RP films make history at Cannes: 4 are in
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: April 24, 2009
MANILA, Philippines—Four Filipino films have been included in the official lineup of the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival, a first for the country.
This “historic” development was confirmed by three filmmakers whose films were chosen as entries in the world’s premier movie festival that will take place on May 13-14 in the French coastal city.
Three independent films made it to the Official Selection, in three different categories: Brillante Mendoza’s “Kinatay (The Execution of P)” in the Main Competition; Raya Martin’s “Independencia” in the Un Certain Regard section; and Raya Martin and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Manila” in the Special Screenings category.
“Sabongero,” by Filipino-American Janice Y. Perez, was selected for the Short Film Corner.
There were unconfirmed reports that Filipino films would also compete in the fest’s parallel section, the Directors’ Fortnight, as in the past two years.
“It’s an exciting year for the Philippines,” said Mendoza, who added that the inclusion of the four entries bode well for local cinema.
Mendoza is staging a comeback in the Main Competition, after his entry “Serbis” stirred controversy last year.
“Kinatay,” his entry this year is “equally controversial” and delves into the world of hitmen who cut up the bodies of their victims, said Mendoza. The film features Coco Martin, John Regala, Julio Diaz, Jhong Hilario, Lauren Novero and Maria Isabel Lopez.
“I believe it’s the first time for an Asian filmmaker to submit entries in the Main Competition for two consecutive years. US filmmaker Joel Coen also had back-to-back entries in the competition in 2000 and 2001,” Mendoza told the Inquirer.
Does Mendoza consider his return to the competition a way to vindicate himself after last year’s intrigues and negative reviews?
“I feel no pressure. I try not to worry about those things and I only focus on making my film,” he said.
Masterfully directed
Mendoza recalled that when programming head Christian Jeune relayed the news that his entry had made it, the festival officer said: “I remember calling you the same time last year.”
In an e-mail, Jeune told Mendoza that he was “fascinated by the long night (depicted in the movie) … we were drawn into it. It’s masterfully directed.”
It is also Martin’s second year in a row at Cannes. Last year, Martin’s “Now Showing” was screened at the Directors’ Fortnight.
“Independencia” is the country’s first entry to Un Certain Regard, considered the fest’s “more experimental and adventurous” section, according to Martin. “I hope this proves that the world’s current interest in Filipino films is not just a fad,” Martin said. “We’re not just the flavor of the month. We can compete in the global arena.”
A historical drama set during the American Occupation, “Independencia,” which topbills Tetchie Agbayani, Sid Lucero, Mika Aguilos and Alessandra de Rossi, received grants from Germany, the Netherlands, France and the United States.
French co-producer Antoine Segovia of Atopic Films described it as an “international Filipino film. It tells a story that’s specific and universal at the same time. It’s about freedom.”
Martin told the Inquirer that his inclusion in the Cannes lineup came as a surprise. “We were nervous when we heard that major filmmakers like Pedro Almodovar, Ang Lee, Lars von Trier and Quentin Tarantino had entries,” he said.
The film’s Filipino producer, Arleen Cuevas, agreed: “From Asia alone, there were a lot of strong contenders: Korea’s Park Chan-wook, Taiwan’s Tsai Ming-liang and Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-Eda.”
Jeune told Martin that “the treatment of images [in the film] is one of the most sensual I’ve seen in years.”
Familiarity
“In the past, foreigners we met were not familiar with Filipino movies. But now when we attend film markets abroad, the Philippines is known as a participant in big festivals,” said Cuevas who also produced “Manila.”
“Manila,” which Martin co-directed with Alix, is a twin bill tribute to filmmakers and National Artists Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, and is produced by lead actor Piolo Pascual.
When Alix learned of the film’s inclusion in the Special Screenings section yesterday, he called Pascual. The actor later said he was “happy and excited” that his first venture as a producer was selected as an entry in the Cannes fest.
In spite of his busy schedule, Pascual said he was considering attending the festival. “It’s important for me to be there because it’ll be the film’s world premiere,” he said.
