Film fest shines spotlight on acclaimed Asian features

“THE ROCKET.” Insightful look into a society in the cusp and clash of seminal changes.

Last Tuesday, we made it a point to attend the preview of the Asia on Screen Film Festival at Shangri-La Plaza, because we believe in encouraging Filipino film buffs to expose themselves and enjoy movies from this region, not just the same-old, same-old US and European productions.

We’re sure glad we did, because the sneak peek into the forthcoming film fest (May 8-12) included the screening of a festival film, the Australian production, “The Rocket,” by first-time filmmaker Kim Mordaunt.

While the film is an Australian production, its insightfully presented and observed story is set in Laos.

It’s about a young boy whose family is caught in shifting social and historical tides, as they’re ordered to leave their old village, which will soon be inundated by the waters of a new electricity-producing dam.

Conflict

Even as they’re being replaced by a harshly “modern” culture, they try to hold on to their inner essence—and the conflict between these two impulses charges the film with uncommon power, irony and insight.

Included in the movie’s many thematic concerns are the vestiges of the Vietnam war, shockingly evident in the many bombs and land mines that have still to be diffused.

This history of violence folds nicely into the film’s penultimate plot twist, which has its young protagonist joining a rocket-making and -firing competition that he hopes will end his family’s streak of extremely bad luck.

Even here, however, tradition is still brought relevantly to bear by the town’s hope that the winning rocket will be so powerful that it will cause the heavens to release the blessed rains needed to end the long drought it’s been suffering from.

It is this consistent fusion of old and new that makes “The Rocket” an insightful look into an Asian society in the cusp and clash of seminal changes.

So, we trust that you will keep an eye out for this production when you visit the Shang to patronize its Asia on Screen festival, which is presented by Asia Society Philippines, Security Bank, Shangri-La Plaza and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Visit the official Facebook event page (https://bit.ly/AsiaOnScreen), or call 370-2500 loc. 597.

Screening schedule: May 8 at 2:20 p.m. “Back to 1942,” China; 5:15 p.m., “Ocean Heaven,” China; 6:55 p.m., “The Rocket,” Australia; 9 p.m., “Mariquina,” Philippines.

May 9 at 1 p.m., “Taare Zameen Par,” India; 4:20 p.m., “Like Father, Like Son,” Japan; 6:50 p.m., “Niño,” Philippines; 9 p.m., “Confession of Murder,” South Korea.