Poster from Facebook.com/BahayBata2011

Bahay Bata
Directed by Eduardo Roy Jr.
Starring Diana Zubiri
Baluts:

Cast: Sue Prado as Heidi, Mailes Kanapi as Dr. Balboa, Pewee O Hara as Cora, Janna Tiangco as Cathy, Yul Servo as Peter.

I’ve never watched a movie like “Bahay Bata” before, a movie whose plot takes place inside a real and active hospital. The hospital also happens to be the Dr. Jose Fabella Hospital in Manila, notorious for its high birth rate tallied at an average of 60 babies per day. I read somewhere that “bahay bata”, although literally translated says “baby house”, also means “uterus” in Tagalog/Pilipino.

Slow and painful start

In the very beginning we start off outside the hospital with a shaky camera over a pregnant woman’s shoulder as she slowly walks inside. The movie here starts off so slow that I immediately make judgements on the film, wondering if this was going to be yet another drama set in documentary-style cinematics (a style I’ve become accustomed to watching in indie films). Before I could think “Brillante Mendoza copycat” the camera enters a real delivery room and the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur. Are these all actors? Nope, that is in fact a real baby coming out of that uterus.

Rose played by Stella Canete. Photo from Facebook.com/BahayBata2011.

Who is the main character of the movie?

We then meet nurse Sarah (Diana Zubiri) alongside patients and staff as they go though the day-to-day events in the hospital. But as we follow Sarah we also follow several new mothers, three of them young mothers around the age of 15, another mother having her 13th child, and yet another a convict handcuffed to her bed and escorted by guards. We are also introduced to the different hospital departments and what they do, which familiarizes us with the hospital itself. Directed by Eduardo Roy Jr., this mass introduction is indeed one with a purpose as disclosed by Roy during a Q&A session: “the main character is the ward and the hospital and what are those problems of the hospital.”

Photo from Facebook.com/BahayBata2011

Because it is filmed within the hospital walls and weaves within it footage of actual rooms and births, it blurs the line between what is real and what is scripted. Discerning between actors playing fictional characters or “playing themselves” is often difficult to make. Eventually I found myself focused more on the inner workings of the hospital and less on determining what was real and what wasn’t. Which of the inner workings here was pre-determined? Who cares? I was entertained by Sarah’s gossipy co-workers as much as I was entranced by how babies were delivered at the hospital.

“Baby Factory”

Roy’s wide-angle shots of 10 beds filled with resting mothers (2-3 per bed) and the audio picking up every crying baby and patient number mentioned over the intercom gives us a peak inside the windows of this “baby factory”. These images tell us that the lives of hundreds of women and newborns are being delicately passed, ferried, and/or escorted from one room to the next, as if in a human assembly line.

The Reality

Near the end, the movie slows back down and finally ends with another slow and painful walk. This time of somebody else, but I won’t spoil it any further than that. The end result? Myself left with questions about the fate of this hospital rather than the fate of Sarah’s. A testament to Roy’s intent to give the hospital the starring role. I then did what any armchair movie-goer-turned-social-activist would do: I googled stuff.

Photo from Reuters.

The Dr. Jose Fabella Hospital has more births than the 2nd busiest maternity ward in the United States, which tallies at about 35 births per day as of 2012 (I couldn’t find which was the 1st busiest ward in the U.S). At an average of 60 babies born each day, it has garnered enough attention from international media, movie reviews better than mine, and filmmakers like Roy who want to bring to light such a “high-volume” hospital that seems to have mastered the logistics and operations needed to churn out so many deliveries, yet seem to falter at curbing the number of births in the first place.

By the end of the film, I was glad I had watched it. Even though it was slow in the beginning and in the end, I felt I had gone on an informative video tour of a hospital in a busy metropolis and at the same time was entertained by the interactions between the mothers and staff (both real and scripted) in the midst of the hustle and bustle of a busy maternity ward. Because of this I felt compelled to learn a bit more, from viewing photos by others documenting this hospital to what legislation Philippine politicians are cooking up in relation to these issues.