“It’s a good time again for Filipino films,” Alix said. “For the past five years, doors have been opening abroad. My only hope is that Filipino audiences would start watching and appreciating local independent films as well.”
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Filipino Films in Cannes
ONLY IN HOLLYWOOD
Only in Hollywood : Another Pinoy first
By Ruben V. Nepales
LA Correspondent
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: April 23, 2009
LOS ANGELES—Raya Martin’s “Independencia” was selected as an entry in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in May. The selection is one for the Philippine cinema history books since the movie, set in early 20th century Philippines and starring Sid Lucero, Tetchie Agbayani and Alessandra de Rossi, is the first Filipino film entered in Cannes’ sidebar for young talent and innovative, audacious works.
“It felt like graduation day,” Raya, 24, told us via e-mail about receiving the good news of his film’s inclusion from the organizers of the world’s most prestigious film festival. “We’ve been keeping our fingers crossed since we submitted the film; so many big directors were aiming for Cannes this year. I received the [news] from Christian Jeune (head of programming)... then called up Arleen (Cuevas, co-producer) immediately [and] texted my parents.”
Raya, whose “Now Showing” was selected in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight last year, added: “We’re very proud that our film is part of the Un Certain Regard. This section has featured some of the most critically acclaimed films in the festival’s history.”
Bold decision
Each year, several jury awards, including the Prix Un Certain Regard, is awarded to several entries in this competition section that draws varied original works from young directors. Among the filmmakers whose movies have been selected for Un Certain Regard in the past are Cristi Puiu (“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (“Tokyo Sonata”), Eran Kolirin (“The Band’s Visit”) and Sergei Dvortsevoy (“Tulpan”).
We’re particularly excited to see “Independencia” because Raya, in depicting his early 20th century family drama that tackles national identity and colonization, gives a nod to early Filipino cinema and studio photography. How? By shooting virtually all the scenes in a Marikina studio with a combination of actual prop materials and painted backdrops. That was a bold decision.
Raya worked with French cinematographer Jeanne Lapoirie and production designer Digo Ricio to execute his concept of recreating “moving pictures” that evoke his film’s period setting. Jeanne’s credits include Francois Ozon’s “8 Femmes,” whose cast includes Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert and Fanny Ardant: and “Time to Leave,” which stars Jeanne Moreau.
Three days
Raya, who graduated from the University of the Philippines Film Institute only four years ago, is the first Filipino to receive a P7 million film grant from the French government and to be granted a six-month filmmaking residency at Cannes’ Cinefondation in France, among other pioneering distinctions.
The idea for “Independencia” came to Raya during that residency, inspiring him to write the script in three days.
The former writer and researcher of radio and TV shows, newspapers and online magazines first made waves when his short film “Bakasyon” cinched the Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema at the 2004 Cinemanila International Film Festival. His documentary on Batanes, “The Island at the End of the World,” captured the Best Documentary prize at the 2005 .mov International Digital Film Festival. Raya followed this up with his first feature, “Short Film About the Indio Nacional (Or the Prolonged Sorrow of the Filipinos),” which took the Best Film honors at the 2006 Pesaro Film Festival.
Raya just finished an equally beguiling project, “Manila,” which he described to us as his and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s twin bill “re-imagining of the Filipino classics,” Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila by Night” and Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar.”
Is he a young man in a hurry?
“There are things that I feel I need to do now, otherwise they won’t ever happen,” Raya answered. “I’m not an overachiever, as other people might think. Filmmaking is just something that’s comfortable to me, and indeed I’ve been very lucky the past few years. I’m just happy to be sharing these stories that inspire me to be Filipino, and to be myself.”
Raya and Arleen supplied us with this synopsis of “Independencia”: “In early 20th century Philippines, at the beginning of American rule, a mother (Tetchie Agbayani) and son (Sid Lucero) run off to the mountains with hopes of a quiet life. Deep in the woods, they manage to live in isolation despite growing unrest in the towns. On a hunt, the son (still Sid Lucero) stumbles upon a wounded woman (Alessandra de Rossi), brings her home, and takes care of her, despite the silent objection of his mother.
