SIDHI At Ang Salimuot Ng Kuwento Ni A.

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Ang pelikulang Sidhi (Crown Seven Ventures, Inc.) ay kuwento ni Ana (Nora Aunor), isang piping naninirahan sa liblib na lugar sa bundok kasama ng amang si Badong (Ray Ventura). May malubhang karamdaman ito kaya ihinahanap niya ang anak ng lalaking maari nitong mapangasawa. Natagpuan ni Badong si Miguel (Albert Martinez), isang komersiyanteng nagpapahayag lamang pakasal dahil sa lupaing mamanahin ng anak sa ama. Makikilala ni Ana si Mayang (Glydel Mercado), makakakuwentuhan hanggang sa mabuo ang isang magandang pagkakaibigan. Di naglaon, natuklasan ni Ana na iisang lalaki lamang ang kanilang asawa ni Mayang. Magsusukob sa iisang bubong ang tatlo, si Miguel bilang hari ng tahanan, at sina Ana at Mayang bilang mga asawa at alipin . Unti-unting malalantad sa dalawang babae ang kahayupan at kabangisan ni Miguel. Sa pagtatapos ng pelikula, mapapatay ni Ana si Miguel at maiiwan sa kanya ang anak ng nasawi ring si Mayang. Malinaw na nilinang ng pelikula ang diskurso ng kaapihan at pagtuklas sa kapangyarihan ng babae. Sa pagsasalaysay sa buhay nina Ana, Miguel at Mayang, naitampok ang dominasyon ng lalaki at kaapihan ng babae sa loob ng pamilya. Hindi lamang ang pananakit ni Miguel kay Ana o ang kalibugan nito ang problema kundi ang mga piyudal na pagpapahalaga. Lalaki ang hari ng tahanan na kailangang pagsilbihan, babae ang nangangalaga sa pagsasama ng mag-asawa, na ang pag-aasawa ay pagtitiis at iba pang higit na nagpapatatag sa patriyarka. Ang mga pagpapahalagang ipinapakita sa pelikula ay may malusog na sinapupunan sa institusyon ng simbahan at pamilya. Kung api man ang babae, iminamapa rin ng Sidhi ang landas upang mabawi ng babae ang kanyang kapangyarihan. Kaibigan na ni Ana si Mayang para pumayag siyang patirahin ito sa kanyang bahay, kahit nalalaman niyang kaagaw niya ito kay Miguel. Si Mayang naman, nang una ay kinukumbinsi pa si Ana na sumang-ayon sa balak ni Miguel na ipagbili ang kanyang lupa upang maranasan nila ang higit na magandang buhay na ipinapangako ng paninirahan sa Maynila. Ngunit nang matuklasan ni Mayang ang plano ni Miguel, ipinagtapat niya ito kay Ana upang pigilin ang pagbebenta ng lupain. Ipinakikitang higit na nagingibabaw ang bigkis ng pagkakaibigan kaysa sa kanilang pagmamahal sa asawa, bunga na rin ng pagkamalay sa dinaranas nilang kaapihan sa mga kamay nito.