Until next review, here’s to more googling. Salamat for reading and keep watching Filipino movies!

A grandmother mourns the death of her grandson. Aling Sepa played by Anita Linda. Photo: Ybca.org/Lola

Lola
Directed by Brillante Mendoza
Starring Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio
Baluts:

Cast: Tanya Gomez, Jhong Hilario, and Ketchup Eusebio.

“Lola”, which means grandmother in Filipino, follows two grandmothers as their lives become slowly intertwined after a stabbing incident involving their grandsons. One is the grandmother of the victim (Aling Sepa played by Anita Linda), the other, the grandmother of the suspect (Aling Puring played by Rustica Carpio).

Movie poster for Brillante Mendoza's "Lola" (2009).

I gravitated to this film because I wanted to see how Brillante Mendoza would pull off a film following two perspectives. I assumed that the film would follow two specific paths: that of a family belonging to a hero and that belonging to a villain, but it was a bit more than that. Instead, you find yourself following two seemingly frail old women a few days after the stabbing. One focused on finding money to pay for expensive funeral arrangements. The other working to find money in the hopes of arranging a settlement with the former, attempting to save her own grandson from time in prison.

Aling Purina brings food to her concerned grandson Mateo in jail. Photo: Lilokpelikula.wordpress.com

Either way you immediately find what the two grandmothers have in common: they are poor. And not only that, they are the matriarchs, the decision-makers, and the financial overseers of their respective families.

Visually, “Lola” felt like a documentary. The camera followed each grandmother, often in one solid take for a long period of time. At first these long and boring shots were very frustrating to me because I knew that it wasn’t a documentary. It also had this “Blair Witch” shaky cam feel that didn’t help at all.

Aling Sepa and her family leads the funeral procession of boats. Photo: Ybca.org/Lola

But after some convincing acting from both grandmothers you are sucked into the film. You begin to wonder what will happen next in what seems to be a movie spontaneously shot. It was as if Mendoza was following two old women in real life, covering their every move to ensure he didn’t miss anything that may contribute to the final result. When in reality everything was pre-written in a script. Or was it?

A grandmother works to free her grandson. Aling Puring played by Rustica Carpio. Photo: Ybca.org/Lola

Every sound on the street had its part in the film as well. The gritty ambience further contributing to the unedited, documentary feel of the film. Right from the beginning you know the actors aren’t in studio but in the midst of a very real Manila. They walk on loud streets along side actual citizens carrying on with their daily lives. Were these real lolas as well, carrying on with their lives after this life-changing stabbing incident? No of course not, it isn’t a documentary. But was that a real court room with a real judge? Was this a real jail cell with real inmates? Mendoza’s eye for reality coupled with the use of real people and real places adds to this feel of the film.

Aling Sepa played by Anita Linda.

And since it seems Brillante Mendoza was given permission to enter actual courtrooms and jail cells, it was my first time to catch a small glimpse of the Philippine justice system. Which depending on who is watching, is depicted as a broken system or a system that has no choice but to leave most of the work to the citizens. Over-population and slim budgets burdened by other faults in a grander scale contribute to the over-whelming weight placed upon these two grandmothers. I guess its the same either way.

A funeral procession in the "Venice-like" urban settlement of Aling Sepa.

So who wins? Does the grandmother of the victim obtain justice via the courts sending the grandson of another lola to jail? Or is the latter able to obtain enough money and convince the former on a settlement, freeing her grandson instead? How do they go about obtaining their separate yet dependent ends?

If you can bear the initial boredom of lengthy shots and shaky camera work, you will be duly rewarded with the answers. If not, you probably shouldn’t bother watching this film and try one with more polish. But polish and shiny camerawork comes at a cost, the expense of a sense of realism and the very monochrome view of just one perspective.

Amanda Bartolome (Vilma Santos) sits and listens to one of her sons.

