Showing This Week @ Cinekatipunan

Cinekatipunan to Feature Films That Affirm Filipino
Dignity and Tackle the Complex Relationship Between
the Philippines and the United States

SHOWING THIS WEEK AT CINEKATIPUNAN
2nd Week of January 2007

Monday, 8 January
FOREIGN FILM/FILMMAKER In FOCUS
(Confirmation pending)

Tuesday, 9 January
Ditsi Carolino: RILES
(Philippines/Documentary/2002/Digital/70 mins)

From the first astonishing shots of men, women and
children casually moving their belongings from the
railroad tracks seconds in front of an onrushing
train, Ditsi Carolino makes the viewer feel completely
at home in what should be the most alien of
environments. Focused on a couple, the film settles
into the rhythm of life along the tracks in Manila
with an intimacy that never feels intrusive. RILES is
a humbling and indelible portrait of human dignity,
resilience and community.

Ditsi Carolino started as an NGO worker documenting
human rights issues in Mindanao with photographs and
slideshows. Since attending a film workshop in 1991,
she has been directing documentaries which have been
screened, and won awards, at festivals here and around
the world. Her focus is on the lives and struggles of
ordinary people. She made Dapit-hapon sa Tambakan
(1993), and the multi-awarded films Minsan Lang Sila
Bata (1996), Mula sa Pabrika Hanggang Fukuoka (1999),
Riles (2002) and Bunso (2004).

Wednesday, 10 January
FILMS BY VISUAL ARTISTS curated by Poklong Anading

Thursday, 11 January
5:30 – 8:00 PM
Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez: ANAK NI BROCKA
(Philippines/Narrative/2005/150 mins/Filipino with
E.S.)
Seymour Barros-Sanchez: LABABO
(Philippines/Narrative/2006/17 mins/Filipino and
English with E.S)

LABABO (Kitchen Sink) covers significant dates
concerning the Philippines' relationship with the
United States. Parallel to these historical events is
the story of Kuala (a crazy woman based on the female
character in Lino Brocka's "Tinimbang Ka Ngunit
Kulang") and a young woman named Juana who both fell
for the same American soldier, Joe. "Lababo" is a look
into the complex relationship between the Philippines
and the United States. This relationship is mirrored
in the lives of the film's protagonists, two Filipinas
who fall in love with an American soldier. The short
film comes at the most opportune time, when the
Philippines is taking a closer look at the Visiting
Forces Agreement in the wake of the alleged rape of a
Filipina by American soldiers in Subic.

DIRECTOR: Seymour Barros Sánchez PRODUCTION: Red Room
Productions PHOTOGRAPHY: Ogi Sugatan SCREENPLAY:
Sigfreid & Seymour Barros Sánchez FILM EDITING:
Sunshine Matutina
CAST: Nerissa Icot, Virnie Tolentino, Stephen Patrick
Moore

(Lababo synopsis from
http://www.slingshortfest.com/films_internalaffairs.html
)

ANAK NI BROCKA (The Son of Lino Brocka). A motley
group of television journalists stumbles upon a
possible scoop: that the Philippines' national cinema
hero, Lino Brocka, actually sired a son. Video cameras
in hand, they set off in search for clues by asking
people if they might have come across a young man
named "Onil" who claims he is the son of Brocka. They
delve into the life of the National Artist, even going
so far as to interview director Brocka's family
members, friends, associates, and many of the actors
and actresses he groomed. In the end, the journalists
discover a lot of things about the late filmmaker-much
more than they expected. This eye-opening digital
feature includes interviews with many of the late
directors protégés and colleagues including Nonie
Buencamino, Jacklyn Jose, Gina Alajar, Bembol Roco,
Angie Ferro, Jeffrey Quizon, Joonee Gamboa, Chanda
Romero, Soxy Topacio, Menggie Cobarrubias, Geoff
Eigenmann, Nanding Josef, Allan Paule, Timothy Diwa,
Francis Magalona, Behn Cervantes, and Philip Salvador.


THIRTY-year old, six-feet four, and two-hundred pounds
Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez was born to a family of
writers and artists in Vito Cruz, Manila. At 16 years
old, he wrote articles and interviewed alternative and
underground musicians for 1990s Filipino rock music
bible, Rock & Rhythm, while studying Political Science
and trying out for a basketball varsity slot at the
University of the East-Recto campus. He decided to
leave school to learn more about filmmaking after
watching short films done by Jon Red (“Trip”) and
Roxlee (“Tito’s Wedding”), which a Humanities
professor asked them to watch.

In 1999, he became part of the prestigious 11th Ricky
Lee Scriptwriting Workshop and shortly after studied
directing at the Filipino Feature Filmmaking class of
Direk Marilou Diaz-Abaya in Ateneo. The year after, he
further honed his craft at the 10th Cinema-As-Art
Filmmaking Workshop at the Univeristy of the
Philippines Film Center (UPFC) under Direks Tikoy
Aguiluz and Raymond Red, among others.

