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LINO BROCKA AND MIKE DE LEON: TWO OF PHILIPPINES’ GREATEST AUTEURS

The auteur theory states that directors of films are “authors” of their films. In a nutshell, the theory indicates that directors have their own unique, distinguishable artistic identities that inevitably seep into their work and manifest as recurring themes and visual cues that set them apart from other directors and their works.

The idea of auteurism (the existence of an author in films) is said to have come from a Max Reinhardt, a German filmmaker who used to be a German theater director. However, it is in the French New Wave that the idea was popularized, and people began to believe the idea that a filmmaker is the artist or author of his or her works. During this time, the term was believed to have been “revived”. It is said that the term “auteur theory” originated from critics of the French film journal Cahiers du cinéma.

François Truffaut, a french filmmaker regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave, believed that films should be analyzed "as its own artform, with its own set of techniques, themes, and discoveries." Before the French New Wave, films were often adaptations of popular and classic novels and stories that catered to the audience's preferences, as they were already familiar with most of these stories. These were considered their norms. Truffaut believed that instead of catering to the audience's norms, films must push their boundaries instead.

Harry Tuttle who ran the blog Unspoken Cinema and preferred the term contemporary contemplative cinema (CCC), further explained that “the accomplishments pre-war French cinema was praised for (‘talented adaptation’ and the ‘faithfulness to the spirit of the novel’) are seriously questioned here to highlight the absence of filmic expression which must differentiate Cinema from Literature.”

Andrew Sarris also further elaborates on the auteur theory in 1962's "Notes on the Auteur Theory". He writes, “The three premises of the auteur theory may be visualized as three concentric circles, the outer circle as technique; the middle circle, personal style; and the inner circle, interior meaning. The corresponding roles of the director may be designated as those of a technician, a stylist, and an auteur.” In this, he describes the auteur theory as having three premises: technical competence, distinguishable personality, and interior meaning.

There are also many critics that disagree with the concepts explained in the auteur theory. They believe that the theory gives too much credit and recognition to the director as auteur and diminishes the roles and contributions others played in producing the movie. Others also argue that the third point in Andrew Sarris’ three premises, the interior meaning, may do more harm than good. The interior meanings may be exclusive knowledge pushed only to showcase a director's signature style, and it may not be common knowledge to many. This would make the film exclusive and not meant for many.

When analyzing films with the auteur theory in mind, people either already know a director’s artistic identity and actively watch out for reflections of this in the films he or she produces, or they slowly get to know the director and his artistic vision as they watch more of his or her films. With the auteur theory in mind, it is implied that a director’s film will have the aforementioned recurring themes and visual cues that are reflective of his or her own identity.

For Lino Brocka’s fans, his artistic identity is very easily recognizable and feels like a distinct stamp across his films. He is a renowned filmmaker, becoming the first Filipino filmmaker to have his work submitted as an entry at the Cannes Festival and earning a prestigious Palm d’Or. He was nominated at Cannes several times, and earned yet another Palm d’Or for a different film. His films are well-loved and appreciated by his fans, who go straight dissecting his films and uncovering the messages and hidden criticisms within them.

Lino Brocka has had a difficult and tumultuous past. He was born in Pilar, Sorsogon on April 7, 1939. He was born to Pilar Ortiz and Regino Brocka. His father, Regino, was a huge influence on him and taught him maths, english, and arts. He went on to study English Literature at the University of the Philippines and joined the UP Dramatic Club with hopes of someday becoming an actor. He had several achievements and even attained a scholarship from the University of the Philippines. Soon after, he left his studies to be a Mormon missionary.

His father was murdered due to political reasons, and he had to flee with his family for their lives, as well as endure physical and verbal abuse from his relatives during the succeeding years. His life had not been easy, and he himself was a victim of suffering under the system.

He started directing films and writing for both television and stage. There is, however, something that set him apart from other directors at the time. With the amount of censorship by the government at the time, many were too afraid to tackle controversial issues involving it. He was fearless in his criticism of the Marcos regime. His films depicted issues surrounding oppression, corruption in the government, the marginalized sector, poverty, and many other relevant social issues at the time.

The local government heavily censored such content and films, but despite this, Lino Brocka’s films managed to reach international audiences. His films would be smuggled overseas, and they began to gain attention from outside the Philippines. He consistently refused to make films in favor of Marcos, making him one of Marcos’ critics. He continuously produced films that cried out for social justice and brought light to the problems in society, especially those experienced by people in the marginalized sector.

When watching his films, it is evident that he has carried these experiences with him, and it shows in his films. Now, he is regarded as a radical filmmaker who created socially conscious films surrounding different social issues and injustices experienced by marginalized Filipinos in different parts of society.

Lino Brocka’s films are known for having themes surrounding different social and political issues. They usually follow a certain character, often a common citizen with a hand-to-mouth way of life, struggling with oppression and suffering under the abuse from the system. He is also openly gay, and his films include or explore themes of sexuality, which was unheard of at the time and a topic avoided by other filmmakers. His upbringing and past can be seen in his characters, who were once naive and innocent before experiencing the hardships and realities that city life has to offer and changing one way or another. His films demanded change, and often if not always gave those without voices a voice that demanded people to listen.

According to The Realistic Cinema of Lino Brocka, Lino Brocka’s films are also known to have a realist aspect to them. He is known for making his characters “more realistic”. In his words, “I was introducing the Filipino audience not to caricatures but to characters, a character study”. He would also insist on shooting in locations that would best capture the realistic depiction he wanted despite the suggestions of nearer, more convenient alternative shooting locations. He preferred shooting in “real” locations rather than achieving the desired look through production design in order to capture the “truth”. He also preferred “realist aesthetics” as opposed to films centered around escapism. He noted that although more people had begun watching films, many Filipinos were “watching movies that are as far removed from their lives as possible”. His films are said to open the viewer’s eyes to disturbing conclusions about society. Lino Brocka wanted to expose corruption and showcase “truths for the individual”. His films often criticize and expose evils in the government and the police-military.