Dekada ’70
Directed by Chito S. Roño. Written by Lualhati Bautista (movie is based on her book Dekada ’70)
Starring Christopher de Leon, Vilma Santos, and Piolo Pascual.
Baluts:

Cast: Marvin Agustin, Carlos Agassi, Danilo Barrios, Ana Capri, John Wayne Sace, and Dimples Romana

Dekada ’70, released in Philippine theaters in 2002, tells the story of a family not only living during the time of martial law in the Philippines during the 70′s, but also finding itself entangled in it.

Christopher de Leon, Vilma Santos, & Piolo Pascual among others help paint a diverse set of perspectives with their characters. And under the direction of Chito S. Roño, who also directed another movie that I enjoyed, the Filipino musical “Emir“, Dekada ’70 to me has become an illustrative introduction to this seemingly elusive yet highly-relevant decade of martial law in the Philippines.

Paano mo palalakihin nag iyong mga anak sa pantheon ng walling katiyakan? Translation: How do you raise your children during a time of uncertainty?

On Sept. 21, 1972, 39 years ago this week, then President Ferdinand Marcos appeared on television screens all across the Philippines, informing the Filipino people that he had “signed proclamation number 1081 placing the entire Philippines under martial law.” Martial Law is “the imposition of military rule” removing power from all other branches in government (wiki). Martial law in the Philippines lasted from September 22, 1972 to January 17, 1981 but Marcos remained in power up until February 25, 1986 (wiki).

Marcos Declaring Martial Law on September 21, 1972 (photo credit: http://pcyjourneyhome.wordpress.com)

Many different sources can tell us the story of this decade in the 70′s in the form of facts, figures, opinionated articles, dates, and timelines. However under the direction of director Chito S. Roño, the family we follow in this movie would be themselves our sources to martial law. With a talented cast of convincing actors and actresses, their home would become to the viewer a microcosm of the country as a whole. In fact it is in the home of the Bartolome family where most of the movie actually takes place. And it is in this home viewers are taken for a brief ride through this tumultuous time in Philippine history.

The characters of brothers Jules (Piolo Pascual) and Eman (Marvin Augustin) share similar anti-Marcos perspectives in the movie (photo credit: sribats75)

A movie that attempts to add a more familiar and human touch to a real event isn’t without its melodrama. The overt use of music to drive emotion home and unnecessarily lengthy shots distract a bit from what otherwise could have been short and sweet takes of awesome performances. The pace of the film seems to slow down mid-way through the film. Yet these faults are minute enough that they probably didn’t even deserve a mention.

This movie makes for a satisfying introduction to this decade in Philippine history. I shouldn’t forget to mention how faithful the movie remains to the styles of dress, the models of cars, and the music of the time to strongly present the age and era the movie takes place. Most importantly Dekada ’70 presents to us the emotional aspect, an aspect you cannot obtain through school textbooks, snapshots, and soundbites of Martial Law under Marcos. This is communicated successfully through its collection of talents seen through the eye of a veteran director.

‘Til next review, ingat. Take care.

Performance by John Wayne Sace where he plays the youngest son, Bingo, making a confession to his mother Amanda played by Vilma Santos (no subtitles)

President Ferdinand Marcos declares martial law

"Amigo" the movie takes place in the Philippines in the year 1900.

Amigo
Directed by Jon Sayles
Starring Joel Torre, Chris Cooper, Garret Dillahunt, and Yul Vazquez
Baluts: 

Cast: DJ Qualls, Lucas Neff, James Parks, Dane DeHaan, Rio Locsin, Bembol Roco, and Ronnie Lazaro

I guess technically this is more of an American movie about Philippine history than a Filipino one. But since it headlines some amazing Filipino actors i’ll review it here anyway. This is a must-see for history buffs, Filipino-Americans, or anyone in general who’d like more insight on what folks call a “forgotten” part of American history: The Philippine-American war (or more accurately, insurrection). Despite the fact it would be impossible to accurately portray a balanced perspective of the conflict in one movie, I think it serves as a good enough introduction to it despite no mention of why the Filipinos were fighting (false promises made to Philippine generals and the Treaty of Paris). I hope it will be a nice jump start to conversation and analysis of this forgotten era of Philippine-American history.

