilia Cuntapay hasn’t won an award until this documentary was released. She labels herself as an actress, but not famous. She may have worked in many films but wouldn’t consider herself well known, even if she is metaphorically the “Kevin Bacon” of Philippines for that she worked with many people in the industry. Many people were not even familiar with her, until one roles and works were mentioned to retain the people’s memory. Some people remember her, some people don’t, but what stays the same is how much of a successful actress and individual (in general) Lilia Cuntapay is. In the end, even if you did not get the recognition you always wanted, that doesn’t mean you will never be successful.
Written by Keith Daniel Nicodemus
#Lilia Cuntapay#Six Degress of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay#FILMLANG#MM22#itsKeithDanNic#Documentary#Philippines#Film#Analysis
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New light
The film is about a man from the province trying to start a life in urban manila, the scene starts with a black and white portrayal of manila where the streets seem empty but slowly it turns into a busy centre where people come bustling in and is suddenly so full of life and in colour once the main character- Julio Madiaga. The film itself historically portrays poverty during the Marcos era in the Philippines during the 1970s and many other social or political issues, continuing on the film; the film sho9ws how difficult it is to “get rich” in the manila coming from a province and was in fact not as easy and breezy as people said it would be. Julio manages to get a job as a construction worker and is paid what I think could be minimum wage in that time. Another dream to get rich was from one of the other character in which Julio is looking for- Ligaya. She was sent to manila dreaming to get rich and make more money than she did back in the province. She went to manila and became a prostitute; not by choice. Soon enough Julio also succumbs to doing the same thing and becoming a prostitute as he is laid off his job due to the building being almost complete just so he can make a sort of living in his trying times as the clutches of manila tightens its grasp on him.
These issues are still relevant today as these issues are still present and perhaps even worse- as consumerism has pretty much taken over. While the film is good and has been restored to 4k the sound of the original film was quite different. Some scenes the background noise overpowered the conversation that was usually going on. The cinematography for some scenes where phenomenal. But personally I like that the colour came in the moment that Julio came into view in the start of the film when the starting film was empty and black and white. The film itself also symbolizes the dreams that many Filipinos had. Like the modern day American dream. Back then Filipinos would flock to manila like for fortune and luxury. But instead there is corruption every-which way you go. Meanwhile Julio represents every poor man in a corrupt city, yet in the clutches of greed and corruption he manages to make friends and bonds with his fellow construction workers- which is one my favourite bits in the film. Because I value my friends quite well and we value each other. Even when we’re flat broke we still have fun together whether its playing games together or even eating together; like cooking something with whatever was left in his kitchen and just generally having a good time together, just like in the film. Julio is also seen eating with his friends in some sort of karinderia or going to an thrift store to buy “new”? clothes.
But perhaps one of the other scenes that struck me the most was the last seen where Julio had just killed his love interests oppressor which was perceived to be a Chinese man kinda like a pimp. Which is also somewhat relevant today. However, after killing him, the chase of the mob and cornering Julio the expression on his face was striking, his emotions perfectly conveyed, fear, and anger, maybe even regret? But there is a like a little glimmer of hope as Ligaya- Julio’s love interest shows up in the shot and at least they had that little time back together, not exactly a good ending for the story if it were some kind of love story. From there, it isn’t precisely shown how the film ends but I think that was a good way to end it, open-ended, free to interpretation. I like to think that maybe the mob doesn’t kill him and he reunites with his love, but I guess I’m just a sucker for those kinds of stories- most probably that isn’t how it ends but that’s how I take it. To conclude, the movie was made well, maybe a few hiccups in the audio production, intentional or not, I’m not much of a fan of how the background noise overpowers the conversations. But overall I like the movie how it is, even if it isn’t in 4k I like the feel of it more that way, it just seems more organic even with the somewhat broken audio- especially since it was shot in the 70’s some shots I like are the ones by the end with Julio’s expression and seeing Ligaya maybe one last time. I give the film 9/10 good film, attacks social issues and brings it in an artistic format. I actually also like the way the film was coloured, maybe shot on kodaks Ektachrome film I hope.
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Who is Lilia Cuntapay?