Maynila, sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag is a drama film based on the novel, In the Claws of Brightness by Edgardo M. Reyes. The movie follows the journey of Julio Madiaga, a man from the province Marinduque who decided to move to Manila to search for his childhood sweetheart, Ligaya. Ligaya had been taken from their province and moved to Manila by a mysterious woman from the city claiming Ligaya’s move to the city would ensure a good job and a good future for her, much to Julio’s dismay. The film follows Julio as he spends years searching for Ligaya, encountering obstacles and occurrences that shake his moral compass. Julio suffers greatly and learns many lessons along the way. The numerous events and the difficult years change him altogether, for better but arguably mostly for worse.

The parallels in Julio’s experiences and Lino Brocka’s are easily recognized. Julio started out as a naive, even gullible probinsyano suddenly thrust into the harsh realities that city life had to offer. He was made to suffer under the system and experience various forms of injustices that altered his personality and rendered him unrecognizable. Julio also explores his sexuality in the film when he meets a call boy and is recruited to be a male prostitute.

Throughout the movie, the Filipino culture is very evident, both the good and the bad. There were several harmless interactions and exchanges such as when a lady in the church shot Julio and Ligaya dirty looks for chatting in the church, when Julio had conversations with his co-workers at the construction site about how obtaining a college degree is seen as the key to one’s success, and Perla’s consistent show of hospitality whenever visitors (friends or strangers) enter her household. These interactions are close if not accurate to real-life occurrences in Filipino settings. Many of these are reflective of the Filipino culture and mindsets that many Filipinos possess. However, there were also many instances where the more negative aspect of the Filipino culture is showcased. The problematic aspects of society and the various issues are given their own spotlights, and this highlights the Lino Brocka style his fans are accustomed to.

The film tackled several social issues prevalent at the time. While the film appeared to be fiction, it was also evident that the situations in the film took inspiration from things that actually happened in real life at the time. The film showed how anyone could be an oppressor- from the Chinese taking Filipina brides and mistreating them, to the Spanish taking lands that belong to Filipinos, to other Filipinos exploiting their own countrymen for monetary gain and to maximize their profit. It also tackled how women from provinces were being taken to the city under the guise of going after a better future that the province could never possibly offer and sold to brothels to serve as prostitutes or to be married off against their will to the highest bidders. The film also showcased the hardships experienced by Filipinos living below the poverty line through Julio’s experiences- from working at an unsafe work environment with very low compensation, getting fired due to cost-cutting, experiencing loss, and living on the streets. There was an air of hopelessness to the portrayal of these predicaments; The situations of these people were often much less than comfortable and continued to get worse as time passed. It also showed that the innocent, pure-hearted people can turn into bitter, rage-filled reflections of their previous selves that are barely recognizable for people following their journey.

The impact of all the little and large injustices are shown through Julio’s character progression. Julio started out as a kind, pure-hearted boy with simple dreams and only the desire to be with Ligaya. The injustices Julio experienced were often brushed off in the film and disregarded simply because they were a regular occurence. Despite this, the impacts of even the little injustices can be larger than expected. They are also dangerous, as they cannot always be seen at first glance. All these piled up until the hay that broke the camel’s back came along. After years, Julio had finally found Ligaya. They were so close to liberation and their happy ending; All that was left to do was to get Ligaya out of the prison she was staying at and take her away. On the night that Ligaya was supposed to meet him, Ah Tek, the man Ligaya was sold to, caught Ligaya attempting to escape. In a fit of fury, Ah Tek murdered Ligaya. Despite the ample evidence that pointed to Ligaya's death being a murder and not simply the result of her falling down the stairs, the media still pushed this narrative, taking away the justice that Ligaya deserved and keeping her murderer from answering the consequences of his actions. This drove Julio over the edge, and he murdered Ah Tek. By the end of the movie, Julio was the opposite of who he was before moving to the city. The scene where Julio helped the lady with the stolen bag and chased down the bad guy not only showed the audience what an innocent and genuine guy Julio was. It contrasted so starkly with the final scene where Julio was no longer innocent and was instead the bad guy being chased. It made the character development and the difference between Julio at the beginning and Julio at the end so much more obvious. While it could be argued that the previous unfortunate experiences Julio had before Ligaya's death had little to do with his complete breakdown, it is certain that those experiences had altered his character one way or another. Along with Ligaya's death, they could have even potentially piled up and been the cause of his breakdown altogether.

The way Julio was treated in the film is presumably how people in the marginalized sector are also treated. Their problems and struggles are deemed too insignificant to warrant any action from the government. These people are continuously oppressed and abused, and those causing this either do not know or do not care about the long-term effects of these actions. When such injustices happen so regularly and do not seem to end, any man would crack and be driven to near insanity, as Julio was. Julio's violent breakdown appeared to be a physical manifestation of thoughts and feelings people who are constant victims of oppression keep bottled up and hidden from others.

Maynila, sa Kuko ng Liwanag is said to be one of Lino Brocka’s greatest works. His artistic identity and beliefs appear to be deeply ingrained in the movie’s messages and the portrayal of the social issues present in society. When watching the film, it is evident to fans that Lino Brocka was the auteur, as it fits the themes and overall vibes that his films are known to have. It is said that the film was meant to be a criticism on the Marcos regime. The horrible, dirtied reality showcased in the film was a stark contrast to the idealistic, clean image the Marcos regime wanted to brand New Society as. In those times, people from provinces would often migrate to Manila. They were referred to as the “urban poor”. This was the population that made up Manila’s cheap labor force. They were also the ones who lived in the slums with poor living conditions. Lino Brocka is known to choose subjects of this nature for his films. He also included what is referred to as “characters in the background”. He liked to portray “little people” and the “generally politically unaware people who are too wrapped up in their middling existence which revolves around love, sex, procreation and a little money to spend at the Luneta”. These people represented the everyday people living under the Marcos administration. These people are those who witness or hear about the horrors and violence that ran rampant during those days and were traumatized by it. They are also those who have experienced the horrors and violence firsthand, making them afraid and paranoid. This only contributed to the perpetuation of the Marcos dictatorship. It was said that “the impression of power and omniscience was exaggerated by showmanship and grotesque extremes of cruelty”.