"Shhh, we're hunting for a rabbit!" Policarpo (Bembol Roco) with Simon (Ronnie Lazaro) behind him.

“Amigo” takes place almost entirely in and around a Philippine village in the year 1900 at the beginning of the Philippine insurrection against the United States. At the start of the film we find Raphael Dacanay played by Joel Torre, the barrio’s cabeza (town mayor), carrying out his usual activities until the sudden and not-so-gentle arrival of American troops. The subsequent events that unfold involve the tension and turmoil Raphael, the “amigo” (friend), goes through to ensure peace in the town he was tasked to serve. Raphael juggles between directives from both the Americans soldiers on one side and the Filipino rebels on the other.

Joel Torre plays Rafael the barrio cabeza (town mayor) while Rio Locsin plays Corazon, Rafael's wife.

The best acting found in this movie is from the Filipino actors, specifically from Joel Torre, who plays the diplomatic and community-focused Raphael, and Ronnie Lazaro, who plays Raphael’s brother Simon, the leader of the local “insurrectos” or Filipino rebel group. Although they only share one scene with each other during the whole movie, the tension and respect between them was well displayed thanks in part to brief but convincing monologues of reflection and anguish from both actors throughout the movie.

Ronnie Lazaro plays Simon, leader of the local militia.

I’ll take a guess that both were chosen for these particular roles since not too recently did they work together in similar roles in the movie “Yanggaw” (“Affliction”). There, Joel played a barangay (barrio/village) police chief, very similar to his role in “Amigo” and Ronnie a concerned father of a daughter infected with an unknown illness, who also happens to treat Joel’s character in a similar way as he does in “Amigo,” with a distant yet fraternal respect.

Yul Vazquez plays tri-lingual Spanish Friar Padre Hidalgo

One of my favorite moments in the film involve brief conversations between two Chinese servants living in the barrio. It was nice to see for my first time a portrayal of the long-time but unrecognized presence of the Chinese in the Philippines outside of Philippine cinema. I also enjoyed watching a Spanish Friar who was used by the American troops as a translator. Played by Yul Vazquez, the Spanish Friar represented the old but ever-so-present Catholic and Spanish influence still remaining in the Philippines. He spoke English, Filipino, and Spanish quite impressively.

American soldiers occupying the barrio (village) of San Isidro

Unfortunately some of the American supporting actors were pretty sub-par, their accents and voices at times were annoyingly high-pitched. Also, I understand that younger-looking men were needed to play the young American soldiers, but in the end i’d rather watch older more experienced actors caked with anti-wrinkle cremes than watch these guys in action. However, speaking of experienced, it was nice to see Academy Award Winner Chris Cooper in the movie who played Colonel Hardacre.

"Amigo" movie poster

To me, “Amigo” told the story of people caught in the middle of the Philippine-American conflict coming from different worlds and speaking in different tongues, colliding with each other in a tropical, humid, and distant Philippine “barrio”. To say it was a heated and sticky situation would be a trite yet very fitting metaphor. However it would have been nice to see better acting from the American troops. Also, if there was just a bit more information on the various successes of the Filipino insurrectos before the arrival of their American occupiers, as well as some mention of the false promises made to Philippine generals and background on the Treaty of Paris that eventually led to the conflict, it would have made for a more balanced and historically-accurate movie.

‘Til next review, stay informed, and ingat. Take care.

Mga links

New York Times review: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/books/19book.html

“Amigo” was filmed on the Philippine province of Bohol: http://www.asianjournal.com/aj-magazine/lifeeastyle/12053-amigo-revisiting-a-footnote-of-philippine-history.html

Photos in this review can be found from the “Amigo” movie website: http://www3.amigomovie.com/photos/

The dreaded phone call that Balikbayans fear across the globe. The call to return home upon the death of a loved one.

Third World Happy
Directed by EJ Salcedo
Starring Sam Milby, Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Quan
Baluts:

Cast: Melissa Mendez, Archie Adamos, Archie Alemania, Raul Morit, Geraldine Tan, Eugene Herrera

“Sometimes it takes losing someone to find yourself.”

