Defining show biz moments of 2011

THE year 2011 has been an unusually eventful year for our homegrown show biz industry, its colorful denizens, and the viewers who empathetically lap up everything they say or do. The year’s highlights, for good or for bad, include:

Nora Aunor’s comeback, after seven years of “self-exile” in the States, by way of her TV5 miniseries, “Sa Ngalan Ng Ina.” It may not have been an unquestionably triumphant return, because she had to share the spotlight with so many other stars and starlets, but it did remind viewers of her unique thespic gift and compelling screen persona. The big question now is, what will she do for an encore?

Also worthy of special attention and commendation is the good showing of our indie movies in film festivals and competitions abroad. The local mainstream industry also has perked up somewhat, but the indie “sub-industry” was the “happening” scene this year.

Unfortunately, many indie filmmakers have still been unable to find and reach a sizable audience for their productions, so their actual impact on the general film audience has been limited. If they want to really come into their own as a filmmaking force to reckon with, they have to make solving this problem their top priority in 2012.

Success

Having said that, we’re heartened by the relative success this year of indie hits like “Zombadings” and “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank.” —May many others soon follow!

Less positively now, we’re concerned about the unabated rage and rule of “colonial mentality” in Philippine entertainment, especially in the field of musical theater, which has been dominated by local productions of “Broadway” musicals.

To make things worse, some foreign production groups are now profitably mounting “imported” shows here! How can we develop our own stories and songs about us if 70 percent of the local audience’s entertainment budget goes to supporting foreign musicals?

When will we stop shooting ourselves in the foot in this clueless wise—while bewailing the “lack of quality” of local shows? And, when will we realize that, by favoring imports over local productions, we’re perpetuating the self-limiting myth that “they” are “better” than we are?

Also reprehensible was the attempt of some self-delusional people to subvert the National Artist award by making themselves dubious “winners” thereof. The case is still with the Supreme Court and needs to be resolved forthwith, before the country’s top artistic honor, which has already been tainted, is further debased beyond reform or salvation.

In this regard, many other so-called “awards,” especially for TV and film, have lost their credibility, so the viewing public is left with precious few reliable touchstones of excellence to go by.

It was also the year for steamy, sleazy scandals in the biz, which provided profitable fodder for the media’s gossip mills, but demeaned even more than usual the image of the local entertainment industry and its dingy denizens in the eyes of the viewing public.

Stinky and steamy, too, were the big stellar breakups that resulted in the separated lovers involved hurling odoriferous charges at each other, complete with damning photo and video “evidence,” to prove their vile contentions.

Can we have a less contentious and scurrilous 2012—please?