Filipino Filmmakers Paving The Way

It wasn't too long ago that film critic icon Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun Times dubbed one of the film entries in the 2009 Cannes Film Festival as "..the worst film in the history of Cannes Film Festival." The denominated film, which caused many stirring for their seats during it's premiere in the South of France, was the Filipino entry"Kinatay", directed by Brillante Mendoza, whose sophomore appearance in the prestigious festival caused a surprising turn around when the film in questioned and battered won the top prize of "Best Director". Critics, Artists, and Industry folks were astonished as to Mendoza's acquired distinction during the evening's ceremony when the stroll to receive the honor left veteran filmmakers Ang Lee and Quentin Tarantino sitting amongst the elite, acknowledging it's recipient.

Mendoza's accolade simply might have proved Ebert's concept of "Kinatay" as a whimsical gesture of reading too deep into the film, but it might have also been just a child born out of a handful of jury members from the acclaimed festival. Whatever it may be, both the filmmaker and the film had created a ripple in the independent film industry that conjured many critics worldwide an idea of what these festivals can or might bring forth to the film world. The mere fact that almost after a decade since Raymond Red's short, "Anino", won the Palm D'Or, another Filipino Director has paved way from his accomplishment, is something to wake up from.

The Philippines has had it's share of great artists in the industry, but never has the country seen it's rise of local domestic filmmakers protrude the market, which is currently saturated by over groping and commercialized mainstream films. The country's foremost concept about cinema is making it's box office "gross". It is not more of a logical move to gamble on a pure solid esthetics of an independent film, but more on the financial returns. Thus, making these other "indie filmmaker's" journey even a slow struggle.

Filipino-New Yorker Director Redd Ochoa, whose last film "Baliw", creating a riff in the international film festival market, has continued to generate a more stronger stand on independent films in the Philippines and it's system. Independently produced from inception all the way through it's fruition, "Baliw" has stepped aside from the country's mainstream norm and slowly gambled a new approach to the process. From the international festival runs, theatre premieres (North America/Europe), and to it's recent DVD sales, the film has garnered a substantial financial return since the birth. It not only covered the production costs, but has substantially maintained a coverage for his newly formed Philippine production company, Redd5Luke Entertainment Productions. All this, and still maintaining the title of "an independent production". Ochoa has also became a big part of several indie and student films in the country by shouldering most of the production constraints that each filmmaker encounters within the industry of the Philippines. Being at times the "silent" Producer helps with the process and assists in paving the way for filmmakers both young and old in leaping over the hurdles brought forth by mainstream production houses, cinemas, and bureaucratic "red-tape".

Many independent filmmakers have fought the system in the country and continue to stay true to what they believe in. Local filmmakers such as Raya Martin and Lav Diaz have constantly stayed grounded to their craft with a gracious approach to what the cinema has to offer. And with GB Sampedro's recent claim to fame for his movie "Astig" at the 2009 Pusan International Film Festival in Korea and his sweep at this year's 2009 Cinemalaya Film Festival, a budding filmmaker is on the rise that bears the island flag. "Engkwentro", written and directed by another rising filmmaker, Pepe Diokno, bagged two prestigious awards at the more recent Venice Film Festival. These film festivals grapple the idea of relaying such awards to filmmakers that are true to form, honest with their craft. Might it be good to the eyes of the juries, or could be the antithesis to iconic film critics from North America, it still bears a certain notoriety that not many filmmakers have obtained. And with the booming age of technology, the "rat race" to this claim to fame is getting tougher, which makes taking home a "trophy" back to your mother land more of a feat rather than ease.

It is currently quite a difficult road for independent filmmakers in the Philippines to create a booming industry in their homeland because of their continuous impediments from the country's "controllers". But rest assure, there is a slow but continuous rise of "artists" fighting the fight to paint their own canvass and let, not just the Philippines, the whole world know about their works. Many say that the film industry in the country has a cancer and slowly dying, however, many filmmakers are only getting better in beating the system to fight the fear.

Brillante Mendoza helped kick off the 11th Cinemanila Film Festival with his new film "Lola", which gained a formidable attention with the audience at this year's Venice Film Festival. Even with the strict gavel of the censors board of the country, a plethora of Directors have come forward, stood their ground, and relayed their painted canvass successfully.

This year's Toronto Film Festival was no exception in the presence of Filipino filmmakers. Mike Sandejas' "Dinig Sana Kita" and "Independencia" by indie filmmaker Raya Martin, cemented an audience that couldn't agree more with both film's success. More and more Independent filmmakers are coming out of the woodwork with their own gamble to make a difference in this industrty that was once dubbed as "..the best in Asia." Now, these Filipino artists are slowly spreading their palettes into Tinsel town and attention is slowly what they are getting. Director Yam Laranas, who's no stranger to the indie world of the Philippines, recently came out of the woodwork with his Hollywood remake of "Sigaw", his 2004 horror piece, and re-shot with a bigger expectation as "The Echo", by Vertigo Entertainment. Writer and Director Redd Ochoa, sticking to his true story genres, is in the process of ironing out the production kinks for three of his latest projects. "Julia", which name title is slated for Oscar winner's Jodi Foster and Hilary Swank,follows the recent story of an American Peace Corps worker who was found dead in the Philippine mountains of Ifugao. "Supremo", an epic period piece that follows the story of the country's hero, Andres Bonifacio, and the struggle for independence has a very popular East Coast film company "wheeling and dealing" for a production piece. And, "People Power", the rise of democracy in the Philippines over an authoritarian leader who ruled for more than twenty years until his untimely political demise, is a Terri Malick (A Thin Red Line, The New World) production canvass. Still considered as independent projects, this Filipino filmmaker simply makes things work by applying the modest approach to the pieces and staying grounded. Redd Ochoa's Philippine casting for these three films is something to watch out for.

The industry in the Philippines is down to it's independent source, but mainly from those whose paths are not jaded by what is enticed by mainstream entertainment. With the world of fast growing technology, Kinatay, Astig, Engkwentro, Independencia, Sigaw, Dinig Sana Kita, Manila, and Sanglaan are making the waves throughout the art of film and business of entertainment.

The country's mainstream cinema is slowly being saturated by what some consider as the chemotherapy of the dying industry, independent films. Until these Filipino independent filmmakers stop their modest creation of stories, there will always be a highway to heal what the Philippine cinema has endured this past decade. There might be stumbling blocks along the way, but the desire for many strugglers are notarized at the end. There might be a dozen of reasons why a film may be considered as "the worse film in Cannes Film Festival history", but there are also several expositions why one is considered as "Best Director". Koreans, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Australians, and Germans have always encompassed the film festival world for their works, but the group of islands off the coast of the Pacific called the Philippines is slowly but surely paving the way into history.