Sam Milby plays Wesley (or Wes), whom we find at the beginning of the movie working as an assistant in a New York art studio. After turning down an opportunity to show his work there, Wesley receives a call from a relative in the Philippines asking him to come home to attend a funeral of a loved one. The subsequent journey then slowly introduces us to Wesley and his past as he comes to terms not only with the death of his loved one, but the reestablishment of old ties and loose ends left open after he left the Philippines to pursue his art career in the United States.

Provoking emotion via unnecessarily long shots. Not by a long shot.

Unfortunately some portions of the movie were a little too drawn out. The movie’s shots were well-composed but a few shots lasted far longer than they should have. I felt the director was over-emphasizing some shots for effect and to invoke emotion, when in reality the acting, particular that from Jodi Sta. Maria, was superb enough to do that on its own.

Third World Happy movie poster

For those not familiar with Sam Milby’s work, he typically stars in romantic Filipino movies. So when I first saw the movie poster of “Third World Happy”, with Sam Milby against a white background, hands in his pockets, looking stoic and lacking a love interest by his side… I told myself I had to watch this.

Two of Sam Milby's popular romance movies

I will admit, being that i’ve only just begun to venture into Philippine cinema, I am by no means in a position to say that better Philippine cinema can only be found via more “serious” or “made-for-international” audiences. But I think “Third World Happy,” along with the rest of the independent/non-mainstream films that have been made, and are being made today, make great introductions to Philippine cinema in general. Whether it be made for a more general, drama/romance-hungry mainstream public, or made for those who desire to watch films that are bit more niche.

Ej Salcedo at left. Photo by Jude Bautista. http://judebgallery.wordpress.com

Despite some minor faults, the movie was well-directed by EJ Salcedo who expressed in this article that the movie is also a reflection of his own life. Salcedo worked as a copywriter in the United States and then returned to the Philippines after the death of his uncle. In addition to re-connections he had to make upon his return as a “balikbayan” (returning countryman), he also expressed a bit of his life in the US. “I wanted to tell that story and the things I’ve learned from working as a copywriter. I have friends from advertising agencies who took on their jobs to help their families. But, what they really want to be are comics-book artists, painters and filmmakers! People have dreams but they don’t pursue them, because they have bills to pay.”

Welcome back Wesley

With that said, “Third World Happy” makes for a good introduction to Philippine cinema. I’d rather refer fellow Pinoy movie noobs like me to golden era Philippine movies from Lino Brocka, but “Third World Happy” also takes a glimpse at modern Filipino life not only about Filipinos in the Philippines, but of Filipinos overseas. Which given Milby’s American roots, could be seen as an accidental symbolic role for him in a way. Or maybe I just delve too deeply into unintended meanings.

‘Til next review, ingat. Take care.

Mga links

Director Ej Salcedo explains:
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20101112-302882/EJ-Salcedo-comes-home-to-pursue-filmmaking

Jude Bautista website: http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/marinel-cruz-a-star-among-stars/

Rakenrol with the Hapipaks! Photo: Mads Adrias / Rakenrol Facebook page

Rakenrol
Directed by Quark Henares
Starring Jason Abalos (Odie), Glaiza de Castro (Irene), Diether Ocampo (Jacci Rocha)
Baluts:

Cast: Jun Sabayton, Alwyn Uytingco, Ramon Bautista, Matet De Leon, Ketchup Eusebio.

Have you ever started a band with someone you had a crush on who had a super crush on an ego-maniac while your band’s drummer joined a pyramid scheme founded by a karate master?

Yes? What a coincidence, Rakenrol is your life story!

Irene screaming "super crush!" Photo: Youtube still / Rakenrol Facebook page

For those of who have never done such a thing can live such a life vicariously by watching this movie. And despite the fact that Rakenrol is about a group of young folks starting a band in an underground rock scene in the Philippines, it connects to that inner rock star who desires to let it all out in front of a dozen strangers (or just 1 or 2 depending on the turnout).

