“COLOR ME PINK”

"COLOR ME PINK"

Hello island of the natives! Do you know how it feels when you know that you are not just GAY but GAYER than GAY? It feels very good. Especially when you know that you are not alone and there are movements around the world, which demands for acceptance and equality. Last Saturday I had proven again how the gays would rule the world someday, filling up a whole cinema to watch gay films.

As I have mentioned the other day, Arthur, Kirk and I had a date for Saturday, to watch the Pink Festival in SM Manila.

Aside from the movies, the reason that I went there is the feeling of existing as a gay person. It is very overwhelming. Just to have a small contribution by watching such films to the gay movements spawning. Becoming larger and stronger than ever when more people are coming out and unafraid of the consequences that they might encounter on the latter end.

DUDA

The first film that we viewed is DUDA, written and directed by CRIS PABLO, and if I'm not mistaken, a product of UP Filming. It was a good watch even though it can be expected that it will going to have a poor production because it would be very unlikely for a project like that to get a good funding. It is true that gays and gay culture are very well accepted in Philippine society already but it doesn't necessarily mean that it is already well-accepted in Philippine cinema. The odds of a gay film hitting it big time in major production outfits are small. Being compared to gay-oriented films made in the past by Lino Brocka such as "Macho Dancers" and all its contemporaries, those films were made at the time when gay revolution was at its peak in the Philippines. Such films were intriguing by that time and at the same time, they were more of FYI films that targeted mixed audiences, to inform and to make people know or realize their questions of "hows" and "whys" with regards to the prevalence and presence of homosexuality. Now, gay films that are being produced are 100% gay oriented or gay-centered so to speak, which targets only the homosexual market, that if a heterosexual would view it, it would be very implausible that he or she can relate to it. Gay films of the 70's and 80's were made with a general perspective, as if you are looking from the outside of gay life and seeing what is inside, that's why it would be easier for someone who's not gay to appreciate and relate to what they were watching. GAY films of today were written and made entirely from the inside, meaning that most of the people who can relate and understand the stories were the one who were already inside the circle of gay life. That's why it would be all too risky for mainstream movie outfits to produce and gamble money for such stories and screenplays. Quality films produced in a year can be counted with a hand, it would be harder to lobby quality gay films. So, in fairness, with gay writers and directors, they would rather go with the flow and write and direct what the majority of Filipinos would watch, not the people would rather not watch.

Anyway, the production team of Duda made a very effective alternative to conceal the inadequacies in the production value of the film. The movie was presented in a documentary-type of filming, which in all fairness, got the audience by their throat and let them swallow the illusion of reality. But as you may know, it has its drawbacks, that's why that type of filming was not generally used by filmmakers. Well of course, aside from the makers of "Blairwitch Project".

The story was cleverly written, simple, with a pinch of absurdity and surrealism, it was blended well. One moment you are in the real world, one moment you are in somebody else's mind, one moment you are even in a memory. The narration was effective and so as the style of supporting characters speaking to the audience fits well to its documentary theme. And the talk show at the climax of the film is very well put, the music made it better, and I have to admit that the appearance of John Lapus helped in a way, whatever way it is, it helped. I know that the filmmakers wanted it to be as unique as possible, even though some audience may not appreciate it and find it too absurd or too obscure, but that's the essence of "experimentation". That's art! And that's being creative is all about. The filmmakers found a way to express and establish a climax, which is alternative, not taking up too much time and effort but at the same time efficient and prevent the viewers from drowsing off.

As the title suggests, the film is about doubt. The story revolves on the main character "Cris" and his lover, "Erik", the famous 4001st guy that Cris met in a Puerto Galera escapade. The story has the perfect ingredients that can make a gay film portray modern gay life in the Philippines in a very detailed spectrum. It tackled the main aspects of living a gay life; unstable relationships, paranoia and jealousy, promiscuity, intellect, confusion, friendship, loss, desperation, search for true love, posh, and sex. As you watch the film, you will realize that what you are watching are not gays but rather persons. And what sets it apart from other local gay films is that the film has a heart, an authentic heart that one may find at a time quite melodramatic or perhaps even "over"dramatic. But you know that it happened, it is happening or it will happen to all of us sooner or later. But I don't know if this is an advantage or it is the other way around; the film didn't even bother to tackle the issue of discrimination and blending in the heterosexual community. As I have mentioned, this is a 100% gay-centered film, a story in a "eutopic" state. Well of course, aside from the appearance of a guy, who demanded money in return for the sex even though there had been no negotiation done, who scandalized and even stabbed Cris on the side. Well, it wasn't Cris who picked him up it just so happened that he arrived at their house when the turmoil was happening. And of course, a gay film wouldn't be complete without somebody uttering the words, "Salot kayong mga bakla." It was the callboy who exclaimed that, which is pretty funny, 'coz without gays callboys wouldn't even eat a complete meal in a day.