Insiang, another well-known film directed by Lino Brocka, is a drama film based on a teleplay by Mario O’Hara with the same name. The film revolves around Insiang and her daily life with her mother Tonya. Tonya evicts her sister-in-law and her family, and her much younger lover Dado moves in soon after. Dado rapes Insiang, and her boyfriend Bebot betrays her. Insiang attempts to seek comfort from her mother, but Dado turns it around and blames Insiang for the incident. Tonya sides with Dado and takes her anger out on Insiang. The rest of the film follows her unexpected plans for revenge against the people who wronged her.

According to Lino Brocka, he believed the characters in Insiang to be “real” as they were based off real people in the slums. He also states that Insiang manifests his “preference to show people who fight in order to survive with dignity in the most abject of conditions rather than show the merrymaking of public relations agents”. This film was a covert criticism of the Marcos regime and how it impacted the lives of those affected. Insiang represented the “little people” in the Marcos regime. She was constantly treated as inferior and discriminated against. She was often blamed for many circumstances out of her control. She was despised and judged due to her alleged relationship with Dado, who everyone already despised, despite her similar status as a victim of his manipulation and abuse. Dado was meant to represent Marcos. He instilled fear in the people around him and had a gang of cronies backing him up. He often engaged in power play against other men in the area and made sure they knew that they were inferior in comparison with him. Despite abusing Insiang and treating her like her opinions did not matter, he continued to attempt to manipulate her and frame his abusive actions as tough love with good motives behind them. He attempted to make her believe that his actions were meant for her own good and that despite her current unhappiness, she would grow to appreciate his actions and thank him for looking out for her. The other characters represented other people in society. Regardless of who they were, everyone knew who Dado was and one way or another was affected by his actions. He was notorious and not particularly well-liked, but no one dared to lift a finger to object to his actions or go against his wishes. Despite their unhappiness and his incessant bullying, their fear of what he might do to them if they spoke or acted against him often if not always spoke volumes louder than their discontent with his treatment towards them. Different people have different motives, and while all suffer, some still manage to have a kinder heart and a better conscience than others.

There are also feminist undertones in the film. It is shown how women are typically treated in communities and the harassment they often receive. It is also shown how lenient people are on men when it comes to certain misogynistic actions. In the film, Insiang’s friend was sexually harassed by her relative. Initially the folks were outraged and chased after him, evidently meaning to punish him. This never happens, as Insiang’s aunt-in-law defends his actions as simply a drunken mistake. Other men would also make unwanted advances and flirt with the female shopkeeper for the sake of it. They also do not listen to her at all. When she asked them to leave so she could close up the shop, the men did not listen and carried on conversing and drinking. She had to ask her brother to go out and tell the men the same thing she already told them before they listened and left so the shop could be closed. It is also shown how some men disregard women’s feelings or opinions and treat them simply as playthings meant for their own pleasure, as Dado viewed Insiang. Disregarding her feelings and opinions, he often pushed his desires on her regardless of whether she consented or not. Bebot, Insiang’s boyfriend, also used her and discarded her after he had his way with her. He had gotten Insiang’s hopes up and promised her that he would help her escape and find a better life away from her abusive mother and her boyfriend, then proceeded to strip and coerce her into sex while she was crying and telling him about her problems. Afterwards, Insiang had woken up to find out that Bebot had gone home, abandoning her in the motel and proving that the promises he had made were all lies that he told for the sole purpose of getting into her pants.

The way Insiang reacted to these occurrences send a powerful message. She persuaded Dado to get his goons to beat Bebot up for her and manipulated both Dado and Tonya into believing she reciprocated Dado’s romantic advances, resulting in Tonya’s murder of Dado. While these actions are morally reprehensible and unjustifiable in the eyes of law and in the real world, the way this is viewed in the film analysis perspective is not necessarily the same. Laws aside, it can be said that in a way, the men deserved the revenge Insiang enacted upon them. While the question of whether the gravity of what they had done to Insiang equals to what had happened to them is difficult to answer and highly subjective, many can agree on what is symbolizes. By exacting her revenge on those that had wronged her, Insiang was taking the reins that perhaps were never even offered to her simply because she was a woman. She was taking control of the direction of her life and punishing those who have wronged her. It can be said that the film’s plot and conclusion symbolizes female empowerment at a price.

Insiang is a very interesting film. It is both entertaining and disturbing, and certainly makes its audience contemplate the true meaning of the film. Knowing Lino Brocka and his signature style in film, it is without a doubt for its audience that there are themes and messages hidden within the film.

Lino Brocka’s films may have been made in a different time and context, but many of the themes and social issues tackled in his films still hold weight and are observable now in current times and in society. He used film for more than just entertainment; he weaponized film in the sense that they are able to inspire change and demand for social justice. His experiences and past are some people’s present, and the trials he faced still continue to be felt by Filipinos. His films give “little people” the voice they are so rarely allowed and let others catch a glimpse of worlds they may be privy to. These films are meant to share a message with the Filipino people and to spur them to act against the oppression and injustices surrounding them. His films are timeless, and his messages as an auteur will continue to speak to film viewers for generations to come.

Miguel Pamintuan De Leon, better known as Mike De Leon, is a renowned Filipino filmmaker, director, cinematographer, scriptwriter, and film producer. He was born to Manuel de Leon and Imelda Pamintuan in Manila on May 24, 1947. He studied Art History at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He had won several awards for various films including best cinematography awarded by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences, the best director award during the 1978 Asian Film Festival held in Sydney, Australia, the Urian award for best director, best director and best screenplay in the Philippines's Urian Awards in 1984, and many other notable awards.

