final but not the end

Being in AWOL for more than two years, I made it a point that the classes I will enlist in are interesting to take and talk about. I chose AS177 for a couple of reasons, first it is very convenient, being it is just once a week (the scheduling of classes I am used to because that is how it is in Mass Comm where I came from), it is in the afternoon (I work at night and asleep most of the morning, lastly and most importantly, film is really an interest of mine.

The two years I quit school, I volunteered in an alternative media group which produces documentaries tackling and probing the issues of our times. When I was a member of Tudla Productions Inc., I was lucky enough to see and be part of film productions ultra indie-style. So when I see that there is a class about Philippine Cinema, I enlisted because I know it will deepen my understanding about cinema in the Philippines and to append in an academic way the things I've experienced before with regards to film.

The style of the class is very logical and not hard to follow. In every cinema 'era' the groups report on, there is a movie shown which is somewhat a representative of that time. Among all the films shown in class my favorite is Scorpio Nights (review). Well, I will not be a hypocrite and will admit that I am someone not new to sex scenes and porn movies but those in Scorpio Nights are just HOT. It made me feel that I am on in a secret, a passionate affair, in a love triangle destined to shatter in pieces. It was actually the only movie shown in the class that I ask friends to watch. hehe.

Tunay na Ina comes in a close second. I really enjoyed the drama, the story, the acting and the songs in this movie. It took me a couple of days to recover from LSS in lyrics such as "Kayo po ay maawa sa pulubing bata" and "Maligayang bati masaya na Pasko (with matching tears from Tita Duran who was forced to sing this happy Noel again despite the news her mother is very ill)"

All in all, my taking up Philippine Cinema made my semester fun and better. But with the end of the semester I must confess that I regret not having to speak up on times I feel like sharing my opinion in class about film and the Philippine society. I must admit that I felt a bit scare to share my progressive thoughts in class because one, I am afraid to be marginalized and second I do not want to be tagged as GnD tibak. I regret not having raised the topic of alternative media when the classed discussed 'Digital Film' (topic I reported on, que barbaridad lang hane?). Anyway, it may be the end of the semester and this class but my love for film is ever continuing. Perhaps, I was not able to share my thoughts in full while in the class, but there is the outside world (Hello World!!!) where I plan to participate and support the Philippine Cinema (particularly independent and alternative film makers!) Wooooo....

Mabuhay ang pelikulang Pilipino na sumasalamin at nagtatanong! Mabuhay ang mga manggagawang pangkultura na walang sawang makipamuhay at mamuhay sa mga lislis upang makagawa di pangunahin ng mga obra kundi ng pantulong sa pagmulat ng manonood at pagsisimula ng mga diskurso at malao'y ng pagbabago! :-D