“Learning that the woman is pregnant, the mother starts to distance herself from them. Eventually, the son develops a relationship with the woman, the mother grows weak and ill, and eventually dies. Soon after, the woman gives birth to a son.” The boy is played by Mika Aguilos, son of actress Kalila Aguilos. He is making his acting debut in “Independencia.”
We told Raya that the haunting black and white stills showing Sid, Tetchie and Alessandra in pre-war costumes from “Independencia” made us bring out a sepia photo of our great grandparents taken in Pangasinan, which is one of our most valuable possessions to this day.
Raya commented that similar photos of his ancestors, taken in studios, inspired “Independencia.” He explained: “I was very interested in the mix of painted backdrops and seemingly live props. When you look at those old pictures, it feels like it’s going to move anytime. That was the idea: Moving pictures. We were showing those photos ever since we started pitching to producers around three years ago.”
Inspirations
He recounted how the idea for “Independencia” came to him during his filmmaking residency in France: “I was originally writing the film ‘Now Showing’ at the time. But the environment was very inspiring, and also it was an emotional time for me, being away from home that long for the first time, and Paris was not exactly warm for first-timers. So I was writing a couple of other treatments until the whole idea of ‘Independencia’ came to me – how the story went, but also how the structure flowed, and more importantly, the look of the film. I was also inspired by a Radiohead song.”
That song was “How to Disappear Completely.” Raya disclosed: “The original title of the film was ‘How to Disappear Completely’ and it was about wanting to disappear from the face of the earth. I’m preparing to shoot a parallel film of the same title.”
Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien has dedicated the song to Argentina’s desaparacidos or civilians arrested and vanished without a trace during that country’s military dictatorship. In writing “Independencia,” Raya was haunted by stories of disappearances during the American occupation in the Philippines.
“I remember writing the story for three straight days with little sleep,” he said. “I was glued to the computer desk day and night and only went out to eat...”
“It’s a personal observation, and most people would agree, that Filipinos are very flexible wherever you put them,” said the bespectacled Manila-born filmmaker on the underlying theme of his story of a family retreating to the mountains and relearning the ways of our ancestors as the invading American troops approach. “There’s something innate in us that’s almost primitive but essential that is the reason for our survival.”
Part of a trilogy
When we asked Raya if making “Indio Nacional” proved to be particularly helpful in making “Independencia,” he not only said yes; he revealed that these films, both shot in 35 mm and in black and white, “are part of a trilogy, or maybe a series, of films about the different periods of struggle in the Philippines. They also reflect the cinema during each film’s era. ‘Independencia’ is a progression of the first film, which is ‘Indio Nacional,’ a black and white silent film set during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The images in the first feature are very simple, and naturally the next film would become more complex. ‘Independencia’ being a studio film would become an additional critical layer. Not only are the images different, but the themes are also more mysterious.”
Arleen bared a tentative list of who’s going to Cannes to represent the film. “We are still finalizing,” said Arleen, whose track record as a producer of award-winning indie films, including “The Amazing Truth about Queen Raquela,” is getting impressive. “But from the Philippines, it will be Raya, me, production designer Digo Ricio, assistant director Armi Cacanindin and hopefully the main cast, if their schedule permits – Sid, Tetchie and Alessandra.”
Of “Independencia’s” release dates in the Philippines and overseas, Arleen said, “We haven’t planned [that] yet but we will surely have a Philippine premiere in June or July. We already have a sales agent, Memento Films, the same sales agent of the winner of Cannes Festival last year, ‘The Class,’ and also a French distributor, Shellac.”
One happy man by the time this column comes out is Raya’s father, Perfecto Martin. When his son’s “The Island at the End…” won a prize in 2005, Perfecto texted everyone in his phone directory to share the good news. “My father couldn’t text anyone this time, since we had to wait until the official press conference of the Cannes Film Festival,” said Raya. The press con was yesterday, April 23. We imagined Perfecto’s excitement when he was finally able to share the happy news with the whole world.