In the end, it would still be love that made the story go around - the search for it and the undying quest for it. While Cris and Erik had a very traumatizing break-up, Cris would still have found the perfect someone when the sun sets. I said to myself, that it is a happy ending just like the usual films I watch. But the difference here is that, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks were not the ones giving me the assurance of love and that I wont have another sleepless night, Adam Sandler was not the one singing and saying that he'd grow old with Drew Barrymoore, Rico Yan was not the one who believed in magic and fell in love with Claudine Baretto. It was Cris, who was standing on the shore, pondering on his lost love, while the sun was setting in front of him . . . . . . he came to offer love to Cris.

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After the chains of smoke in the carpark, we headed straight back to Cinema 3 of SM Manila, struggling to get through the chaos that was going on in the cinema area, which at first I thought is brought about by the film festival. Later we realized that it was Spiderman, who's causing the chaos. Anyway, I'm never a fan of such films, well aside of course from the fact that it is Toby Maguire who's appearing on that film. I viewed it also, but I let the commotion subside first, a few days after.

Ian Veneracion

The second featured film of the Pink Festival that day is from Tojaro Productions, a film written and directed by Hamilton Macleod, whom I'm not so very familiar but I promise that I'll try to research on him the soonest possible time. The film is INTERM@TES.

INTERM@TES was done in a very professional manner. As a viewer, you'd know that what you are watching is a "movie". You'd know that the team behind this movie is all well experienced and have been making films for a long time.

Let's go down to the basics. In terms of the production value of the movie, irregardless of the budget constraint, which is quite obvious, I felt that all measures were done just to execute exactly how the script was written or what the script was asking for, such as the sets, locations and other detailed sequences. So, it's a thumbs up for the filmmaker to face and solve the dilemma of poor production value. But as far as the technical stuff are concerned, I saw that the most collegiate equipment were very well provided and utilized, such as the lights and the sounding.

But one thing that really bothers me is the type of film used to shoot the movie. As the movie opens and the credits rolled in, you have this feeling that what you were watching is a very old movie made in the times of Tina Paner's and Manilyn Reynes' heydays. Even how the lines were delivered, anyway all dialogues were in English, maybe because that the movie is an entry for international gay film festivals, were so in a way nostalgic. The way it was dubbed and the accent of the actors reminded me of Filipino films in English made in the 70's. I thought that that was part of the illusion but later on I realized its not when I saw that the production design and the milieu of the story is in real time. I felt a little weird while having that illusion of the past when I can see are "San Mig Lights" and "Expeditons" as if I'm watching an old movie set in modern time.

Speaking of modern times, the story was supposed to be about internet gay lifestyle, as it was based on a story entitled "Welcome to Gaymanila". Gaymanila by the way is a channel in MIRC way before bi-manila. But the story delved on the life of chatters outside the chatroom not inside it, which I find not so very fit on the main theme of the story, which, as I said, supposed to be about the internet gay lifestyle. Well, in a way, that was what I was expecting when I have read the publicity. I really don't know what the writer really wanted it to be.

The movie begins with different types of gay men, logging in the channel #GAYMANILA. They were all in front of their computer screens talking about a Grand EB that'd going to happen later that night I suppose. And finally the conversation was shifted to a particular chatter who died, STARMAN, and that is where the story begins as one chatter tells the story in detail to the gossip-hunger chatmates.

The story unfolds nine months ago in, guess where, PUERTO GALERA as a group of chatters arranged a get together vacation escape. And there, STARMAN, appeared, played by IAN VENERACION, one guy whom my fantasies cant get enough of. IAN plays a sought after actor, heterosexual in the silverscreen, homosexual in real life. Is that something new?

Anyway, the character of Ian Veneracion pushed the story to revolve as he later on played around with his friends' lovers one by one. Right there in Puerto Galera, he caused the break-up of an eight-year relationship, when he was caught having sex with the lover of his friend in the cottage. Few months later, he seduced the character played by William Thio, lover of STARMAN's bestfriend, played by Raymond Bagatsing. After which, he then thrived on the "straight" lover of another friend by helping the "straight" with his finances that his lover couldn't give. And that is basically how the movie went on ending in an unfortunate accident that caused the life of STARMAN and the "straight" guy, after the "straight guy" made a scene in STARMAN's movie premier, because he contracted HIV from him.

The actors are all brilliant and fantabulous, aside of course from William Thio, which I heard is longing to have a second chance in showbusiness appearing in 30 Days, a reality TV program that promises to let a star shine again in thirty days after their luster got busted. (I loathe the concept of that show). No doubt that Raymond Bagatsing is super perfect for the movie, he is magnificent in playing gay roles. Among all the gay roles that he played, I'd say that he deserves an acknowledgement this time. And so as Ian Veneracion who's so realistically gay, the nuances, the expressions and the movements were all very well learned and executed, even the first and only sex scene made my blood curdle.

All in all, the movie is worth it. So, I am wishing them all the luck as they pursue the international gay film scene. It is just so sad to see how the gay filmmakers were deprived when it comes to budgeting and funding so as they lack the resources to put together a perfect film. But, hopefully someday, producers and so as the audience will realize that what the filmmakers and writers are putting up are not just "gay" films, but rather a work of art that deserves the attention and commendation. So that, there would come a time that we would all color the world, pinker than pink!

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