Kidlat Tahimik’s films are his ‘magic carpet’

INDIE legend now calls himself a “veteran.” PHOTO COURTESY OF TIFF 2015

TOKYO—“I’m back on the radar,” said master filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik, who walked the red carpet and attended the opening ceremony of the 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) on Oct. 22.

Tahimik’s latest full feature, “Balikbayan #1 (Memories of Overdevelopment Redux III),” is among the 10 Filipino films featured in the Crosscut Asia section. The celebrated filmmaker worked on the project for 35 years.

Fascinated by the story of Enrique of Malacca, perhaps the first Filipino to circumnavigate the globe, Tahimik started shooting “Balikbayan #1” in 1979. The film follows Enrique’s travels with Ferdinand

Magellan. Enrique, a slave, acted as translator and guide for the Portuguese explorer.

Berlin winner

The film won the Calgary Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival in February. Tahimik has since brought the movie to festivals in Hong Kong, the United States, Brazil, New Zealand and here in Tokyo. He is set to fly to Argentina, Houston in the United States, Portugal and Italy before the year ends.

“Later, I might accept the invitation to go to Kathmandu (in Nepal) because I’m a Buddhist,” he told the Inquirer after one of the film’s screenings at the Toho Cinemas, a nine-theater multiplex in the Roppongi Hills complex.

“My film is my magic carpet— it takes me to different countries. This year, I chose those in the southern hemisphere because I’ve never been there,” he said. “Sometimes, I go to a country for a special reason, like Argentina, which I can never afford to visit on my own. Since I have an invitation there, I will also visit the Tierra del Fuego, which was where Magellan and Enrique passed through going to the Pacific. It will also be like a pilgrimage for me.”

The award-winning director added: “It’s nice to be back, although it’s not like in 1977 when I first joined the festival circuit. I’m now a veteran, but I get to relive my first travels.”

He then proceeded to describe his recent red-carpet experience here. “I felt the exuberance and enthusiasm of the Japanese audience this time,” he pointed out. “When I first visited Tokyo in 1982, the Japanese’s interest in Asian films wasn’t as strong. There was a special conference of 15 directors from all over Asia and our films were featured in a festival, which was their introduction to Asian movies. Since then, they’ve become more interested in their neighbors.”

Major breakthrough

Tahimik said that like Filipinos, the Japanese used to prefer Hollywood films. They have since made a major breakthrough, he said. “Specialized festivals that deal with Asian movies have since been organized here.”

Asked about his plans for “Balikbayan #1,” Tahimik said: “I’ve never been a filmmaker who is concerned with distribution. I just focus on the process of making the film. You see, I don’t write a script—it’s like making a house without a blueprint.”

He added: “I believe in ‘Bathala na’ filmmaking, not ‘bahala na.’ It’s you giving your heart and soul to the film but at the same time believing that the final output will all depend on a Higher Power. It’s not resignation in the sense of Juan Tamad, who just waits for the fruit to fall into his mouth. It’s having that confidence that the cosmos will work with you.”

Other Filipino films featured at the 2015 TIFF are Brillante Mendoza’s “Foster Child,” “Serbis,” “Lola,” “Thy Womb” and “Taklub”; Lawrence Fajardo’s “Imbisibol”; Paul Sta. Ana’s “Balut Country”; and Paul Soriano’s “Kid Kulafu.” The festival ends on Oct. 31.