Mike De Leon’s films are known to be a “full reflection of the Filipino psyche that sought answers for questions on social class belonging, political absurdities, and fragmentations in various forms”. His films span many different genres and narratives, and he is known to excel and succeed in creating impactful films despite their difference in genres and approaches.

As an auteur, Mike De Leon is known as a director who creates films that tackle social and political issues, much like Lino Brocka. Like Brocka, he disagrees with many of the decisions and values of the Marcos regime and includes criticism of this in his films. Ironically, De Leon’s signature style is being able to explore various moods and genres. While most of his films speak of various advocacies and criticisms, the approach he takes for various films differ greatly.

His film Batch ‘81 is about Sid Lucero, a college student undergoing a harsh and humiliating initiation process in order to join the frat Alpha Kappa Omega. He, along with the other neophytes, undergo various forms of hazing as well as both physical and emotional abuse from the frat masters. The initiation tests include running in public in their underwear and sneakers, drinking beer laced with his batchmates' spit at a birthday party, pain-tolerance experiments, and various others. Frat neophytes are also punished for trying to quit the initiation process. One of them is strapped to an electric chair and asked various questions, receiving electric shocks whenever he gave the wrong responses. In the end, many lives are lost through an altercation with another frat, and Sid goes on to be a frat member and eventually a frat master overseeing another batch of frat neophytes.

The main premise of the story has to do with degradation and free will. The story is fast-paced, and the unfortunate events come one after another. Nothing is sugarcoated, and the plot shines in all its disturbing, violent glory. The fact that it was told from the perspective of one of the characters gave the film a more personal feel to it, especially since we could hear the character’s thoughts and doubts. Since the viewers are shown Sid’s struggles as he is continuously humiliated and abused, they are compelled to root for him despite the questionable opinions he forms and the dark actions he resorts to. The film builds up different expectations as the story progresses. Cheated expectations were scattered throughout the film. As the film progressed, the abuse and degradation of the neophytes progressively get worse and worse. This builds the expectation that something devastating would happen to Sid in the end at the hands of the Alpha Kappa Omega masters. In the end, however, during the suspenseful scene where the neophytes were blindfolded and asked to jump, they were not harmed further. Instead, they were celebrated as new masters and members of the frat. In the electric chair scene, Sid purposefully delivered a longer than necessary, dangerously high voltage to prove a point when he did not have to. Since this act appeared more evil than what the audience originally thought Sid was, this builds up the expectation that since a turning point happened, Sid would carry out acts even more evil towards his fellow neophytes thereafter. Sid continues to be stubborn and selfish after, but he does not do anything worse to the other frat masters and neophytes.

Others believe that the film was “a searing indictment of the violence and the brainwashing that happens behind closed doors in universities, as underground fraternities induct their clueless neophytes. It was also an indirect yet bold attack against the repression that characterized martial law in the Philippines right up to the film’s premiere in 1982.” There are also said to be feminist undertones in the film. In "Ang Simula at Wakas ay Kapatiran": Male Body Objectification and Homoeroticism in Mike De Leon's Batch '81, it is mentioned that “Mike de Leon’s Batch ’81 is a reaction to the tide of feminism that swept the director’s generation. Feminism has empowered women and enfeebled men. In Batch ‘81, the fraternity functions as a space where men can re-assert their masculinity; and because the story focuses on the long and painful process of joining the fraternity (the injuries that the men sustain because of “hazing”).” It further goes on to explain that “Therefore, Batch ’81 can be read as both example of and counter-example to masculine-femininediscussions of gendered cinema.

The film is a criticism of the Marcos regime. Through the use of fraternity culture, it mirrored the fascist demeanor of the Marcos regime. The Alpha Kappa Omega chant itself is said to resemble a fascist anthem. It is said that “The film’s use of a subculture that prefers the allure of secrecy to create a veneer of exclusivity is clever—its depiction of tolerated violence and humiliation within that hush-hush world is in itself an indictment of a country that is all too willing to be subservient to questionable ideals.” In the scene where Sid purposefully pushed the electrocution button for longer than necessary, he appeared to feel indignation and a desire to prove his obedience and loyalty to the frat masters. The frat masters then went on a spiel about how complete obedience and trust in their frat masters are absolutely necessary and assured the neophytes that the frat masters would never truly hurt them. The Marcos regime also demanded complete obedience and assures citizens that they meant no harm and wanted only the best for the citizens despite all the oppression and injustices present at the time. Tina’s brother also consistently warned Arni against dating Tina, where the threats got more intense as they progressed. He also mentioned a “last warning”, which made the audience expect a big confrontation or fight to happen where something bad happens to Arni. This does happen when Arni and Sid are kidnapped, the event ending in Arni’s death. This appeared to be a reflection of what happens to those who defy the commands of those in power.

Sid was the frat initiate that blindly followed all the frat masters’ orders. He believed wholeheartedly in the frat’s ideals and values, holding them in high regard. He also convinced others to do the same and give themselves up completely at the mercy of the frat masters. Despite the constant abuse hurled at him, he continued to support the frat and his desire to join it never wavered. In the electric chair scene, Sid purposefully delivered a longer than necessary, dangerously high voltage to prove a point- that he was willing to prove his obedience to the masters and save his own skin at the expense of others, regardless of whether they are good people or not. He also believed that the electric chair was deserved, as Ronnie had wanted to leave the frat and must suffer the consequences of his disobedience. Regardless of whether an act seemed immoral or not, Sid carried it out if the frat masters willed him to. He was utterly loyal to the frat and everything it stood for. In the last scene, Sid is shown chanting the frat’s constitution while hazing neophytes and staring blankly at the camera. He, perhaps, felt empty as well as some level of satisfaction, but the audience likely felt a sense of dread and remorse for what Sid had become. By blindly following the frat and obeying all their commands, Sid had become exactly like the frat masters. This appears to allude to what happens to those who blindly obey the commands of the Marcos regime and trust in their visions and values completely.