“My parents saw what we went through to make this film happen.” Raya said of his folks, Perfecto and Nilia.
(To be continued Saturday)
E-mail the columnist at rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.
Only in Hollywood : Another Pinoy first
By Ruben V. Nepales
LA Correspondent
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: April 23, 2009
LOS ANGELES—Raya Martin’s “Independencia” was selected as an entry in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in May. The selection is one for the Philippine cinema history books since the movie, set in early 20th century Philippines and starring Sid Lucero, Tetchie Agbayani and Alessandra de Rossi, is the first Filipino film entered in Cannes’ sidebar for young talent and innovative, audacious works.
“It felt like graduation day,” Raya, 24, told us via e-mail about receiving the good news of his film’s inclusion from the organizers of the world’s most prestigious film festival. “We’ve been keeping our fingers crossed since we submitted the film; so many big directors were aiming for Cannes this year. I received the [news] from Christian Jeune (head of programming)... then called up Arleen (Cuevas, co-producer) immediately [and] texted my parents.”
Raya, whose “Now Showing” was selected in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight last year, added: “We’re very proud that our film is part of the Un Certain Regard. This section has featured some of the most critically acclaimed films in the festival’s history.”
Bold decision
Each year, several jury awards, including the Prix Un Certain Regard, is awarded to several entries in this competition section that draws varied original works from young directors. Among the filmmakers whose movies have been selected for Un Certain Regard in the past are Cristi Puiu (“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (“Tokyo Sonata”), Eran Kolirin (“The Band’s Visit”) and Sergei Dvortsevoy (“Tulpan”).
We’re particularly excited to see “Independencia” because Raya, in depicting his early 20th century family drama that tackles national identity and colonization, gives a nod to early Filipino cinema and studio photography. How? By shooting virtually all the scenes in a Marikina studio with a combination of actual prop materials and painted backdrops. That was a bold decision.
Raya worked with French cinematographer Jeanne Lapoirie and production designer Digo Ricio to execute his concept of recreating “moving pictures” that evoke his film’s period setting. Jeanne’s credits include Francois Ozon’s “8 Femmes,” whose cast includes Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert and Fanny Ardant: and “Time to Leave,” which stars Jeanne Moreau.
Three days
Raya, who graduated from the University of the Philippines Film Institute only four years ago, is the first Filipino to receive a P7 million film grant from the French government and to be granted a six-month filmmaking residency at Cannes’ Cinefondation in France, among other pioneering distinctions.
The idea for “Independencia” came to Raya during that residency, inspiring him to write the script in three days.
The former writer and researcher of radio and TV shows, newspapers and online magazines first made waves when his short film “Bakasyon” cinched the Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema at the 2004 Cinemanila International Film Festival. His documentary on Batanes, “The Island at the End of the World,” captured the Best Documentary prize at the 2005 .mov International Digital Film Festival. Raya followed this up with his first feature, “Short Film About the Indio Nacional (Or the Prolonged Sorrow of the Filipinos),” which took the Best Film honors at the 2006 Pesaro Film Festival.
Raya just finished an equally beguiling project, “Manila,” which he described to us as his and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s twin bill “re-imagining of the Filipino classics,” Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila by Night” and Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar.”
Is he a young man in a hurry?
“There are things that I feel I need to do now, otherwise they won’t ever happen,” Raya answered. “I’m not an overachiever, as other people might think. Filmmaking is just something that’s comfortable to me, and indeed I’ve been very lucky the past few years. I’m just happy to be sharing these stories that inspire me to be Filipino, and to be myself.”
Raya and Arleen supplied us with this synopsis of “Independencia”: “In early 20th century Philippines, at the beginning of American rule, a mother (Tetchie Agbayani) and son (Sid Lucero) run off to the mountains with hopes of a quiet life. Deep in the woods, they manage to live in isolation despite growing unrest in the towns. On a hunt, the son (still Sid Lucero) stumbles upon a wounded woman (Alessandra de Rossi), brings her home, and takes care of her, despite the silent objection of his mother.
