In praise of OFWs

Film review: Emir

MANILA, Philippines - When I bumped into director Chito Roño back in January, I asked him what he was working on, and with a twinkle in his eye, and with matching straight face, he replied, “A musical!” In my mind, I had visions of a Filipino Slumdog, or a Bollywood-type concept with musical numbers thrown in to add excitement, or as a respite from the storyline. Little did I know that something much more ambitious was on Chito’s drawing board — a full scale musical comedy, that in structure is more akin to Chicago, Annie, and/or Dreamgirls. Produced by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), in partnership with Viva Films and Optima Digital, we now have Emir, a tribute to the Filipino overseas contract worker. It’s a lush, musically-inspired tapestry that takes place in a fictional Middle East emirate, with the songs effectively working to progress the storyline, create dialogue between characters, and verbalize emotional states. With a screenplay by Jerry Gracio, and with the likes of Gary Granada, Ebe and Vin Dancel, Diwa de Leon, Chino Toledo, Rody Vera and Jerry collaborating on the music and lyrics, Emir is a heady achievement that truly deserves an audience.

Amelia (Frencheska Farr) comes from a rural village, and like many others, decides to work abroad to help her family. She ends up as a member of the house staff of a Sheik, attending to his pregnant wife (Valerie Bariou-Bondoc), and eventually, becoming the nanny of their son (and heir). The ensemble cast of Filipino contract workers at the palace include Dulce, Julia Clarete, Beverly Salviejo and Jhong Hilario — and they’re all brilliant in their roles, creating distinct, individual characters that resonate in our appreciation of the care and detail invested in making this film a reality. Principal photography was done in Morocco, although pains are taken to make it a fictional emirate — important, given the element of how a civil war in this “emirate” ensues.

In the first part of the film, we’re treated to life in the palace, with the ensemble cast coming to the fore. There are vignettes of trying to introduce a Christmas tree in a Muslim household, the petty competition and jealousies that exist between members of the staff, and the challenge of raising children that aren’t your own — acting as highlights during this section of the film. A romantic interlude also comes into play, when Amelia meets Victor (Sid Lucero), a self proclaimed “Aracano” (half Arab, half fellow-Ilocano) at a remittance center. The latter part of the film follows Amelia and her ward, Ahmed, as they escape from the palace while it’s being overrun by armed dissidents. Her dedication and devotion to duty, in protecting and looking after the by-then 12-year-old Ahmed is part of the film’s message — the selfless sacrifice of the Filipina OCW.

Musical highlights that had the audience I was watching with applauding, include the “ironic” Jetsetter song (about how the staff accompany the royal family on all their trips abroad), and the Dosenang Pasko song (when the staff reflects on how time has flown and they’ve been working at the palace for 12 years already). And it’s the pitch perfect mingling of these songs into the action and progress of the film that makes one want to stand up and clap, as these musical numbers do not intrude or act as mere diversion, but are essential to the film’s “fabric.” And behind all this mastery of the medium and content is direk Chito! The film is not a  melodramatic tearjerker, or even broad comedy; rather, it’s a thoughtful, sympathetic, yet restrained, celebration of what it means to be a Filipino working abroad. The hopes, aspirations, the disappointments and tears, the sense of duty and wanting to do a good job — they’re all in this film. And without glorifying or turning these hard wage-earners into mythlike creatures, Emir has proudly given them their own “song”!