His first job in the movie industry was as a script
reader for Viva Films until he was given a chance to
write his first script “Alas Dose” (2000). His next
assignments include writing “Kilabot at Kembot”
(2002), “Bertud ng Putik” (2003), and “Prosti” (2003)
and acting for “Dos Ekis” (2001). He also wrote for TV
shows like “Erik Matti’s Kagat ng Dilim” (2001) and
“Darating Ang Umaga” (2003) and acted for kiddie shows
like “Hirayamanawari” and “DetekKids”. In between, he
was also taken as script reader for Seiko Films
(2003).

His first foray into indie filmmaking was as an actor
for Jon Red’s “ASTIGmatism” (2004) whom he met for an
aborted project (“Balong Malalim”) back in 2001. He
then acted for Khavn dela Cruz’s “Barong Brothers”
(2004), Topel Lee’s “Nak Ng!” (2004), Ato Bautista’s
“Sa Aking Pagkakagising Mula Sa Kamulatan” (2004), and
again for Jon Red in “Boso” (2004).

Before the year 2004 ended, he was finally given a
chance to direct his first two films via film grants
from Cinemalaya and Cinema One Originals. The result
are the black comedy “Lasponggols (Last Take, Last
Shot)” and the mockumentary “Ang Anak Ni Brocka (Lino
Brocka’s Son)”. "Lasponggols" was invited to the
Fribourg Film Festival in Switzerland last March and
is again invited to the Leeds Film Festival in UK and
the Hawaii Film Festival late this year. "Ang Anak ni
Brocka" was screened last June at the Pesaro Film
Festival in Italy and will also be screened at the San
Pedro, California Film Festival and the Hawaii Film
Festival. Aside from these, he also wrote Topel Lee’s
Cinema One entry “Dilim” and acted for other indie
film festivals finalists like Mike Daganalan’s
“Isnats,” Ron Bryant’s “Baryoke,” and Jon Red’s “Anak
Ng Tinapa”.

Sanchez is also an accomplished music video director.
He recently won Best Director plum for this year’s
Awit Awards for Sugarfree’s “Hari Ng Sablay”. His next
video, Hale’s “The Day You Said Goodnight” was also as
successful as it was nominated at the 2005 NU Rock
Awards for Best Music Video, the 2006 MYX Awards, and
the 2006 Awit Awards. His third video Kyla’s “Till
They Take My Heart Away” is also faring well in the
charts. He was also assistant director to Bamboo’s
“Hallelujah” video. He has two recent music videos in
the tube, Shamrock's "Okey Lang" and Parokya Ni
Edgar's newest video "Gitara".

He considers his stint at the actual film shoots of
his filmmaker friends and mentors Erik Matti and Jon
Red his best film schools.

Friday, 12 January
Camilla Griggers and Sari Ll. Dalena: MEMORIES OF A
FORGOTTEN WAR
(USA,Philippines/Documentary/Digital/2001/60 minutes)

In the decade following the Spanish-American War, more
Filipinos were killed by US troops than by the Spanish
during the 300 years of colonial rule. More than 1
million Filipinos died between 1899 and 1913. Yet few
remember any details of the war or why it was fought,
though the war’s history holds the key to twentieth
century US foreign policy in Southeast Asia. This
experimental documentary about the Philippine-American
war of 1899 combines archival photographs and
turn-of-the-century film, digital video and 16mm film
footage to create memories of a forgotten history. A
contemporary Filipina-American narrator weaves this
complex history through historiography, experimental
documentary and intercultural cinema. Shot on location
in the Philippines and edited in the US, MEMORIES OF A
FORGOTTEN WAR was produced by an international team of
Filipino and American film and media artists.
CO-DIRECTORS, PRODUCERS: Sari Lluch Dalena and Camilla
Benolirao Griggers CINEMATOGRAPHY: Roberto Yniguea,
Robert Quebral, Regiben Romana EDITING: Andres Tapia
Urzua SCRIPT: Camilla Griggers, Lilia Quindoza
Santiago, Gabriela Krista Ll. Dalena SOUND: Ed Um
Bucholtz ART DIRECTOR: Rocio Martinez MOTION GRAPHICS:
Christina Hung DIGITAL IMAGING: Rocio Martinez,
Gabriela Krista Ll. Dalena MUSICAL SCORE: Grace Nono
and Bob Aves PRODUCTION DESIGNERS: Katya Guerrero,
Gerry Lugod, Gabriela Krista Ll. Dalena, Aba Ll.
Dalena CO-PRODUCERS: National Commission for Culture
and the Arts, Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, Paul
Robeson Foundation, New York State Council of the Arts


