Breaking barriers, building bridges with Asian films
“Apprentice”
Movies move people.
Suyin Lee, executive director of Asia Society Philippines, firmly believes in the singular power of motion pictures to do just that—move people, hopefully mobilizing them toward affirmative action.
“Films are an excellent medium to tackle social issues, raising awareness while entertaining people at the same time,” Lee told the Inquirer.
With this vision in mind, the organization, aided by the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Security Bank, is mounting Asia On Screen, a festival that celebrates the region’s cinema, set at Greenbelt 3 from Feb. 22 to 25.
The films in this year’s lineup hew closely to the theme “Breaking Barriers,” Lee explained. “In featuring stories of triumph, we present a chance to discuss and celebrate our differences, while, at the same time, ‘break barriers’ by working through and moving beyond them.”
Organizers made it a point to select the latest award-wining independent films from the region—making extra “effort to focus on movies from Southeast Asia, to showcase the talent of our closest neighbors.”
Part of this year’s festival are films from India (“Lipstick Under My Burkha”), Indonesia (“Emma”), Laos (“Above It All”), Malaysia (“You Mean the World to Me”), Singapore (“Apprentice”), South Korea (“The Wailing”), Thailand (“How to Win at Checkers (Every Time)”) and Vietnam (“Jackpot”). There are two LGBT films: Laos and Thailand’s entries.
Also featured are two films from the Philippines: Sheron Dayoc’s “Women of the Weeping River” and Raymond Red’s “Mga Rebeldeng May Kaso.”
“Emma”
According to Lee, Dayoc’s film is “a timely choice.” “It highlights Asia Society’s goal to focus on Mindanao and its myriad issues.” She noted that the film’s cast members “comprised of nonprofessional actors from Mindanao…[so] the output is as authentic a picture of the region as possible.”
On the other hand, Red’s film is quite fitting because it is set during the Edsa revolution, the 32nd anniversary of which is commemorated during the fest’s run. Red’s film “is set in the politically charged period of the 1980s, but speaks of an important value that’s still relevant today as it was then: hope.”
The 10 films on the list, she related, “mostly speak of overcoming hardships and reflect inspiring values that people can aspire to have.”
As an educational institution, Asia Society endeavors “to build bridges between cultures, to promote and create understanding that can lead to positive action,” Lee asserted.
It’s pretty rare for Filipino viewers to catch Asian movies—particularly, those from Southeast Asia—in a popular cineplex like Greenbelt.
“Asia On Screen presents an opportunity to go beyond Hollywood,” she said. “It will give Filipinos a quick glimpse of various Asian cultures over the course of three days. Filipinos will have the chance to learn about different principles—with bravery being the most common among the films.”
Sensitive to audience feedback from previous editions of the fest, proponents made sure to include light-hearted and comedic fare, apart from the usual heavy-drama indies.
“We hope for the audience members to see a bit of themselves in every character they see onscreen,” Lee remarked. “These films reflect the reality that, in spite of our differences, we all share a common humanity.”