Irene and Odie. Photo: Mads Adrias / Rakenrol Facebook page

There is love, hate, and humor, as we follow two friends Odie and Irene, educating us on the Philippine underground rock scene. They teach us about the underground slang, Philippine child stars, and last but not least how NOT to make a music video with Filipino comedian Ramon Bautista. And in the midst of all this they form a rock band with two other folks they find without the help of Craigslist, calling themselves the “Hapipaks”.

Hapipaks fantasy poster. Image: Cynthia Bauzon-Arre

One of my favorite parts -SEMI-SPOILER ALERT. CLOSE EYES- is when the band performs for the first time. Let’s just put it like this, their first gig has a show title with the word “satan” in it. And they’re called “The Hapipaks!” First fail! Ok that wasn’t much of a spoiler.

The Hapipaks! Image: Mads Adrias / Rakenrol Facebook page

Despite initial setbacks, they slowly fall into place within the rock scene, while Odie himself, slowly falls in love with Irene. In comes a new setback. Drama! At which point ego-maniac Jacci Rocha, a rock star played by Diether Ocampo, mixes things up as Irene’s super crush.

Jacci Rocha and his band Baron MÜnchausen. Photo: Mads Adrias / Rakenrol Facebook page

Non-Filipino speakers will love Jacci because, well, for some reason he only wants to speak in english. All this, plus the non-Filipino love for english-speaking Jacci eventually pushes Odie into the emo realm.

Odie on "emo mode!" Image: Trailer still

In the end, all goes well. Or does it? Does the band ever get signed to a big record label? Does Jacci Rocha ever go back to his roots, speaking in Filipino while having sex with a hot actress? Will Odie snap out of his emo-ness and finally confess his love for Irene? Was it obvious that I would end this review with such a typical question-answer type conclusion?

RAKENROL!

Sources and links:
Rakenrol FB: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rakenrol/123065354435475
LA review: http://laapff.festpro.com/films/detail/rakenrol_2011
Cynthia Bauzon-Arre Poster: http://untitledshort.blogspot.com/2011/04/rakenrol.html
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1849052/
Q&A in SF: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQBE72SCyEw

Dorotea Godinez on the left, one of the 4 teachers followed in the film, greets Filipino students upon returning after a year of teaching in the US. Photo courtesy CineDiaz.com.

The Learning
Directed by Ramona Diaz
Starring Dorotea Godinez, Angel Alim, Grace Amper, and Rhea Espedido
Baluts:

What you’ll learn about…

“The Learning” is a documentary following four teachers from the Philippines working for the first time as teachers in America.

It is a candid look at a small section of two overlooked populations of Philippine and American society:

1) Filipino overseas workers (OFW’s) and how they face leaving their families to work in a foreign country, and
2) American students and how they live in the face of school budget cuts and growing classroom sizes.

The film is like “The Real World, OFW” meets “The Real World, American High School Student.” The resulting culture clash is at first an interesting social experiment to watch, but turns into a journey where you are pulled in bracing for the impacts, thanks in part to the well-trained eye of the director, Ramona Diaz.

A quick history lesson

Thomasite teachers and pupils. Image courtesy of The American Historical Collection, Ateneo de Manila University.

During the early 1900′s, the American occupation in the Philippines involved establishing an American system of education.

Fast forward to 2001 where schools from various parts of the US were pushed to hire teachers from other countries, one of the biggest sources being from the Philippines. A movement sparked by the decreasing amount of new teachers entering the American school system and the “No Child Left Behind” act applying certain mandates that pushed schools to hire more teachers.

The film points out in the very beginning the irony of it all: the US desperately hiring teachers from a country it gave its education system to less than 100 years before.

Director Ramona Diaz (left) with one of the teachers, Rhea Espedido (right). Photo courtesy CineDiaz.com.

Who should watch this

Diaz made this documentary less of one riddled with facts and figures, and more with the emotions and feelings involved when human beings are introduced to something new and alien. Leaving us with a movie I feel has cross-cultural appeal.