“Learning that the woman is pregnant, the mother starts to distance herself from them. Eventually, the son develops a relationship with the woman, the mother grows weak and ill, and eventually dies. Soon after, the woman gives birth to a son.” The boy is played by Mika Aguilos, son of actress Kalila Aguilos. He is making his acting debut in “Independencia.”
We told Raya that the haunting black and white stills showing Sid, Tetchie and Alessandra in pre-war costumes from “Independencia” made us bring out a sepia photo of our great grandparents taken in Pangasinan, which is one of our most valuable possessions to this day.
Raya commented that similar photos of his ancestors, taken in studios, inspired “Independencia.” He explained: “I was very interested in the mix of painted backdrops and seemingly live props. When you look at those old pictures, it feels like it’s going to move anytime. That was the idea: Moving pictures. We were showing those photos ever since we started pitching to producers around three years ago.”
Inspirations
He recounted how the idea for “Independencia” came to him during his filmmaking residency in France: “I was originally writing the film ‘Now Showing’ at the time. But the environment was very inspiring, and also it was an emotional time for me, being away from home that long for the first time, and Paris was not exactly warm for first-timers. So I was writing a couple of other treatments until the whole idea of ‘Independencia’ came to me – how the story went, but also how the structure flowed, and more importantly, the look of the film. I was also inspired by a Radiohead song.”
That song was “How to Disappear Completely.” Raya disclosed: “The original title of the film was ‘How to Disappear Completely’ and it was about wanting to disappear from the face of the earth. I’m preparing to shoot a parallel film of the same title.”
Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien has dedicated the song to Argentina’s desaparacidos or civilians arrested and vanished without a trace during that country’s military dictatorship. In writing “Independencia,” Raya was haunted by stories of disappearances during the American occupation in the Philippines.
“I remember writing the story for three straight days with little sleep,” he said. “I was glued to the computer desk day and night and only went out to eat...”
“It’s a personal observation, and most people would agree, that Filipinos are very flexible wherever you put them,” said the bespectacled Manila-born filmmaker on the underlying theme of his story of a family retreating to the mountains and relearning the ways of our ancestors as the invading American troops approach. “There’s something innate in us that’s almost primitive but essential that is the reason for our survival.”
Part of a trilogy
When we asked Raya if making “Indio Nacional” proved to be particularly helpful in making “Independencia,” he not only said yes; he revealed that these films, both shot in 35 mm and in black and white, “are part of a trilogy, or maybe a series, of films about the different periods of struggle in the Philippines. They also reflect the cinema during each film’s era. ‘Independencia’ is a progression of the first film, which is ‘Indio Nacional,’ a black and white silent film set during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. The images in the first feature are very simple, and naturally the next film would become more complex. ‘Independencia’ being a studio film would become an additional critical layer. Not only are the images different, but the themes are also more mysterious.”
Arleen bared a tentative list of who’s going to Cannes to represent the film. “We are still finalizing,” said Arleen, whose track record as a producer of award-winning indie films, including “The Amazing Truth about Queen Raquela,” is getting impressive. “But from the Philippines, it will be Raya, me, production designer Digo Ricio, assistant director Armi Cacanindin and hopefully the main cast, if their schedule permits – Sid, Tetchie and Alessandra.”
Of “Independencia’s” release dates in the Philippines and overseas, Arleen said, “We haven’t planned [that] yet but we will surely have a Philippine premiere in June or July. We already have a sales agent, Memento Films, the same sales agent of the winner of Cannes Festival last year, ‘The Class,’ and also a French distributor, Shellac.”
One happy man by the time this column comes out is Raya’s father, Perfecto Martin. When his son’s “The Island at the End…” won a prize in 2005, Perfecto texted everyone in his phone directory to share the good news. “My father couldn’t text anyone this time, since we had to wait until the official press conference of the Cannes Film Festival,” said Raya. The press con was yesterday, April 23. We imagined Perfecto’s excitement when he was finally able to share the happy news with the whole world.
