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.