But given its content, it is a definite must see for teachers. To further strengthen the importance of being or becoming a teacher. Inner-city students as well should watch to see that the problems that many of them face is a national one.

For American born Filipinos, to understand how it was like for their immigrant family members to live in a country not of their own. To witness the sacrifices they made for them, ultimately providing American born Filipinos the opportunity to earn incomes 10 times or more than they would have if they were born in the Philippines.

And finally for anyone interested in Filipino-American culture, since it was made by a Filipino-American, about Filipinos becoming American.

Dorotea with her son in the Philippines.

First day jitters: the culture clash begins

My favorite teacher is Dorotea Godinez, a confident woman who is well-respected by faculty and students from her previous school in the Philippines. A country whose students stand up and greet their teachers as they walk in. An act derived from “po” or the Filipino value of respect for one’s elders.

In America, Dorotea overestimates the formalities of teacher-to-student relations. On the first day of school she arrives early and when the bell rings she stands by the doorway greeting each student as they walk into class. She gives a lengthy speech that seems pre-written, informing the students of her previous background as if she were making a formal presentation to a group of investors.

To top it off she is sweating profusely throughout the day as her predominantly black students are quiet with looks of confusion and uncertainty, all they know is that they are in the midst of a teacher and a culture they have never been exposed to.

And when they do communicate, the student’s english is nothing like the english the Filipino teachers are accustomed to, full of different slang words and twangs only a high school student in an inner-city school in America would understand. The feeling is mutual, as the students deal with understanding the Filipino accents of their teachers.

As Ramona puts it: “At first they are totally unprepared for each other, not understanding a word of each other’s version of English.”

Ups and downs

The documentary is a very personal one as the camera is literally over the shoulders of the four teachers. Following aspects of their daily lives like sending money remittances to the Philippines to visiting tourist spots along the east coast. As well as the bigger moments such as the first day of school or a life-changing phone call from the Philippines.

You live the excitement of visiting a new and foreign land. And the depression of feeling alone and restless, surrounded by people whom you don’t understand and don’t understand you.

Ramona captures the colors, the warmth, and congestion from the Philippine countryside. And conversely captures the cold, white, empty streets of an American city.

If I were to describe the the movie in one word, it would be “balanced”.

In the end, you have a feeling that the best, as well as the worst, is yet to come.

Grace Amper and her husband filmed in their new home, fully funded by Grace's earnings as a teacher in Maryland. Photo courtesy CineDiaz.com.

The end was only the beginning

The documentary follows the four teachers during their first year, but later i’d learn that they are still teaching in Baltimore. The film leaves us curious as to how their second year pans out. How do their families in the Philippines cope with another year without their mothers? How are the children and their perspectives of these Filipino teachers different? Are there improvements in scores?

Luckily there is a series of Q & A sessions on YouTube of Ramona Diaz answering such questions. All four of the teachers are still teaching in Baltimore, albeit a lot more different than they were during that first year. A few of them were even able to bring family members after petitioning them.

Today however it seems that the troubles haven’t strayed far. According to this news article, overseas teacher recruitment has been suspended due to an agency responsible for handling the entrance of the Filipino teachers. It appears they overcharged the teachers with high fees.

And if this trend does increase, will American schools improve? Do Philippine schools suffer because of an exodus of it’s teachers? Although these questions aren’t completely answered by Diaz’s film, the question of whether two completely different kinds of people, differing by age, country, and perspective, can get along is answered quite entertainingly and truthfully.

Sources:
An article by a school board commissioner on his take on this “education experiment”.
Ramona Diaz e-mail interview.
Photos from Ramona Diaz’s production company, CineDiaz.com

Mga links:
Movie review by Variety.
Overseas teacher recruitment suspended due to agency “shortchanging” teachers.
Virginia state Filipino teachers get money back.
America’s Little Brown Brother.