“My parents saw what we went through to make this film happen.” Raya said of his folks, Perfecto and Nilia.
(To be continued Saturday)
E-mail the columnist at rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.
WITH 2 CANNES ENTRIES
Only in Hollywood : Raya Martin makes RP cinema history
By Ruben V. Nepales
LA Correspondent
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: April 24, 2009
(Conclusion)
LOS ANGELES—As we reported Thursday, Raya Martin’s “Independencia” is the first Filipino film to be selected to the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Now, as we write this, we just heard the great news that Raya’s twin-bill film with Adolfo Alix Jr., “Manila,” is going to be shown in Cannes, as well. So, Raya scored another first for Philippine cinema by having two entries at the world’s premier film fest next month. And, with Dante Mendoza back in Cannes main competition with his “Kinatay (The Execution of P),” it’s a great period for Philippine cinema. (Dante’s “Serbis” was in the main competition last year.) As we write this, there’s buzz that two more films might be added to the Philippines’ official entries to the festival.
Ambitious project
“Manila,” which will be shown out of competition, is an ambitious project. It’s a tribute to Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar” and Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night.” Raya, in an e-mail interview, described the film this way: “‘Manila’ is a reimagining of the two Filipino classics about the city and its inhabitants.
“Piolo Pascual plays both lead roles in the two episodes. I worked on the ‘Manila By Night’ episode, which stars Piolo as William Martinez’s character in the original film. It’s an update and a continuation of that movie. Personally, I think Bernal’s ‘Manila By Night’ is the best Filipino film ever. No other director can best portray the Filipino psyche onscreen.”
Adolf shared his reaction about “Manila’s” selection via e-mail: “We’re very happy with the news. It was unexpected because we got the invitation at the last minute. God is good. We’re very excited.”
Arleen Cuevas, who coproduced both “Manila” and “Independencia,” also via e-mail, exclaimed: “I’m happy to have two films in Cannes!”
Vilma Santos could have been one of the film’s key cast members who will walk on the red carpet when “Independencia” premieres at the Palais des Festivals. But, Tetchie Agbayani gets that opportunity, instead.
“We first approached Vilma to play the mother role in the film, and we had several meetings with her,” Arleen informed us. “She told us she really liked the script, but she was in a dilemma whether to accept it or not, since she had obligations in her work as governor of Batangas, and she already said yes to a Star Cinema project for this year. In the end, the schedules didn’t permit us to work together, but hopefully, we will have a chance to work with her in our future projects.”
Playing the mother in Raya’s early 20th century family drama that was shot in black and white, Tetchie looks striking in her “baro at saya” costume in the stills. What’s also remarkable about the film’s visual style, based on those stills, is that, all the sets were built indoors from scratch.
As disclosed by Raya, “Independencia,” which also stars Sid Lucero and Alessandra de Rossi, is the second in his planned series of movies depicting different periods of struggle in the Philippines, each using a style that was evocative of the film’s period. “Short Film About the Indio Nacional (Or the Prolonged Sorrow of the Filipinos)” is his first feature film and his initial salvo in this series.
The young filmmaker explained, “Since the first installment in the trilogy was a silent feature, because it was in the beginning of cinema (during the Spanish occupation), the following project about the American era was attributed to the Hollywood influence that eventually became the stronger roots of Philippine cinema. The studio film refers to the way those early movies were made, reconstructing the location indoors. We created a forest inside a studio, mixing painted backdrops and live elements. Almost all of it was shot indoors.”
“Nobody makes this kind of film anymore,” he added. “Aside from the fact that it’s more expensive than traveling to a real forest, which we have almost everywhere in the Philippines, our audiences are used to realism in the movies. What made it easier for everyone was our child-like fascination. We were like kids reconstructing a lost world. I had a great production designer (Digo Ricio) who knew exactly how to set up the plan. It was very systematic.”
