A Brilliant Day with Brillante Mendoza

March 4, 2010. Thursday. UST Thomas Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium.

It was an Indie-ful Day.

CineVita 2010

Today marks the 2nd day of the CineVita 2010, the Varsitarian's educational film festival features the award-winning works of Brillante "Dante" Mendoza, the 62nd Cannes Best Director: "Lola", which won the Best Picture at the Dubai International Film Festival, and the controversial "Kinatay", which gave him the Best Director plum, beating out big names such as Quentin Tarantino and Ang Lee. (Yes, he's the first Filipino to win the award.)

Director Brillante Mendoza

And by 1 P.M., the program started and the auditorium was packed with students, professors, guests, including some of the lead actresses and the humble UST Alumnus Director Mendoza himself. And this event, is free of charge.
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Lola (Grandmother)

The first film shown was "LOLA". Which means "Grandmother" in English. This film features the veteran actresses Anita Linda as Lola Sepa, and Rustica Carpio as Lola Puring.

To put it in a shortened summary, Lola Sepa is struggling to raise funds to give her grandson a decent burial, who was a victim of a robbery with homicide case. While on the other hand, Lola Puring tries to make ends meet everyday to gather money to provide her grandson the requirements to be freed from prison, who happens to be the killer of Lola Sepa's grandson.

With the great veteran actress, Anita Linda

The film's execution and slow narrative and development is enough to tell the story of the struggle of both aged women, who would do almost everything for the sake of their own loved ones. Poverty is written all over the film. But the difficulty of the shooting of the film itself is a testament already and was helpful in amplifying the magnitude of the character's struggles.

I felt tired for the grandmothers every time they will roam around the city. That's how effective it is.

The everyday scenario of Metro Manila serves as the backdrop and the stage where these characters converge and try to maximize their abilities in order to solve the dilemma at hand.

The ladies with the director

As Direk Brillante emphasized on the open forum after the film, this is an alternative film. An "indie" or an independent film is truly different from the mainstream media. This film, according to the director, has nothing to offer commercially, as with the leading actresses in their senior ages, versus the "in-demand" young and beautiful actors. But that's what makes this film stronger and more truthful in every way. The film itself is a struggle, that has shown brilliance from start to finish. Truly an inspiration.

It also underscores the Pinoy trait of love for family, and the desire and will to keep on living.

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After "Lola", the people inside the auditorium was asked to exit the area for another registration in preparation for the next film. "Kinatay" is Rated R-18, and the students must present their IDs to prove they are of legal age. If there was a better rating for this film, I'd say it should be R-40.

Kinatay. (Butchered)

Kidding aside, to say this film is violent, is simply an understatement. The director aptly called it "Disturbing. Physically violent, and Psychologically violent." And that is what he wanted. To tell the story, and have the viewer's mind think, disturbed, and to be aware. And if that is the end-result, then he got the job done.

Oh boy, he got the job done pretty well. Very well.

It might not compare to the ultra-horror-gore-fest films that I've seen before, but the manner of execution by telling it in a real-time stroke, and the actors portraying the characters as believable and as real as it can get, can get you exhausted and glued to the story as it goes along.

This film has an "All-Star" Cast for an Indie film. It stars Coco Martin, John Regala, Julio Diaz, Ping Medina, Jhong Hilario, Maria Isabel Lopez, Mercedes Cabral, Susan Africa, Allan Paule, and many more.

The film tackles the life of Peping, played by Coco Martin, a 20 year old Criminology student. He was recently married to his wife Cecille, and was a good father to their 7-month old child. But one thing lead to another, and one late night, he found himself being pulled by Abyong (Jhong Hilario) to join his boss' operation.

The "Kinatay": Ms. Maria Isabel Lopez

Abyong's bosses happens to be ranked policemen. The operation: Get Madonna (Maria Isabel Lopez). The prostitute who failed to pay her debts relating to drugs. And when I say this film is ultra-disturbing, the violent slaps and beating of the woman is not enough. As with the title suggests, "Kinatay", means "Butchered." Yes, Madonna was butchered to pieces.

The mere repetitive sound of the bladed weapon chopping through the flesh and bones of a human body is enough to send shivers to your innards. Try imagining of a butcher, pun intended, chopping a livestock animal in a market. Amplify that sight and sound by a hundred times. (Insert word "Decapitation" here.)

And what's more shocking than watching the film, is the director's answer to what was his inspiration and purpose for this film: It was told to him by a Criminology student, first-hand, on his experience with the Police. And the horror and the fear was still present in the student's eyes. The story was researched and verified by the production team. And the director wanted the public to be aware, that the perpetrators of these demonic acts were done by the same people who should have been protecting us.

Truly the powerful is corruptible. But so is the powerless.

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The Director and his newest Coco Martin:" Coco Cobana"

Whatever you hear or read about the critic's reviews or reactions, take them, but do not take them as the truth. Try to see and watch his films, particularly "Kinatay", and have a sense of your own critique. Mr. Mendoza has won both lovers and haters from the Film Industry, both here and abroad. But he doesn't care. He simply wants to tell the stories truthfully, honestly, and he's got nothing to hide.

And of all his films, as one film critic pointed out, that he never fails to place religious references in his films. Whether it be a shot of a church, or an image of Jesus Christ posted on a wall, he tries to juxtapose the image of God and the image of man in his lowest points. Highlighting the culture and the religiosity of the Filipino people. A unique and a thought-provoking trait of Brillante's films.

Now I'd say that's truly an artist.

I'd say it was a successful CineVista, and it was a great time to see the actresses and the director personally. He was warm, approachable, and very humble. Truly a Thomasian by heart and spirit. Looking forward to more CineVista's and more of Brilliant Brillante's works!

Two thumbs up (+ Applause!)

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