Kung ito lamang ang pagbabasehan, walang bagong sinasabi ang pelikula. Gayunman, may higit pang malawak na larangang tinangkang isangkot at talakayin ang kuwento. Nakabalangkas ang naratibo sa panahon ni Pangulong Magsaysay noong dekada 50 at sa paglaganap ng kilusang Huk na iniluwal ng malalang suliraning pang-agraryo, tulad ng pamimilit na bilhin ang lupa ng pamilya ni Ana at ang pang-aagaw ng Alkalde sa lupain ng pamilya ni Mayang. Sa kontekstong ito, may potensiyal sana ang naratibo ng Sidhi upang payamanin ang diskurso tungkol sa kababaihan at maghain ng bagong sinasabi. Kasabay ng mga pagbabago sa pulitika at ekonomiya, ang pagbabago ng papel ng babae sa lipunan. Halimbawa, pantay ang posisyon ng babae at lalaki sa sinaunang lipunan dahil walang kinikilalang kasarian ang gawaing pamproduksiyon. Ang lupa at iba pang hanguan ng kabuhayan ay pag-aari ng lahat, kaya ang paglinang dito ay tungkulin din ng buong komunidad. Subalit hindi gaanong nagalugad ng pelikula ang inilatag nitong teksto. Iniwan nitong nakatiwangwang at umid sa halip na makipagdayalogo sa buhay ng tatlong pangunahing tauhan. Sa gayon, nalimita ang pelikula sa pagiging isang domestikong drama at hindi nasiyasat ang ugnayan nito sa mas malawak na istruktura ng lipunan. Hindi rin naisalba ng nakakapagod na pagganap ni Nora Aunor ang Sidhi. Kahit wala na halos pumatak na luha sa kanyang mga mata, hindi pa rin makaramdam ng simpatiya sa kanya dahilan sa karton ang kanyang karakter. Mabait, masipag at matiisin. Hindi pa maituturing na paghamon sa kumbensiyon ng moralidad ang pagpapahintulot niyang magsukob silang tatlo dahil tila bunsod lamang iyon ng kanyang takot kay Miguel. Nakakapagtaka tuloy kung bakit kailangan niyang magpapako sa krus para maglinis-loob samantalang ang mismong kabaitan ang pagkukulang sa kanyang karakter na tumatawid sa hangganan ng katangahan. Malaki rin sana ang potensiyal ng iba't-ibang manipulasyon sa panahon na kinasangkapan ng pelikulang kung nagamit lang sana ng mabuti ay makapagpapalinaw sa mas masalimuot na pagpapakahulugan.

Direksiyon: Joel C. Lamangan
Hango Sa Ang Kuwento Ni A Ni Rolando S. Tinio
Dulang Pampelikula: Ricardo Lee
Sinematograpiya: Romulo Araojo
Musika: Nonong Buencamino
Editing: Jess Navarro
Disenyong Pamproduksiyon: Tatus Aldana
Prodyuser: Crown Seven Ventures, Inc.
Release Date: February 24, 1999

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ACTRESSES OF THE 1980'S

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Vilma Santos achieved a rare feat during the 80's which was never accomplished by any other performer, male or female. In 1983, Santos hit the grand slam by winning Best Actress in all the award giving bodies for her performance in Ishmael Bernal's Relasyon (Regal Films, Inc., 1982). Although the first trophy she got during the decade was from the FAMAS for Pakawalan Mo Ako (MVP Pictures, Inc., 1981), Santos really delivered her best performances in Relasyon, Sister Stella L. (Regal Films, 1984) and Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga (Regal Films, 1989). Playing the part of Marilou, a sympathetic mistress in Relasyon, her performance was consistently good from start to finish. In fact, she was brilliant in the film's small moments, especially in that seemingly insignificant scene where she tried to dismiss persistent suitor Junjun (Jimi Melendez). In Mike de Leon's Sister Stella L., the growth and development of her character was clearly evident. especially in her transformation from a non-partisan religious to a highly politicized nun who gets involved in a labor dispute. In Pahiram Ng Isang Umaga, Ishmael Bernal's very competent handling of the material, coupled with Santos' intelligent portrayal of Juliet, a terminally ill cancer victim, saved the film from becoming a glorified soap opera. Her other fine fine performances during the 80's were displayed in films like Broken Marriage (Regal Films, 1983), Tagos Ng Dugo (V.H. Films, Inc., 1987) and Saan Nagtatago Ang Pag-Ibig? (VIVA Films, 1987) . Santos' most underrated performance during the decade undoubtedly was in Lino Brocka's Adultery Aida Macaraeg Case No. 7892 (Regal Films, 1984). Her sympathetic portrayal of an adulteress could easily have won for her nominations in all the award giving bodies, except that the film was overshadowed by the more prestigious Sister Stella L. which was also released during the same year. 