Lilia Cuntapay was born on January 3, 1935 in Tuguegarao, Cagayan, Philippines. She also was a Filipino horror movie extra but has been dubbed the queen of Pinoy horror films for her more notable performances in “shake, rattle, and roll”. Unfortunately that is all she is known for and also how she is identified- so no other movies would try to hire her as an actress because of her identification as a horror film extra. Until Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay came out and she was more recognized as an actress instead of a horror movie bit player. Projects she was hired on was for most horror films
Six Degrees of Separation is a theory in which that all people are at least 6 connections or less away from knowing other people- which is sort of in tandem with the friend-of-a-friend chain. This is where a person states something about a friend from a friend which can be carried over from 6 people. It’s almost infinitesimal that one person would know another person that their friend knows. Much like having 2 completely different friendgroups in school and then finding out one of them knows the other from a different friendgroup.
Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay is one of those films that is formatted to look like a documentary- but is in fact a mockumentary; written by Antoinette Jadaone In which case is a film that isn’t as true to life as it may be. The film starts off with a bunch of interviews from other prolific film makers. The film itself begins typically with a setting point that Lilia got nominated for an award for best supporting actress. The story continues as she prepares for her award- if she were to win that is. While it is somewhat documentary-like with its camera movement and production the intention is to lead the viewer into thinking it is an actual life story or biography.
The mockumentary style of the film is benefitted by not having to be as true to life and most of the bits and pieces are what seem to be built on some kernel of truth. While some scenes can be comedic at times, it isn’t the best but at it but is most certainly a commendable attempt. What wasn’t expected was how moving Lilia can be. She can act more than just some spooky horror movie ghost or extra. The emotional scenes are moving, almost lifelike often times I find myself forgetting that this is supposed to be a mockumentary as opposed to a documentary. Leading to that, the scenes that moved me the most was when she was interviewed- Lilia’s eyes shined so brightly. She was happy to get some kind of recognition finally, but in the end all they showed was her name on the screen. I could totally feel the sadness that she was exhibiting, so much so that I also joined her in crying. Another scene that moved me so was when she called one of her children to say that she got approved. However the daughter took it differently, and instead thought that she got approved for a visa. She was so happy that she could get her mother to fly out and visit her. But Lilia stood silent, almost heart broken. Her excitement died down into a terrible sadness and despair. To further move the scene forward with her brilliant drama-like acting- she unplugs her telephone cord and is still and continues to be silent.
Scenes where there is some kind of mock award show where she picks up a trophy and is talking on a podium is one of those scenes I like to appreciate because of how much it is repeated but almost always different. I like to think that whenever a scene like that shows up, it’s like going inside her head, having a little peak at what is happening in her mind. In there she is shown to be confident, and speaks well without pausing but once it comes to the actual event where she is called onto the podium by someone else who had won but wanted her to be recognized, she is frozen- almost speechless. But nevertheless, that scene did make me tear up quite a bit. Her name as a Queen of Pinoy horror films precedes her as her acting is actually quite on point despite mostly only having been a bit player for ghosts or aswangs.
Ultimately, the film also showcases just how cruel the film industry can be by only giving glamour and fame to those who are deemed important. The movie itself showcases how the identified horror movie actress can be more than just what she is. Thanks to the director of the mockumentary, throughout the film thanks to the brilliant writing of the director, Lilia is able to convey and act out scenes with so much realism. If only she were given the chance to act in other films and not just be horror movie extras. She would be recognized as something more. It also shows that the queen of pinoy horror cinema has also worked with almost every other actor or actress before, hence the name six degrees of separation- this is due to the fact that she has had much history with the industry; almost 3 decades worth of experience. Overall- I think I’d give the movie an 8.5/10 because of how well written it is and how it made me feel despite being a mockumentary film.
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Weekly Blog#3 - The Act of Killing
Lico Daniel Nicolas Lizardo
FILMLANG
MMA24
The Act of Killing is a documentary about a former Indonesian death squad that is being challenged to reenact the mass killings that they have done in the past in any way they wish to do so.
At first when you have no solid foundation in guessing what the documentary is about, you will think that it may be a serious documentary but, won’t be as dark or as heavy as the title implies, especially since in the beginning, we encounter a scene where the actors are being told repeatedly to smile, be happy, and look more peaceful. This illusion is enhanced by the environment and the costumes they are wearing. But this illusion is immediately broken by the texts explaining what the documentary is about and the subjects are introduced.