The film is dark and violent. The abuse and oppression are a consistent theme throughout the film, and the story is delivered in a very frank, very unapologetic, straight-to-the-point manner. This is a very effective genre to push the messages and advocacies behind the film, as evidenced by how successful the film ended up being.

Kakabakaba Ka Ba? is a film about Johnny, a man who unknowingly smuggles in high-grade opium from a trip to Japan in the form of an audio cassette. The Japanese yakuza kidnap his girlfriend and demands he give back the cassette tape. The events further get messier as the Chinese mafia gets involved. Johnny and his group of friends head to a church in Baguio but are recaptured by the Japanese, who are in league with the priests and nuns at the church. The Chinese eventually catch up to them and a musical battle happens.

Despite the entire film being an all-over-the-place comedic musical, it still has more serious undertones and a message to match. It is said to be a criticism of imperialism and religion. In the film, the Chinese mafia and the Japanese yakuza battle for various resources in the Philippines while Filipinos fall victim and can do nothing but watch. It is said that “the film posits the idea that we Filipinos are helpless yet still blithe victims as underground forces battle for control over our resources.” The film also criticized the Catholic Church in several scenes. The scene where the nuns and priests take opium like the Holy Communion is said to be a literal take on Karl Marx's phrase, “Religion is the opium of the masses.” The characters are also shown hypnotized by the nuns’ dancing and singing. It is also shown that underneath their religious habits, they are wearing glamorous and glitzy clothing. This is said to imply that everything is only for show.

Mike De Leon’s Batch ‘81 and Kakabakaba Ka Ba? are both films that serve as social commentary and criticize many aspects of our society and the way things are done. Batch ‘81 is directed with a more sinister, grim approach, while Kakabakaba Ka Ba? takes on a more light-hearted, comedic approach. The approach taken in these two films are significantly different and it is difficult to find similarities between the two, but it is undeniable that both films are effective and impactful in their own right. Despite their differences, they both fulfil their intended purpose and open people’s eyes to the hypocrisies and questionable or even problematic aspects of our culture.

Lino Brocka and Mike De Leon are both auteurs, but their signature styles and approaches differ greatly. Lino Brocka’s films focus more on the realistic approach and showcasing culture and social injustices as they are, while Mike De Leon plays around with the genres and narratives, exploring different approaches that could deliver his intended messages and advocacies effectively. Both styles impact the viewers in different ways, but both encourage the viewers to contemplate, to demand change from others, to sympathize with others and extend our help, or even to start the change from within ourselves. Regardless of how similar or different their styles are, it can be said that both directors effectively make an impact on society and encourage change. At the end of the day, both Lino Brocka and Mike De Leon have made a massive impact on both the film industry and society as a whole and are auteurs in their own right.

REFERENCES

Communication, UP College of Mass. “The Realist Cinema of Lino Brocka.” Plaridel Journal, http://www.plarideljournal.org/article/realist-cinema-lino-brocka/.

Culture Trip. “Lino Brocka: The Philippines' Greatest Director.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 17 Oct. 2012, https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/lino-brocka-the-philippines-greatest-director/.

Hustle, Indie Film. “What Is Auteur Theory and Why Is It Important? - Indie Film Hustle.” Indie Film Hustle®, 28 Sept. 2019, https://indiefilmhustle.com/auteur-theroy/.

“What Is Auteur Theory? Auteurs and Flying Pirate Ships.” Lights Film School, 21 June 2018, https://www.lightsfilmschool.com/blog/what-is-auteur-theory.

“Critique and Development of Auteur Theory.” Google, Google, https://www.google.com/amp/s/alisashortfilm.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/critique-and-development-of-auteur-theory/amp/.

Lef72638. “Discuss the Arguments against Auteur Theory and Provide Examples to Support.” Provide Examples to Support, https://www.coursehero.com/file/p5p2il4/Discuss-the-arguments-against-auteur-theory-and-provide-examples-to-support/.

“Lino Brocka: The Artist of the People.” Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival, 20 Feb. 2016, https://pandayanglinobrocka.com/lino-brocka-the-artist-of-the-people/.

Cruz, Francis Joseph A. “Understanding the Many Moods of Mike De Leon Through His Films.” Esquiremag.ph, Esquire Philippines, 1 Jan. 1970, https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/movies-and-tv/the-many-moods-of-mike-de-leon-a2186-20180604-lfrm.

“Mike De Leon.” IMDb, IMDb.com, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0209672/bio.

Espinoza.james. “MOVIE REVIEW: Kakabakaba Ka Ba? (1980).” Film Police Reviews, 18 Dec. 2015, http://www.filmpolicereviews.com/reviews/kakabakaba-ka-ba.

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theaamazons-blog · 5 years ago

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REALITY CHECK (Malamaya, The Panti Sisters, Edward, Verdict)

While Filipinos share a fairly similar reality, no two lives are the same. There are many nuances in the Filipino reality that we have in the present. After 100 years on Filipino cinema, this statement is reflected in the vast variety of Filipino films shown only in this year. The films Malamaya, The Panti Sisters, Edward, and Verdict all happen in the same country and where showcased in the same year, but in each film, a different reality is seen.

The first film is Malamaya. Malamaya’s logline reads, “A pessimistic uninspired middle-aged artist finds spark with a millennial photographer who leads her on a path of creative and sexual reawakening”. Malamaya is about Nora Simeon, an elitist middle-aged visual artist experiencing a midlife existential crisis of sorts. She meets Migs, a young photographer several years her junior, and almost immediately enters a relationship with him. They move in together and are on cloud nine before the trouble begins. Their love affair is hot and cold, bouncing between intimate bouts of lovemaking and heated arguments due to conflicting perspectives. Eventually, they grow apart. When Nora finds out that Migs stole one of her photos and passed it off as her own, she feels utterly betrayed and ends the relationship. Later on, she discovers that she’s pregnant and uses her experiences as inspiration to create new art.