True account
Arleen revealed the challenge of shooting almost the entire film in a studio, something that hasn’t been done in the Philippines in a long while. She recounted: “Actually, the hard part was finding a studio we could use for 15 straight days. Luckily, we found a studio at Scenema Concepts in Marikina.
“Afterward, the actual shooting was relatively easier than doing a location shoot. We were inside a controlled environment. Everything we needed was there.”
Raya, who cowrote the script with Ramon Sarmiento, satisfied our curiosity about this newsreel by saying that “the film is ’interrupted’ by a newsreel of a true account during the American occupation.”
The UP film school alumnus showed old-studio photos of his ancestors to his French cinematographer, Jeanne Lapoirie, as a guide to the movie’s look. “I also showed her different studio pictures from the turn of the century,” he explained. “She was already familiar with the look of ‘Indio Nacional,’ which was mostly based on colonial postcards. We also talked about silent films like Murnau’s ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Faust.’
“Jeanne would suggest her own ideas, and I was happy that she understood the project completely. I was very honored to have worked with her, since she has already worked with some of the most interesting filmmakers in the world, like Pedro Costa and Francois Ozon.”
Asked if he already has ideas for the next film in his series (which he said could go past three), Raya replied, “Yes, I’ve been working on some ideas in the past couple of months. But, it will probably take as long as ’Independencia’ to put together. So, it should be ready in a few years’ time. I’m not in a hurry.”
Prolific output
That last statement is ironic, considering Raya’s prolific output in just a span of a few years. A parallel story to Raya’s tale of recent triumphs is his coproducer’s own success in the international film circuit. In a seemingly short period of time, Arleen, who also produced “Manila,” has racked up impressive producing credits on films by Raya and Adolfo. Also a product of UP’s Film Institute, Arleen coproduced “The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela,” a movie directed by Icelandic filmmaker, Olaf Johannesson, which won the Teddy Award for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival last year.
Arleen was one of the young Filipino filmmakers selected to participate in the Berlinale Talent Campus and Produire au Sud Workshop. She recently represented Filipino projects in the CineMart and Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum, which are coproduction markets for new projects looking for international coproduction and financing.
E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com, and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.
Only in Hollywood : Raya Martin makes RP cinema history
By Ruben V. Nepales
LA Correspondent
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: April 24, 2009
(Conclusion)
LOS ANGELES—As we reported Thursday, Raya Martin’s “Independencia” is the first Filipino film to be selected to the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Now, as we write this, we just heard the great news that Raya’s twin-bill film with Adolfo Alix Jr., “Manila,” is going to be shown in Cannes, as well. So, Raya scored another first for Philippine cinema by having two entries at the world’s premier film fest next month. And, with Dante Mendoza back in Cannes main competition with his “Kinatay (The Execution of P),” it’s a great period for Philippine cinema. (Dante’s “Serbis” was in the main competition last year.) As we write this, there’s buzz that two more films might be added to the Philippines’ official entries to the festival.
Ambitious project
“Manila,” which will be shown out of competition, is an ambitious project. It’s a tribute to Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar” and Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila By Night.” Raya, in an e-mail interview, described the film this way: “‘Manila’ is a reimagining of the two Filipino classics about the city and its inhabitants.
“Piolo Pascual plays both lead roles in the two episodes. I worked on the ‘Manila By Night’ episode, which stars Piolo as William Martinez’s character in the original film. It’s an update and a continuation of that movie. Personally, I think Bernal’s ‘Manila By Night’ is the best Filipino film ever. No other director can best portray the Filipino psyche onscreen.”
Adolf shared his reaction about “Manila’s” selection via e-mail: “We’re very happy with the news. It was unexpected because we got the invitation at the last minute. God is good. We’re very excited.”
Arleen Cuevas, who coproduced both “Manila” and “Independencia,” also via e-mail, exclaimed: “I’m happy to have two films in Cannes!”
Vilma Santos could have been one of the film’s key cast members who will walk on the red carpet when “Independencia” premieres at the Palais des Festivals. But, Tetchie Agbayani gets that opportunity, instead.
