A final look at the Metro Filmfest

Proof of the success of the 29th Metro Manila Film Festival was the fact that everyone was talking about the entries during the Christmas season and even way after that. And this time, people were not talking about some scandal or anomaly. They were talking about the merits of Crying Ladies, Filipinas, Mano Po and Bridal Shower. It seemed like everyone had something to say about the festival entries.

While in Baguio, I got a call from my good friend from GMA News and Public Affairs, top reporter Cesar Apolinario. A UST graduate, Apolinario also took up a short film course at UP and later worked for the Mowelfund. In 2001, a documentary he directed and produced, The Promised Land, was invited to participate in the Hawaii International Film Festival and later at the Sanzivar International Filmfest in Africa.

He is genuinely interested in films and wanted to discuss the festival entries with me. Since he was calling long distance, I advised him to just put his thoughts in writing and promised to give him space in this column.

He said that he saw six of the nine film entries. Here are his thoughts on three of them:

Crying Ladies – A movie about three women hired to cry in a Chinese funeral. Sharon Cuneta, Hilda Koronel and Angel Aquino – as the three crying ladies – all deliver fine performances. But it is Hilda, who plays a former movie starlet whose only film credit is a bit role in Darna and the Giants, who stands out. She is particularly good in the part where she puts Vicks in her eyes to induce tears.

Sharon is also funny in this movie. She is at her best in the scenes where she avoids shelling out money for jeepney fare by telling the driver that she took the wrong jeep.

Eric Quizon is also effective as the Chinese son who has to bury his father following the traditional Chinese rites. He deserved to win an acting award for this movie. But his role in Crying Ladies is really supporting and not lead.

Crying Ladies is not your typical comedy. It is a film with a universal theme and appeal and should be shown in foreign film festivals.

Mano Po 2 – This is Erik Matti’s best directorial work so far. A serious drama, it boasts of excellent production design, cinematography and performances, notably from Carmina Villarroel as the crippled daughter who hates her mother (Susan Roces). Zsa Zsa Padilla also gives a sterling performance as Christopher de Leon’s second wife.

Since I didn’t get to read press releases on Mano Po 2 before watching the film, I got a bit confused and thought this was a continuation of Mano Po 1 because of the presence of Cogie Domingo and Kris Aquino who were both cast in the original Mano Po. The subtitle, My Home, should have been used as the main title. It was more appropriate for this film.

Filipinas – This film stands out because of its superb direction, story and performances. Maricel Soriano is excellent as the eldest daughter with so much pent-up emotions. Her best scene is the part where she confronts her family members. She explodes and lets out so much pain and anger. Very good.

I also like Victor Neri’s performance as the member of the Filipinas family who goes underground. He is great in his confrontation scenes with Richard Gomez, who should have won Best Actor.

Other cast members of Filipinas who gave good performances are Aiko Melendez, Armida Siguion Reyna, Dawn Zulueta, Wendell Ramos, Raymond Bagatsing and Sunshine Dizon.

Joel Lamangan should be credited for eliciting so many good performances from his cast members.

I also laud him for inserting political statements into the movie like US President George W. Bush’s visit to the Philippines and the involvement of soldiers in issues concerning graft and corruption in the military. He has done this in Hubog (another Metro Manila Film Festival entry) and in his other films and hopefully, in future movie projects.

Filipinas is a metaphor of the current state of the Philippines. The various traits and characteristics of the Filipinas family members resemble that of the Filipinos. Maricel Soriano’s passiveness and submissiveness that lead to aggression may be likened to events that led to the first two EDSA revolutions. Armida Siguion-Reyna’s comatose condition may be likened to the state of the Philippines as the sick man of Asia.

In the movie Filipinas, the children eventually realized that it’s really up to them to take care of themselves. It’s just like us Filipinos. The fate of our country lies in our hands.