Overshadowed by Vilma Santos during the 80's was Nora Aunor who undisputedly was the brightest star of the 1970's. Aunor, however, still gave some really outstanding performances particularly during the decade's first half. For instance, she started the 1980's with her sensitive portrayal of a faithful alalay in Brocka's Bona (NV Productions). In 1982 it wasn't a miracle that she was proclaimed Metro Manila Film Festival Best Actress for playing the part of Elsa, a young woman who claimed to have witnessed an apparition in Bernal's Himala (Experimental Cinema Of The Philippines). 1984 was another banner year for Aunor. Although she only made three movies that year, she was outstanding in all three. 'Merika ( Adrian Films), Condemned (NV Productions / Golden Dragon Films International) and Bulaklak Sa City Jail (Cherubim Films) which won for her four acting trophies. Of the three films she finished in 1984, Aunor came out best in 'Merika. Her appearance in the film was memorable because for the first time she played a completely different part, so unlike the usual api-apihan roles she churned out in the past. Playing the role of Milagros Cruz, a Filipino nurse in the U.S., Aunor attacked her role with quiet sensitivity that proved to be so refreshing and breathtaking as some of the American sceneries featured in the film. Another sensitive Nora Aunor portrayal was in Mario O'Hara's Bakit Bughaw Ang Langit? (Four Seasons Films, International), the movie that launched Dennis Roldan to stardom in 1981. In the 1985 Metro Manila Film Festival, Aunor gave a vivid portrayal of Amy Mercado, a singer on her way down in the commercial venture I Can't Stop Loving You (Regal Films). Although she managed to rise way above such pulp material, it was sad that her beautiful performance in the film was ignored by critics and film reviewers who refused to take this Elwood Perez film seriously. In 1989, Aunor only made one film, Bilangin Ang Bituin Sa Langit (Regal Films), her fiery performance in the movie won for her three acting awards from the Film Academy Of The Philippines URIAN and FAMAS. Despite the emergence of young superstars Maricel Soriano and Sharon Cuneta during the decade, Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos remained the Actresses of the 1980's.

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LAST VIEWING... An Affirmation Of Life And Death

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It is a cause for cheer when a filmmaker tries to elevate the very common genre of the melodrama into a rich and intellectually rewarding film experience, such as director Ronaldo Bertubin has done with Last Viewing (Davis Entertainment Productions). Bertubin has seen in the material an opportunity to put substance to what has often been denigrated as the unthinking man's entertainment, and to a considerable degree, his attempt has been a success. Last Viewing is both a tearjerker and meaningful as a depiction of people in crisis. Laura (Janice de Belen) has been promoted supervisor at a memorial home crematorium. She is also single mother to Heidi (Maro Panganiban), her five year old autistic daughter. Laura has the means to attend to the less mundane demands of life, examine what may have been an unexamined life. In all these, Bertubin explores the emotional and psychological condition of a woman who makes a living working with dead people and their grieving families. Naturally visible here are the many symbols not only of death but also of life to serve as some kind of counterpoint. Sometimes, they blend with each other, and at other times they are contradicting. From the solemnity of her father's funeral to the stillness of the crematorium, the affirmation of death could hardly be ignored. The most eloquent symbol here of life is the process of acceptance personified by Laura's brother Arnel (Sherwin Ordonez) who cared for their bedridden father until his death. His biggest dream is to work in the Middle East to start a new life on his own.


Life may indeed be short but art endures. It is the one thing in this world which is eternal. Philosophical musings like these are not standard soap opera fare and may alienate a lot of ordinary moviegoers, even the more cerebral ones who cannot accept the conventions of the soap opera genre. Woven unobtrusively into the plot, however, they add texture to enrich the drama. In the last scene, the imagery and symbolisms of life and death abound. Laura finds her missing daughter after four long years lying lifeless inside the crematorium. True enough, this reunion scene is highly emotional. This is the striking part of the movie, Laura staring intently as she prepares her daughter's remains for cremation. It's as though she can see herself in Heidi's lifeless body. Last Viewing is clearly a Janice de Belen vehicle. The actress is in almost every frame of the movie exhibiting gradations of emotions. While Sherwin Ordonez, never known for great moments in acting have his moments here. The very idea that he is not overshadowed by his co-star speaks well of his talent. The attempts to raise the level of the melodrama and present insights on life and death provide Last Viewing its greatest strength and wide appeal. How strangely ironic that a film dealing with death could have so much life.


Directed By: Ronaldo Bertubin
Screenplay By: Romualdo Avellanosa
Director Of Photography: Gary Gardoce And Alex Montemayor
Music By: Pepe Manikan
Film Editor: Soon Li Mi
Production Design By: Antonio Chiong
Produced By: Davis Entertainment Productions
Release Date: May 12, 2009

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Karapatang Magpalathala 2006-2013. SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY Lahat Ng Karapatan Ay Nakalaan. Disenyo Jojo Devera