Malamaya describes Nora’s reality- the ironically fanciful reality of a stiff, close-minded artist with a tight grasp of her values and beliefs. The viewers are able to see into the life of a rich woman questioning the direction of her life and battling her inner demons as she tries to find new inspiration for artworks.

The second film is The Panti Sisters. The Panti Sisters logline reads, “Three gay sons are called back by their estranged and terminally-ill father and given an offer they can't refuse: a P300 million inheritance in exchange for each of them giving him a grandchild”. The Panti Sisters is a comedy-drama about a dying, homophobic man’s three gay sons being given a chance to reunite with their family and gain a huge inheritance. In exchange, they are to move back into the mansion with him, act like men, and give him a grandchild each. The three siblings race against time and each other as their father’s health deteriorates. Despite their privileged lifestyle, the siblings still encounter difficult circumstances with judgmental homophobes, various forms of discrimination, and the loss of a loved one. All these experiences bring them together as a family and change them for the better as kinder, wiser individuals.

In The Panti Sisters, we are able to witness the realities of three gay men from a wealthy family in the Filipino context, put in a situation that challenges their moral compasses. The viewers get to see and hear Gabriel, Daniel, and Samuel’s doubts, insecurities, and shortcomings. The viewers also see a glimpse of the dangers and the homophobia they have to deal with from the people dearest to them, as well as from complete strangers in society. The film is able to depict how Filipino culture and its focus on the family as the most important unit of society coincides with the LGBT lifestyle that is differently tailored to other LGBT experiences across the world.

Our third film is Edward. Edward’s logline reads, “A public hospital serves as a witness to a young boy’s rite of passage when he is stuck to take care of his ailing father. Caught in a place where life itself is in limbo, the boy treats the hospital grounds as his playground, not knowing that it will be his source of liberation in the end.” Edward is a coming-of-age film about a young boy tasked with taking care of his bedridden father in a public hospital with too many patients and not enough staff. When all his relatives cut contact with them and withdraw support, Edward is forced to assume responsibility and grow up ahead of time. Edward is forced to go on various misadventures, including a short journey to save his dead girlfriend from the clutch of necrophilic prostitution. As the circumstances continue to grow more grim, Edward learns the joys and pains of love and loss.

The viewers are forcibly thrust into Edward’s reality- a world of cramped hospital wards filled with constant loss and lacking a heavy touch of affection. His world is one filled with grimness, poverty, and loneliness. They are made to experience the world of a poor Filipino adolescent with no proper guidance and more problems than he should be made to carry.

Finally, we have Verdict. Verdict’s logline reads, “Abused and battered wife, Joy, stands up for justice against her alcoholic husband, Dante, in a turmoil process of the justice system.” Verdict is the story of a battered wife deciding to finally report her abusive husband to the authorities after her daughter’s safety is compromised. The film follows every gruelling step involved in a victim seeking justice for her abuser’s crimes. We follow Joy’s journey all the way from the crime taking place, to the reporting of Dante’s abuse to the barangay police, to taking him up in court, and to finding out the judge’s decision to declare Dante acquitted on all counts.

The viewers experience Joy’s exhausting reality as she experiences abuse for the nth time and works up the courage to put an end to it. The audience gets to be witnesses to an abused wife’s story as she navigates through society and uncovers the flaws in the Philippine justice system. Overall, the film is very informative. It is able to show the process that many know of but in the Filipino context which might be unfamiliar to many. The audience is able to see the importance of money and education and the right to know one’s rights and that there is a just way to go through the processes of the court.

To make it easier to visualize, we have created a spectrum called the “Spectrum of Reality”. On the two conflicting ends, we have “idealistic narratives” and “realistic narratives”.

Narratives with the premise that our reality is shaped by our thoughts and ideas are classified as “Idealistic”, while narratives that consider reality an absolute existence independent from our thoughts and ideas are classified as “Realistic”.

On the idealistic side, we have Malamaya. The story of an artist trapped in her own head with problems typical Filipinos will find difficult if not impossible to relate to. Although it is not as if Artists are higher beings that normal Filipinos who are not in that occupation cannot relate to, but more like her problems are so out of touch with what can be considered realistic. Money is not a problem for her at all. The film nudges you in the direction of money when they talk about her not selling paintings and her refusing to sell paintings but it never follows through. We do not know her financial situation, we do not know how much she’s made to be able to live the way she does. It paints an interesting picture of how an old artist’s life would be like in the Philippines but it instead of learning how she got there, how hard she worked, the audience only gets that she’s rich and she’s bored. The sculptor that she has a fling with does show something a bit more realistic, as he is actively teaching students so that he is able to pass on the knowledge of his art, but Nora considers his teaching as “stealing” and disagrees with it. In the end, she is saved from the Philippines by her relative and she moves to another country, as if everyone’s problems can be fixed the way she “fixed” hers.

This is followed by The Panti Sisters, the stories of gay men that are offered outrageous conditions for an outrageous inheritance. They are able to mix in real-world problems and situations many can sympathize with. The characters feel like real people, representing the different kinds of LGBT+ people in the Philippines. They refer to Gabriel as a “Lola”, an original type of gay. He is a drag queen, he loves his work, he’s still a flirt but there’s an old soul in him that represents the first type of LBGT people seen in the Philippines-performers. He’s the person your parents watch in bars when they want to have a fun night out with friends. Samuel and Daniel represent the more “modern” type of gays. Samuel’s story explores the life of someone who might not be privileged and had to learn how to fight in the streets for his safety. Although all Panti sisters know how to fight, Gabriel and Daniel learned for the approval of their father. Samuel’s story also talks about how their sexuality might not be taken seriously because someone close to them is “in love with them.”. Daniel showcases the new genders introduced in modern times. They also try to tackle the subject of gay marriage in the Philippines. Though, they do the trope that the gay character always dies/never ends with a happy ending and it’s Daniel’s scenario that shows him happily in love with his current boyfriend. The values of each character is realistic. There is just an added element of fun into the narrative that easily distinguishes it from reality. It is relatable and entertaining but ultimately not real.