In my opinion, the mode of this documentary is the participatory mode, since the subjects of this documentary, which are the former Indonesian death squad leaders, reenact their deeds of the past, which were the mass-killings of innocents and civilians. They reenact many of the acts they committed in the past usually with the help of their peers or other bystanders near them. One of the most horrifying things that the documentary was able to capture about the former death squad leaders is how creative they used to be when they were still committing mass-killings. Another thing is that former members are unrepentant about the deeds they committed. This is perfectly shown because of the participatory mode that the documentary used. The former death squad still laugh and smile about what they have done in the past, especially when they are telling stories about it and recreating it.
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WEEKLY BLOG#2 - Maynila Sa Kuko Ng Liwanag
Lico Daniel Nicolas Lizardo
FILMLANG
MMA24
This film is about a man from a province,Julio, and her girlfriend, Ligaya, who was recruited for a job and was promised a bright future in Maynila and after a while of sending each other letters,went silent. Julio journeyed through Maynila to find her lover..
Even though I am more interested in current films that are being made, I have seen a fair share of old movies that were made during the 70’s and 90’s era. Though most of them were Fernando Po Junior Action Blockbuster films and some drama and Comedy films. The reason is because these were the films that were always on air on Filipino Channels such as Cinema One. Because of my experience with old Filipino movies, I thought, before the movie started, that maybe this would be the same in some way. But at the very beginning of the film , the tone was serious, showing different people doing everyday chores. Then the protagonist was introduced, slowly being filled with color from being black and white. The colors that were used and the design of the background, to the color of his skin, made him stand out, especially since he was the only character in frame at that moment. This led the audience to know that this character, named Julio, is the protagonist. The scene that followed this was him staring at a small building, Chua Tek Trading Company, and immediately shows the audience a flashback of a girl walking at a beachside waving at someone. This gave the audience an idea of what to expect from the film. That it will be about a man searching for his long lost lover. This expectation that was given to the audience made them want to stay and get involved with the story. It made the viewers watch for even the smallest detail. It made them focus on the movie and exciting wait and see how the story of Julio and Ligaya unfolds.
The meaning that the film has is the Symptomatic meaning. Since the movie was somewhat based on the events in the Philippines during the time that it was being filmed we can say that it has a Symptomatic Meaning. Since during that time, promising Filipinos with poor lives in the provinces with promising futures, but actually selling them out or tricking them with odd jobs were prevalent during the time of this film’s making. It was also the time when a lot of chinese citizens were migrating to the Philippines and having families there, explaining the scene where Ligaya had a baby whose father is the owner of the chinese trading company.
The emotions that the film wanted to present to the audience came across successfully. Viewers felt every anger, sorrow, anxiety, and the small bits of happiness that the movie wanted them to feel. A scene that is a great example for this is just after Julio found out that the Chinese husband of Ligaya killed her as she was trying to escape. In a fit of rage and sorrow Julio charged towards the place of the husband and he stabbed him as the husband opened the door for him. After realizing what he had done and having witnesses of him committing murder. He ran, filled with fear, and was cornered by the citizens who saw what he did and were going to beat him up. During his scene where he was going to stab the husband, his anger resonated within the audience, but the audience still wanted him to stop before doing something he would regret. The viewers also felt fear as he was being cornered by the townspeople. Another great example is when Julio and Ligaya made a promise to meet and escape together. This filled the audience with hope that the film will have a happy ending. One of the reasons that the characters’ emotions came across to the audience was because whenever a character experienced an intense wave of emotion the camera would zoom in, letting the audience see the emotion of the character clearly. The actors also made facial expressions that were realistic and believable.
The film is straightforward in telling the viewers what kind of content it will be presenting to us.Most of the expectations that the audience had while watching the film were gratified. For example, Most of the time spent in the movie Julio kept searching for Ligaya even if the leads he got got him nowhere, and as expected, he was able to find her. The expectation that got cheated was when Julio approached the owner of the trading company for the first time and asked if Ligaya was with him, and was answered no. The audience completely believed that he had Ligaya with him since all the investigating that Julio did pointed to the owner. Though this was cheated at first, it became gratified, thus it was only delayed because the audience soon found out that Ligaya had a baby with him and he actually was her husband. Another expectation that was cheated was when Ligaya and Julio promised to run away together with the baby, but Ligaya did not show and was found out to be killed by the husband. Overall the movie gratified the expectations of the audience while delaying some of those gratifications by having some twists here and there in the story. Ultimately making the story much more believable and more interesting to watch.
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