Rubbing shoulders at the premiere

We were required to watch the opening for the third Cinemalaya film festival. Well, it wasn’t much – I was excited to watch Foster Child anyway. That film was exhibited at the Cannes Film Festival, as part of the Director’s Fortnight, and after everything was done there was that golden chance to talk to people. Cherry Pie Picache was there, as well as the kid (I think) who played John-John, the kid who’s to be passed to his formal adoptive parents.

Well, everyone would have agreed that the film is excellent. True, we were late (thanks to TELEPRO) and thus got a bit dizzy after watching shaky camera handling at the very first row of the CCP Main Theater, but despite missing twenty minutes we were amazed. As usual I ended up sitting with Naomi, and I knew she was also enjoying it.

It was something with the way the film was done. Again, the camera handling was shaky – Naomi didn’t agree, thinking that director Brilliante Mendoza badly needed a tripod throughout the entire film – but I think, for us students being taught about keeping things clean before breaking the rules, it won’t be easily understood except for a few. But what works here is the fact that the kid – what’s his name anyway? – is adoring, as usual, and everyone is left to linger in that.

The reality presented in Foster Child may be fairly new to some: urban poor families provide a temporary home to orphaned and abandoned children before they are formally adopted. For some this is the only way they probably make a living. In the film, Cherry Pie Picache plays Thelma, one of those mothers (that, for some reason, was “sold” to the formal adoptive parents as one of the best foster mothers around) and the entire film follows her last moments with John-John, who was to be adopted by an American couple.

But how do you remove the melodrama? We’re basically used to these things but, let’s face it, it gets annoying every since time it comes up, and especially if it comes up at the wrong place. But the shaky camera handling is well-justified, as I told Naomi. They did it as if it was a documentary.

And engagingly enough we fall in love with the kid. But for us who know what the film is all about, it is quite a challenge – I was waiting for the tears to fall on-screen, honestly, but it didn’t come. Eventually the idea that Thelma and John-John would separate at the end was pushed to the back of my head – but this was established early on – because we’re treated to seeing (long and shaky) scenes of John-John being given a bath, eating noodles and wanting to wear his barong Tagalog to his eventual transfer. I even wonder if anything is scripted – of course there will be a script, but the kid’s line just comes and goes. I don’t know how they did it, but my thumbs are still up for them.

And it all breaks down at the end. I think that’s why everybody around me at the packed theater was in tears. I won’t spoil anything. Sadly this film’s no longer going to be shown throughout the festival, but if you get the chance to see it, you have to see it.

Afterwards came the opportunities to rub shoulders, but obviously I never got to. Maybe the only person I met was Jeck Cogama, who is production designer for Jade Castro’s entry Endo, starring Jason Abalos and Ina Feleo, as well as assistant director for Sockie Fernandez’ Gulong. And then there were the stars – I saw Cherry Pie, as mentioned earlier, and there also was Jiro Manio, whose performance in Magnifico remains unforgettable. Jaclyn Jose was also there, watching.

And, maybe to bust your perceptions, there also was Rica Arevalo, director of 2005 participant ICU Bed #7 – and the person that required us to be here. And, of course, Cldualdo del Mundo Jr – our Sir Doy – who directed Pepot Artista for the 2005 festival, and somehow the means for us to be late to the premiere. Just funny thinking of that.

I almost wanted to meet producer Robbie Tan – yes, he of Seiko Films, also produced Foster Child.

And eventually I went home late. I think I got home fifteen minutes before Saturday. But that kicks off this year’s Cinemalaya film festival – a total of 209 screenings, across the CCP, and that also comprises two reports that we made for TELEPRO class. But that’s another story (and most definitely another blog) but for now, I’m off to think of what I’ll watch next. This is a diary, I tell you.