DASH Rouses Minds to Discourse Through a Film View and Review Event
The Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and History (DASH) hosted a film viewing event as part of the Rudolf Rahmann Lecture Series, titled “Short Films and Its Relevance to Cebuano Culture and Society Featuring Huwebes Huwebes and Sibuyas ni Perfecto.” Along with the faculty and students of the DASH, film media students from Cebu Normal University, specifically from the school organization CiNe-U, as well as several students from other departments of the School of Arts and Sciences were also present.
Mr. Chrionni “King” Decrepito and Ms. Regina Yona introduced the audience to the lecture series and its beginnings in the 1980s. Its main purpose was and continues to be an avenue for scholars of history, anthropology, and sociology to discuss their research findings.
Dr. Leny Ocasiones, chairman of DASH, who gave the welcoming remarks for this event, quotes Gabes Torres: “A film can be a beacon in identifying who and where we are, but also inspiring us where we could be headed.”
Dr. Zona H.S. Amper, Faculty of DASH and Cebuano Culture and Society professor, also shared the same sentiments in providing the rationale for this lecture. To Dr. Amper, the rising trend for visual learning brings with it the relevance of adapting to a more visual form for educating scholars, thus the viewing and discussion of these films. These are not major productions; rather, they are independent (indie) films, yet these films are examples of what revitalized a dwindling Cebuano film industry, considering how cinema is heavily centered in Manila. Despite the department’s history of screening independent films, this lecture in particular is special because it addresses the power of Cebuano films to provoke discourse regarding the underlying issues that marginalized sectors of our country continue to endure. “This is an opportunity for us not only to watch but also to discuss,” she said.
Following these speeches was the screening of the two short films as well as a movie review by a panel of reactors introduced by Ms. Delilah Labajo of the DASH Faculty. Members of the panel include Dr. George Borrinaga, Associate Professor of DASH, Atty. Jay Pujanes of Stop the Attacks, Movement for Peace (STAMP), and Mr. Januar Yap, the director of Huwebes Huwebes and Sibuyas ni Perfecto.
Along with the panel of reactors, students from the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and History also performed instrumental renditions of contemporary and classical Filipino songs such as Bamboo’s Tatsulok, performed in melodica by Michael Gealon, and Nicanor Abelardo’s Cavatina, performed in violin by Daniel Cimafranca.
During the open forum, students from all departments asked all their burning questions regarding the implications of these films for the elites and the government, what legal actions can be taken in situations presented in the films, as well as insights on the creative process of the director, Mr. Januar Yap
In an exclusive interview with the president of the Carolinian Sociological Anthropological Society (CARSAS), Pres. Marie Danielle Lleno, they expressed how their goals for this installment of the Rudolf Rahmann Lecture Series were successfully met considering the number of questions unanswered because of the time constraints, showing just how engaged the students were in reflecting on these films. Even the faculty began to empathize with the characters that these stories bring, despite the supporting stance of some on the very structures that affect those characters. When asked for plans for expanding the list of movies, should the organization hold an event like this again? Lleno answered that such an expansion is possible with the help of collaborations with other school organizations.
Huwebes Huwebes
The film revolves around the story of Rikoy, a dropout and an ex-drug addict who explores the art of writing poetry for the first time, but despite his efforts to change his life, he becomes a victim of the War on Drugs. Poetry has a double purpose in this film: first, to serve as a glimpse of redemption for Rikoy; second, to stir the minds of the audience through poetry that describes the horror and pains of the masses, which is from the perspective of Atty. Pujanes are the reason why the rebellion persists.
In Atty. In Pujanes interpretation of the movie, Rikoy represented the victims of the anti-drug campaign, and ‘Nyor Emman, the mysterious person who taught him poetry, personified the rebellion. All of them have their own stories to tell, each just as provoking as the next, and are not just digits on a statistic. In the final scene of the film, we see Emman leaving on a boat, but we never see where he’s going. This scene compelled Atty. Pujanes ask the question, “Where is the movement (rebellion) going?” Because until now, the rebellion is still alive, but the government has not checked or addressed the reasons why they continue to rebel.
source: IMDB
Sibuyas ni Perfecto
The movie tells the story of the life of Perfecto, a farmer who wishes to sell his goods downtown. One of the first scenes begins with the main character, Perfecto, carrying his basket of onions while walking down the main road. But this scene is quite peculiar because in it we find no dialogue, no speed changes, no cuts, or any stimulating elements that distract us from the subject. In the film’s stillness, we are forced to look at Perfecto and ponder his daily toils and his long and difficult journey downhill while carrying his heavy basket of onions. From this scene alone, we can understand the depth of this film’s awareness, deliberately bringing our attention to the reality of distance and time.
Just as the saying goes, “a silence so loud,” Perfecto’s quiet, almost voiceless response to his poor treatment by his supplier and friends is thought-provoking and infuriating for the audience. In fact, Mr. Januar Yap expressed how one time he showed the film to a grassroots organization, and upon seeing Perfecto’s situation, they were furious, fueling discourse during that meeting. Mr. Yap explained the film and story-telling techniques he used for Sibuyas ni Perfecto. He used certain camera angles and irony to convey the position of Perfecto in his society.
While Atty. Pujanes emphasizes the victimization of the poor and the loyalty of Perfecto despite the people who betrayed him, Dr. George Borrinaga presents a more historical interpretation of betrayal and agriculture in this film. He identifies the parallels of the story of Perfecto to the chronicles of Philippine-American relations, where farmers were also not receiving their deserved pay and an uneven distribution of power and capital was formed as a result of a system built by our colonizers.
Dr. Borrinaga also presents a similar view to Huwebes Huwebes, stating that there is a gap between what we know about the nation and the deep and long-running problems in reality. And so most of the Filipinos, who are disassociated from these hidden realities that have gone on since the arrival of our colonizers, are willing to forget history and vote for messianic figures, who we feel can liberate us immediately from the country’s problems.
source: IMDB
More on Mr. Januar Yap
To Mr. Yap, his position as a storyteller is that of someone who wishes to remind humans of their humanity, that they remember to feel for others, and to soften their hearts to the harsh realities of these people. This statement stands true when he starts to explain his creative process. His stories aim to “atomize” the grand issues of Philippine society into human faces so that we, the audience, can understand the severity of these problems. When asked how he keeps his story-telling fresh, he answered that successful stories are very personal and honest, so sincerity and honesty are the keys to a good story. Additionally, in casting for both movies, he did not choose famous actors and instead cast people who really experienced these stories, so when asked how he decides which person is right for the role, he said that knowing the statement you want to say is the first step, and the elements of your story must build around that statement.
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