On the more realistic side, we have Edward, which very accurately depicts the ins and outs of a public hospital through the experiences of a young teen. Many Filipinos are burdened with the lack of proper healthcare and the facilities that give this healthcare is overcrowded and overworked because there is simply not enough manpower to treat so many people. It also shows that although Filipinos are known to be family-centric, they can still choose the type of family they have. Edward’s brother chooses to leave their father because of his father’s infidelity. He tells his father that he has his own family to take care of now and leaves Edward to take care of their father by himself. There are numerous people everyday being abandoned by their family because it just gets too hard to take care of them and Edward shows that. There is however, the presence of certain film tropes such as the manic pixie dream girl. Agnes quickly comes into Edward’s life and quickly leaves it. She makes him a better person but ultimately, she is empty. We don’t know how she got there, she’s quirky and a loud mouth and endearing, and just serves the purpose of changing Edward’s life. There is nothing deeper in her story. The brother has another family, the nurses are overworked, Edward’s best friend does odd jobs in the hospital. Anges is injured and teaches Edward to be kind and have love. The movie is realistic in a way that’s enjoyable for the viewer. The context and setting where the character is based on is familiar and real. The characters are stereotypes but in a way that is relatable to a lot of people. Their problems that they go through in the film are sometimes unique but the rest is familiar and easy to understand.

At the end of the realistic side, we have Verdict. Verdict follows a realism formula, depicting the occurrences as they are with shaking cameras, very few cuts, and supposedly little editing. The protagonist’s problems are also problems that many can relate to. Joy is 32 with a child and she doesn’t work. She’s a stay at home Mom. Her situation tells us that her husband has hit her many times before. It’s only when he hits their daughter that she finally steps up and the whole story takes place. If she had stayed with him because of their daughter, this incident now breaks the last thread keeping them together. Unfortunately this is a common reality. Many women feel trapped in relationships because of their financial situation. The reaction of their neighbors is also too realistic. The men help Dante out and the women do not help Joy. It’s as if Filipino feminism only works in the workforce but not in society as a whole. The movie also shows the sad reality that many do not know their rights. If Joy only knew her rights, then her case would’ve been stronger. It also showcases that money is needed to win in the justice system. Dante’s case was going great when he had an expensive lawyer but went downhill when he lost the money to sustain that counsel. It feels like a documentary or like the viewer was there when the events transpired. The movie makes the viewer feel like they were the ones waiting for their own verdict. Extremely realistic, it portrays the Filipino experience when the Filipino is taken inside the courtroom.

This is our second spectrum: The Spectrum of Privilege. In the four films, the main characters all differ in the state of their finances. Some are wealthier and live more comfortably, while some border on impoverished.

On the far end of the wealthy side, we have Malamaya. Nora is a renowned artist with no money troubles whatsoever. She lives in a beautiful house with beautiful furniture. She spends most of her days making art and painting. She refuses to sell her paintings and does them purely for the sake of making art. She also does charity work on her own time and resources. She appears to have no source of income but can afford to live a very comfortable life. She is able to do what she wants when she wants it because money is not a cause of concern for her.

The Panti Sisters follows. Gabriel, Daniel, and Samuel all come from the very affluent Panti family. Their father is a millionaire, and they can afford to live in a huge mansion. The family also hosts lavish parties to celebrate events. However, despite their family’s wealth, the siblings do not have free access to this. Their status as “disowned” has invalidated any claim to wealth. The three have to work various jobs to sustain themselves. The only way for the siblings to access the wealth is by completing their father’s challenge and claiming the inheritance.

On the less privileged side, we have Edward. Before Edward had to assume any responsibility, his stepfamily would pay for his father’s expenses. Edward did not have to think about money and simply focused on play. With his stepbrother’s withdrawal of financial support, Edward begins to rely heavily on the public health system to fund his father’s medicine and hospital bills. He and his friend also do odd jobs and errands for the nurses in the hospital in exchange for spare change and free snacks.

On the far end of the impoverished side, we have Verdict. The Santos family lives in a run-down home in a dodgy area. Joy and Dante appear to have come from middle-class families, but their finances are of course separate from that of their parents’. If only their financial status as husband and wife are considered, it is evident that they do not have much from the sparsely decorated living area and how modestly they choose to dress. Dante works at what appears to be a motor shop but often uses the money to gamble. The families are further drained of finances as the court hearings progress.

Here we have our third and final spectrum: The Spectrum of Conflict. We have two types of conflict: the internal conflict and external conflict.

Simply put, internal conflicts deal with complications that happen within a character, while external conflicts have to do with occurrences involving others or the character’s environment.

On the internal conflict side, we have Malamaya. Nora experiences a midlife existential crisis and doubts the direction of her life. She begins to feel uninspired and bored with her daily life. She experiences situations that make her question her own moral beliefs. She experiences conflict with her boyfriend but decides to end the relationship to settle her own inner demons.

Next, we have The Panti Sisters. With their father’s outrageous proposition, they have to go against their moral compass to pursue it. They spend most of the movie trying to pursue the inheritance, but there is a constant underlying doubt. There are many instances wherein they doubt whether they are doing the right thing and pause to contemplate. As members of the LGBT+ community, they also experience a good amount of external abuse from their family as well as strangers. This is especially evident when Daniel is murdered by homophobes. However, this situation leads back to introspection and cause the remaining siblings to reevaluate their own lives and priorities.

Then we have Edward. As Edward is a coming-of-age film, it includes much introspection. Edward starts out as a playful boy only concerned with his own entertainment. He is more self-centered, insensitive to other people’s predicaments and only noticing those that affect him. It is explained that this is due to his lack of guidance from parental figures as he grew up. As the story progresses, he experiences situations and meets people that make him aware of his shortcomings and insensitivity to others. While all this is going on, it becomes evident that much of his heavier, more pressing issues are external. His father’s health continues to get worse, and his stepbrother refuses to help. His love interest Agnes disappears right when they began to get serious, and Edward finds out soon after that she is dead. This is followed by the realization that they intend to sell her body off for necrophilic prostitution. After this is resolved, it is immediately followed by the announcement that his father is as good as dead. All his external problems continue to batter him and seem to have no end to them.

