Posts published during July, 2006

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July 30, 2006

Cinemalaya 2006 in UP

The Cinemalaya 2006 feature-length and short films will be having its run at the UP Film Institute’s Cine Adarna next week. Be sure to catch these films before you lose the chance!

Out of the eight feature-length films, I’ve only seen Donsol, which I really liked. I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of the films, including this year’s best picture, Tulad ng Dati.

Tickets will be sold at Cine Adarna’s box office for just 50 pesos each.

August 7, Monday August 8, Tuesday
2:00 PM Cinemalaya Shorts Winners: Orasyon; Kwarto; Parang Pelikula; Putot 2:00 PM Batad
5:00 PM Rotonda 5:00 PM Tulad ng Dati
7:00 PM Mudraks 7:00 PM In Da Red Korner
9:00 PM Cinemalaya Shorts Program I: Orasyon; Parang Pelikula; Putot;
Puwang; Sa Silaw		 9:00 PM Donsol
August 9, Wednesday August 10, Thursday
2:00 PM Cinemalaya Shorts Program II: 10:25 ng Gabi; Gee-Gee at Waterina;
Kwarto; Labada; No Passport Needed		 2:00 PM Saan Nagtatago si Happiness
5:00 PM Cinemalaya Shorts Winners: Orasyon; Kwarto; Parang Pelikula;
Putot		 5:00 PM Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo
7:00 PM Donsol 7:00 PM Batad
9:00 PM Rotonda 9:00 PM Tulad ng Dati
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Protected: I’ll do it just because…

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July 28, 2006

Budding pineapple

Pineapple

You see a lot of these in pineapple plantations all across Cavite’s southern hills, in towns like Amadeo, Silang and also in Tagaytay City.

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July 26, 2006

Stills from Cello

Here are a few stills from the short film we in UP CAST shot last weekend.

Cello

Cello  Cello

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Protected: Not just an issue of equity

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July 25, 2006

Magbabad sa putik

UP CAST on location at Silang, Cavite

I spent almost the entire weekend with my orgmates from UP CAST (UP Cinema Arts Society) for the shoot of a short film project. We shot on location at some remote farm in Silang, Cavite.

As always, shoots are stressful and tiring but really fun. Despite the bad weather and other unfavorable circumstances, we were able to pull it off.

Mud, mud, mud, mud, more mud!

I refuse to imagine what sort of organic matter compose the mud we were walking on all day. What were we expecting anyway, we were in a farm and it was raining all day. I pity my friends who were wearing Havaianas that day. ‘Yan kasi eh. Alam namang bukid ang location, nagha-Havaianas pa. Hehe.

Kid on top of a tree

UP Cinema Arts Society on location at Silang, Cavite

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July 24, 2006

Guys should pay less for Metro train rides

Joma inside a crowded LRT 1 coach, Manila

[That's Joma inside a crowded coach of LRT 1 in Manila. We were on our way back to U.P. from attending the Cinemalaya 2006 Film Congress at the Cultural Center of the Philippines]

I don’t usually ride the MRT and LRT since I live just a jeepney ride away from the university. Last week though, I commuted almost everyday on both.

I wouldn’t usually have any problem with women having their own exclusive coach. It’s true that they are susceptible to sexual harrassment in a crowded train. But it doesn’t feel right whenever everyone else gets really cramped up inside the other coaches and other commuters can’t get into the train anymore, while the female-exclusive first car is half empty while there is considerable space for commuters left in the first coach. Hell, everyone pays for the same fare, I don’t see why the ladies should have an added privelege over everyone else. It rests on the assumption that only women get harrassed inside crowded trains–which is absolutely untrue!! The MRT and LRT should charge women more for their added comfort. Or better yet, charge the guys less for the inconvenience we are forced to bear.

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Never a private, personal art

Cinemalaya 2006 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines

Aside from watching the gala premiere of Donsol last Wednesday night, I also attended the first day of the 2nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival’s Film Congress last Thursday. I went there with my orgmates from UP MCO.

Cinemalaya 2006 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines with college friends

Much was talked about the potentials of independent digital filmmaking. Can filmmaking really be independent? Filmmaking is a public art. You make films for other people to see. It can’t really be a totally “I will make movies regardless of what other people say” kind of thing because filmmaking, I believe, will always rely on audiences to thrive, it will always rely on funds to be produced, it will always rely on team effort of a crew. You can’t make films by yourself for yourself. The discussion about a truly independent, no-holds-barred filmmaking for me is an irrelevant discussion. This is simply about the decentralization of filmmaking in the Philippines from the traditional cliques of producers and directors to newer batches of filmmakers. It will still always rely on a lot of other factors, a lot of are beyond the control of any filmmaker.

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July 23, 2006

Philippine Collegian Issue 05

Philippine Collegian 06-07, Issue 5“It is now obvious that the country is headed by a President whose policies and actions are aimed at maintaining her grip on power, even resorting to murder in her helpless attempt to quell her dissenters… The number speak for themselves: more than 700 deaths of activists and journalists remain unexplained since Arroyo took office… A similarly alarming count is the 200 victims of forced disappearances, including the two UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan.

[...] Indeed, while funding for basic services remain low, she has the capacity to release a billion-perso fund for her all-out war against “insurgency,” which constitutes practically all those who oppose her. It is simply unforgivable for a President to allot such a huge chunk of the budget to protect herself in a time when many of our countrymen, like the OFWs in Lebanon and calamity-stricken residents of serveral provinces, are desperately in need of help.

[...] The deployment of the military and police in this year’s SONA [State of the Nation Address], the largest in our history, indicates that the President is willing to inflict brute force just to be able to deliver her litany of deception…”

That was from the latest issue of the Philippine Collegian. Download the latest issue here.

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For the love of Chinese food too

Light Rail Transit, Manila

Last Sunday, after watching the UP-Ateneo basketball game at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, I took the LRT to U.N. Avenue after my mom SMSed me that my grandfather was rushed to Manila Medical Center all the way from Cavite.

Just the previous day, we had the usual extended family lunch at Emerald Garden Restaurant along Roxas Blvd. We’ve been spending the extended family lunch at the said restaurant for almost a decade now. It has become a tradition. I’m honestly very close to getting tired of going there, not aided by the fact that the elders order pretty much the same things over and over again all these years. The past years, every time I had a good excuse not to come along, I’d use it. That’s not saying that I don’t like it there. I love Chinese food. It’s just that the tradition has become monotonous, and engaging in the elders-talk was never really my thing. Anyway, I decided to come along last week because I somewhat felt that the tradition’s days are numbered. The only reason we have extended family lunches is because of my grandfather, and it is due to his preference that we’ve been going to Emerald all these years whenever he has his medical check-ups in Manila.

My gradfather’s health is continuously deteriorating. I’m not keen on how long we can all hold on to things. If my schedule permits me, I’ll be at the next family lunch, or the next, and the next. And I’ll be thankful.

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