Emir the Filipino Musical! Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Emir
Directed by Chito S. Roño
Starring Francheska Farr, Kalila Aguilos, and Bayang Barrios.
Baluts:

Cast: Kalila Aguilos, Bayang Barrios, Liesl Batucan, Julia Clarete, Melanie Dujunco, Dulce, Gigi Escalante, Jhong Hilario, Sid Lucero, Bodjie Pascua, Beverly Salviejo.

After the 1st few minutes of watching the talented Francheska Farr singing in Tagalog, playing a hard-working gold-skinned Ilokana woman, with images of the province like cutting a chicken’s head off while people sang, I thought “you can’t get anymore Filipino than this!”

Amelia played by Francheska Farr. Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Who the heck is “Emir?”

“Emir” takes place in the Middle East, hence the name. After some googling I found it may be a reference to the arab word “Emir” which is an Arabic title of authority. If so, its quite fitting since all throughout the movie it seems Amelia’s fate is in the hands of her Arab employers. In a nutshell it is a hodgepodge of experiences lived by Amelia (Francheska Farr) as she grows up as nanny to the son of a rich Arab magnate in the midst of political turmoil.

The musical.

I’m not into the flamboyant styles of movie musicals (or musicals in general), but I heard a lot of good things before watching “Emir” so I knew this would be an exception.

The yayas (from left, clockwise) Julia Clarete, Dulce, Frencheska Farr, Melanie Dujungco, Kalila Aguilos, Liesl Batucan and Beverly Salviejo.

Each song was catchy and each song style varied as well. Whether the song was sad or upbeat, it did a great job conveying the moment and matching up with each scenario. I even teared up during one song when Amelia and a friend sang to the moon after both of them had just endured heart break. Another song during an incident where a corn field is suddenly infested with rats has a very rock feel, is yet played again later in the film during a very different (but fitting) scenario where the mansion is invaded. Oh and the supporting cast was gorgeous and talented. I loved all the yayas (nannys).

A few missed notes. To my own ear of course.

“Emir” seemed to focus more on the quality of its individual parts, songs, and scenarios, and not on the story as a whole. My disconnection with the story occurred immediately after we find Amelia in her foreign work place, interrupted by a song whose concluding verses seemed more Bollywood than Filipino. Once the film takes place in this foreign land, you can say you become disconnected the same way Amelia is as she begins her initial years away from home.

Say goodbye Amelia! To any hint of solid storytelling! Photo: Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Secondly, the bad acting from the non-Filipinos in the film was a bit distracting. It was as if a casting director said, “let’s get anyone who looks Arabic.” But once I saw the sheik’s hot wife, played by who knows who, I quickly forgave all of them.

And for this last annoyance of mine, I was a bit disappointed that Amelia didn’t end up with the good looking half Ilokano half Arab guy who speaks Ilokano and works at Western Union (or whatever they use in the middle east to send money worldwide). He is played by Sid Lucero. If only I was as good looking as him i’d be auditioning for, instead of reviewing, films!

Aye pa cute!

This film looked and sounded awesome. A non-Filipino even mentioned that she enjoyed the film a few months back without subtitles, which I guess is easy when music is used to carry any plot. But speaking of plot, it was one that I couldn’t connect with. I felt I was merely an outsider watching Amelia’s crazy Overseas Filipino Worker life unfold, rather than being Amelia herself living the moments through her eyes, or at least holding a connection to her own experiences long enough for me to feel like I was there.

Despite that, “Emir” took me for an awesome ride that i’ll want to share with other folks over and over. I hope to get a dvd so I can hold my own personal potluck screenings! Salamat “Emir!” Salamat-alaikum!

Filipino Film Facts:

EMIR was shot on-location in Ilocos Norte, Ifugao Province and the Moroccan cities of Marrakech, Ourzazate and Essaouira. (via CCP)

At the Golden Screen Awards on April 2nd of this year, Josefino Toledo won best musical score for his work in Emir, Francheska won best Breakthrough Performance, and Roño himself won best director for the film. (via Phil Star)

Mga Links:
A great review from “Click the City”.
Emir on IMDB
Great photos of the film from Andronico.wordpress.com.
Film trailer
Photos of the cast