On the far end of external, we have Verdict. Joy may be dealing with inner conflict of her own, but her main foes are Dante and the Philippine justice system. Much of the film focuses on all the steps that lead to Dante’s acquittal and his death’s potential to incriminate Joy as a murderer. Much of the film makes the audience feel as though all the odds are stacked against Joy despite her innocence, and more problems continue to pile up. Joy may be experiencing inner turmoil, but it is evident that her external problems are very serious and will continue to pile up.

If we merge the spectrums, it is more easily observed that there is a pattern present.

It is observable that for these four movies, the idealistic narratives tend to more privileged characters dealing with internal conflict, with Malamaya and The Panti Sisters falling into this category. It can also be seen that those with realistic narratives tend to have underprivileged character battling against external forces, with Edward and Verdict falling into this category. Basically, the richer you are, the more self-obsessed you can be, because you can afford to. The less problems you have in your external life, the more you are able to focus on your internal problems.

While all these films are enjoyable to different people, people will argue that one category is more enjoyable than the other. In order to better understand why, it is important to go back to the roots and find the pattern in history.

Movies have been around since the late 1800s. Despite how long ago film-watching shot into popularity and became a staple in mainstream entertainment, movies are still all the rage at current times. Many films are regarded as classics that are timeless. Regardless of whether people agree on which films are good or bad, it is undeniable that films are here to stay.

People loved watching films then, and people love watching films now. To put it simply, people watch movies to be entertained, to feel, and to escape.

The first reason is easy to explain. The public loves to be entertained. People watch films simply because they find the activity enjoyable and satisfying.

The second point has to do with feeling. Films allow people to feel different emotions and form connections with fictional characters despite the lack of any meaningful prior interactions with them. People get to root for these characters, even going so far as to feel their pains and joys personally. With the large selection of genres and the even larger selection of films within said genres, people can have their pick of whatever emotion they would like to feel.

As for the third point, films not only allow people to feel. They also alter emotional states. They allow people an escape from reality- providing them with a momentary break from life. People are able to immerse themselves in worlds with realities so different from theirs that they are able to keep their own out of their minds.

Films with idealistic narratives fall under all of these, but there is an emphasis on the third point. They allow people an escape from reality- providing them with a momentary break from life. There is, however, a downside to this. Some narratives may prove to be too far-fetched and unrelatable for the masses to enjoy.

Films with realistic narratives fall under the first two points, but there is an emphasis on the second point. Regardless of whether filmmakers opt for a formalism or realism approach, these narratives can resonate with viewers on a personal level, enabling them to feel more of the emotions the movie intends to convey to its audience.

On one hand, we have films that lean more towards fantastic narratives. Some refer to this as “unrealistic realism”. These films are still set in realistic settings with realistic characters, but the circumstances are not always realistic and has an air of whimsicality. People are able to immerse themselves in worlds with realities so different from theirs that they are able to keep theirs out of their minds for however long the duration of the film is. People can choose to see a cheerful, light-hearted film to lift their spirits should they have a bad day, or they can choose to watch a feel-good movie to ease their boredom.

Although some films are watched for the viewer to be separated from reality- a stylized version that perfects what reality cannot -it is also a way to know the human experience. Film can also give the viewer a way to exercise their empathy and see how a movie expresses the struggles, the joys, hardships, of people and essentially give a way for people to "walk a mile in another person's shoes". Patrick Willems, a film director, notes that films now “increasingly leaned toward realism in recent years, as that form asks less of its audience”. This may be why people enjoy realistic movies. They are able to understand other peoples’ experiences, to feel their joy and the angst and everything in between without asking the audience to imagine realities completely foreign to them. The films can open perspectives and ideas new to the audience that they can visualize without too much difficulty. The audience can live vicariously through the characters in the films and experience “life without consequences” through film-watching.

There’s a delicate balance in making a reality-based film because often, reality can get pretty ugly. Some filmmakers prefer to follow a formalism narrative, which explores ideas and concepts while keeping a more or less realistic view in a story. This enables them to add factors that make a film feel lighter and less taxing, as it still follows a certain structure to it and can utilize various tried-and-tested tropes and storylines. Other filmmakers opt for a realism narrative, which enables them to embrace the ugly aspects of reality in their full, raw glory, making the viewer feel as though they are reliving the characters’ experience as if it were their own.

In terms of enjoyability, we have subjectively found that films with a good blend of idealism and realism tend to be the most enjoyable. We refer to this as “the sweet spot”.

When analyzing this rationally, personal preferences aside, it would make sense for people to appreciate movies that fall in the sweet spot. The films in the middle better combine the three reasons people love watching movies, while those at the far end of the spectrum tend to appeal to a smaller demographic due to their status as an acquired taste.

Either way, whether a film’s narrative is realistic or idealistic, they serve as a reality check to the audience. They are either relatable to the audience and encourage them to reevaluate their own realities or opens the viewers’ eyes to the realities of people in walks of life different from theirs. Whether or not these films are enjoyable to their audience, they all serve a purpose. In a way, they merge the audience’s realities with other realities new to them.

REFERENCES

“Should We Care If Movies Are Realistic?” News, https://news.avclub.com/should-we-care-if-movies-are-realistic-1798263096

O.Renee. “Why We Love Watching Movies By Popcorn On Couch.” Popcorn On Couch, 9 May 2016, https://www.popcornoncouch.com/love-watching-movies/.

Guttner, Gabi. “Why Do We Watch Films?” Roobla, 7 Aug. 2017, https://roobla.com/film/feature/6516/why-do-we-watch-films/.

Jennings-Edquist, Grace. “5 Very Real Benefits of Watching Movies.” ABC Life, ABC Life, 1 Sept. 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/life/benefits-of-watching-movies/10830400.

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