Camilla Benolirao Griggers, PhD, is a Certified
Rubenfeld Synergist®, a Prepare for Surgery™
Counselor, and Certified Massage Therapist with a
private practice in Santa Monica , California . She
teaches at the Institute for Psycho-Structural
Balancing and California State University at Channel
Islands . In her bodymind integration practice, she
combines guided visualization, touch, movement,
language and energy-work to teach clients to reach
their highest state of intelligence and adaptability.
She is the author of Becoming-Woman and numerous
articles on culture, gender and health. Dr. Griggers
is the director of Alienations of the Mother Tongue
(1995) and The Micropolitics of Biopsychiatry (1996),
and is the co-director of Memories of a Forgotten War.
Her films, characterized by wrenching emotionality and
astute cultural analysis, integrate healing,
education, and visual media. Her films have screened
at international film festivals, the Smithsonian, and
the Museum of Modern Art , and have been reviewed by
Variety , The New York Times and Asia Times. She is
currently authoring a collection of interviews with a
variety of renowned bodymind practitioners about how
education can evolve by embracing the new bodymind
paradigm entitled The Evolution of Education .


Sari Raissa Lluch Dalena-Sicat is a Filipina
independent filmmaker living and working in Manila.
She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Film
at New York University under a Fulbright-Hayes
scholarship. Her films have been screened
internationally in Asia and the U.S. Her films include
Church Dog (1994), Little Crosses (1995), Jamming on
an Old Saya (1995) The White Funeral (1997), Attack
Champion (2000), Bullet Days (2001) Divine Wind
(Kamikaze) (2001) and Memories of a Forgotten War
(2001) co-directed with Camilla Griggers. Sari Dalena
was honored as one of the Cultural Center of the
Philippine’s 13 Artists Awardess in 2000 and received
Grand Jury Prize for Best Experimental Film at the
Eksperimento 2001 International Film Festival.

(Camilla’s profile was lifted from
www.onebodymind.net)

Saturday, 13 January
FIRST FILMS: University of the Philippines, Diliman,
Film Production Theses
MISTERYO NG HAPIS; SAKDAL LAYA; ONE MAN SHOW;
TAGAPAGLIGTAS; KALARO
(Curated by Mark dela Cruz)

Mark dela Cruz is a theater actor, writer and
independent filmmaker. He studied Film and Audio
Visual Communication at the University of the
Philippines Film Institute. His experimental short
film “Garapon,” about the insanity of choice of a
woman over abortion, won first prize in the
experimental category of the UP Film and Video
Festival 2004. His latest short film is “Misteryo ng
Hapis/Sorrowful Mystery,” and was done in the
Kapampangan language. Mark is at present working on a
short film entitled “Misteryo ng Lualhati/Glorious
Mystery” as well as assisting US-based director Redd
Ochoa for the independent film "Baliw" featuring
actors Joel Torre, Jaime Fabregas, and Ryan Eigenmann.



TAGAPAGLIGTAS (Savior) is film is about the lives of
small-time abortion service providers. Lupe is an
overprotective mother who aborts babies to support her
daughter Cristina. Anghel, on the other hand, is
Lupe's agent who looks for potential customers and
accompanies them to her house. A sudden turn of events
happens when Cristina gets pregnant and tries to abort
her baby herself.

KALARO. Nightmares are something that seems so
harmless. It is as if everybody gets nightmares once
in a while. But for Helen, an early 30’s woman, her
nightmares have been part of her reality. Even as she
wants to face her present positively, her nightmare
keeps on haunting her and keeps weighing her down.
These recurring nightmares have been memories of her
past that she thought she had buried already. But it
keeps on living inside her. How could she finally
leave behind this haunting past?

MISTERYO NG HAPIS (Sorrowful Mystery)

A father waiting for forgiveness…
A son asking for acceptance…
… And a past that binds them two.

Filming your own life is a very hard thing to do. It
takes a lot of courage and determination in doing such
a film. For me, I see it as reel versus real: inside
the reel is the reality of life. And I am very much
afraid on the question of how will I be able to
convince my audience that what is inside the reel is
actually real. Sometimes there could be painful past
that can never be easily forgotten due to the big scar
it had left. And only time knows when it would totally
heal. Packed with much courage and determination, here
it is… an emotional story about a person going on a
dilemma in trying to heal his never forgotten past.
Forgiveness and Acceptance. Matriarchy and Patriarchy.
Sorrows and Joys.


Held Mondays to Saturdays at Mag:net Café Katipunan,
Cinekatipunan screenings start at 5:30 PM. While the
film screenings are free, viewers are encouraged to
make voluntary contributions for the honoraria of the
filmmakers. Cinekatipunan programs precede Mag:net
Café's nightly holding of Live Performances by
well-known and emerging bands and musicians. Mag:net
Café is located along Katipunan Avenue (fronting
Miriam and Ateneo) in Quezon City. For more inquiries
please call 9293191 or email magnetcafekatips@
yahoo.com.ph or visit www.magnet.com.ph.