“We first approached Vilma to play the mother role in the film, and we had several meetings with her,” Arleen informed us. “She told us she really liked the script, but she was in a dilemma whether to accept it or not, since she had obligations in her work as governor of Batangas, and she already said yes to a Star Cinema project for this year. In the end, the schedules didn’t permit us to work together, but hopefully, we will have a chance to work with her in our future projects.”
Playing the mother in Raya’s early 20th century family drama that was shot in black and white, Tetchie looks striking in her “baro at saya” costume in the stills. What’s also remarkable about the film’s visual style, based on those stills, is that, all the sets were built indoors from scratch.
As disclosed by Raya, “Independencia,” which also stars Sid Lucero and Alessandra de Rossi, is the second in his planned series of movies depicting different periods of struggle in the Philippines, each using a style that was evocative of the film’s period. “Short Film About the Indio Nacional (Or the Prolonged Sorrow of the Filipinos)” is his first feature film and his initial salvo in this series.
The young filmmaker explained, “Since the first installment in the trilogy was a silent feature, because it was in the beginning of cinema (during the Spanish occupation), the following project about the American era was attributed to the Hollywood influence that eventually became the stronger roots of Philippine cinema. The studio film refers to the way those early movies were made, reconstructing the location indoors. We created a forest inside a studio, mixing painted backdrops and live elements. Almost all of it was shot indoors.”
“Nobody makes this kind of film anymore,” he added. “Aside from the fact that it’s more expensive than traveling to a real forest, which we have almost everywhere in the Philippines, our audiences are used to realism in the movies. What made it easier for everyone was our child-like fascination. We were like kids reconstructing a lost world. I had a great production designer (Digo Ricio) who knew exactly how to set up the plan. It was very systematic.”
True account
Arleen revealed the challenge of shooting almost the entire film in a studio, something that hasn’t been done in the Philippines in a long while. She recounted: “Actually, the hard part was finding a studio we could use for 15 straight days. Luckily, we found a studio at Scenema Concepts in Marikina.
“Afterward, the actual shooting was relatively easier than doing a location shoot. We were inside a controlled environment. Everything we needed was there.”
Raya, who cowrote the script with Ramon Sarmiento, satisfied our curiosity about this newsreel by saying that “the film is ’interrupted’ by a newsreel of a true account during the American occupation.”
The UP film school alumnus showed old-studio photos of his ancestors to his French cinematographer, Jeanne Lapoirie, as a guide to the movie’s look. “I also showed her different studio pictures from the turn of the century,” he explained. “She was already familiar with the look of ‘Indio Nacional,’ which was mostly based on colonial postcards. We also talked about silent films like Murnau’s ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Faust.’
“Jeanne would suggest her own ideas, and I was happy that she understood the project completely. I was very honored to have worked with her, since she has already worked with some of the most interesting filmmakers in the world, like Pedro Costa and Francois Ozon.”
Asked if he already has ideas for the next film in his series (which he said could go past three), Raya replied, “Yes, I’ve been working on some ideas in the past couple of months. But, it will probably take as long as ’Independencia’ to put together. So, it should be ready in a few years’ time. I’m not in a hurry.”
Prolific output
That last statement is ironic, considering Raya’s prolific output in just a span of a few years. A parallel story to Raya’s tale of recent triumphs is his coproducer’s own success in the international film circuit. In a seemingly short period of time, Arleen, who also produced “Manila,” has racked up impressive producing credits on films by Raya and Adolfo. Also a product of UP’s Film Institute, Arleen coproduced “The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela,” a movie directed by Icelandic filmmaker, Olaf Johannesson, which won the Teddy Award for Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival last year.
Arleen was one of the young Filipino filmmakers selected to participate in the Berlinale Talent Campus and Produire au Sud Workshop. She recently represented Filipino projects in the CineMart and Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum, which are coproduction markets for new projects looking for international coproduction and financing.
E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com, and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.
Cannes Film Festival
Independencia is selected at Cannes Film Festival, Official Selection, Un Certain Regard!
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