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Constellation Prize: ‘Miss Bulalacao’ to premiere at this month’s Cinema One Originals Festival

With his face suffused in shadows by the dim lighting, he stood nervously on the stage that evening, in a dress. It was Biliran’s town fiesta and amassed before him—or her, as he would prefer—was a crowd of uninterested men and women and giggly children. Dodong knew this final question was pivotal to the pageant’s Q&A, one that could possibility hold the key to dreams coming true.

“Motherhood,” he replied, without realizing that his answer to what makes a woman had birthed a bundle of extraordinary events for the new Miss Bulalacao.

Directed by Ara Chawdhury, winner of the grand prize at the Sinulog Short Film Festival for her Operation Prutas earlier this year, Miss Bulalacao is a finalist—and the only entry from Cebu—for the 2015 Cinema One Originals Film Festival.

Miss Bulalacao director Ara Chawdhury (Originally published in Zee Lifestyle, October 2015: photography by Mark Philip Dales/makeup by Romero Vergara/hair by Jessie Egos/shot on location at Qube Gallery featuring Insidious by Geovanni Abing)

Teaming up on this project are award-winning cinematographer Christian Linaban and producers Jill Anoba-Yap and Bianca Balbuena through Cinema One Originals, Panumduman Pictures, Above the Line Productions and Epic Media. Ara wrote and directed Miss Bulalacao with inspirations from several indie films, the popular video God-game The Sims, and her own childhood experiences in her hometown in Naval, Biliran, where the movie was shot.

Pregnant and bored, the young filmmaker was looking around her mom’s village for something to shoot. “Our helper’s family was living with us; and an addition to the household was the maid’s stepson, a flamboyant and proud boy,” Ara recalls. “I was aware that the husband beat up his wife time and again. It wasn’t hard to imagine then why the boy had stopped singing à la Regine Velasquez every morning, knowing his father had a short temper and heavy hand. I thought to myself, maybe if he were the pregnant one, his dad would go easy on him.”

BEHIND THE SCENES: Shooting at the director’s hometown in Biliran. (Photo credit: Panumduman Pictures)

Miss Bulalacao is a black comedy featuring a young drag queen (Dodong) who joins a barangay gay pageant with the hope of gaining acceptance in his father’s eyes and in his community. When he does win, Dodong’s dad remains hostile and the nod of approval he had anticipated never came. Instead the father runs after Dodong, who flees to a jungle where he cries his heart out to a single shining star. Instantly, there’s a flash of white light. What follows are the strangest nine months of his life as Dodong finds himself pregnant. The whole barangay, now abuzz with rumors of a miraculous encounter or an alien abduction, ridicules him.

Ara says the satire intends to send a message of respect—for all people, their individuality and their roles in society. The film depicts the effects of community sentiment (whether positive or not) on an individual, as well as the culture and attitudes of the people of Region VIII. “Regional stories are important fibers in Philippine cinema because of the little stories that we don’t hear in the cities we live in,” says Bianca, one of the producers. Ara adds that Region VIII is one of the poorest in the country, even before typhoon Haiyan. “I am hoping this film sheds some light on the culture and attitudes of people who have to survive on family bonds and community spirit, and how the individual suffers for this imbalance.”

BEHIND THE SCENE: Director Ara Chawdhury films one of the movie's pivotal scenes. (Photo credit: Panumduman Pictures)

BEHIND THE SCENES: Director Ara Chawdhury films one of the movie’s pivotal scenes. (Photo credit: Panumduman Pictures)

The film stars Cebuano performer Russ Ligtas in his first lead role in a film. Russ says of the experience, “Even as someone who is part of the LGBT, shooting the film revealed so many things about my own prejudices. I am humbled to be part of it.” The cast includes Chai Fonacier, Ferdinand Mesias, Tessie Tomas, Nanette Inventor, Mon Confiado, Jeff Ogario, Nikki dela Paz, Ronyel Compra, Paz Tabueldan and Tita Cris. Tomas, who is a native Waray speaker, says it was a chance to reconnect with her heritage. “Miss Bulalacao is a cleverly wacky story that challenges our beliefs on faith. I am proud to be a part of it,” she says.

Miss Bulalacao will premiere at the Cinema One Originals Film Festival on November 9-17, 2015. See screening dates below:

Wednesday, November 11, 2015 (gala premiere)
7:40 p.m., Trinoma

Thursday, November 12, 2015
12:30 p.m., Glorietta
10:00 p.m., SM Megamall

Saturday, November 14, 2015
1:10 p.m., Resorts World Manila
2:45 p.m., SM Megamall
4:50 p.m., Glorietta

Monday, November 16, 2015
12:30 p.m., SM Megamall

Tuesday, November 17, 2015
12:30 p.m., Glorietta
3:30 p.m., Trinoma

by Rusel Apa-ap sittings editor Patty Taboada photography Mark Philip Dales
makeup Romero Vergara hair Jessie Egos locale Qube Gallery
Originally published in Zee Lifestyle, October 2015

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7 Things You Need To Know Before Watching Balangiga: Howling Wilderness

Following its premiere in October 2017, controversies still creep on “Balangiga: Howling Wilderness”.

This one-of-a-kind film with surreal takes on one of the Philippines’ dark times surely deserves our time. The story is seen through the eyes of a boy that uniquely shows humanity’s cry for help.

Before its screening at your nearest cinema weeks from now, here are seven things you need to know about this morbid film about a portion of our history.

It revolves around the Balangiga Massacre in 1901.

During the American occupation in the Philippines, Company C of the 9^th Infantry Regiment arrived on the south coast of Samar Island, Balangiga in 1901. Their arrival was to cut the contacts of Filipino guerrillas to the people.

According to sources, the Americans confiscated all the weapons of the residents in Balangiga, men were detained and were treated badly. They burned down a church and its bells were taken which are still not returned to date.

Under General Jacob H. Smith’s orders, his officers burned towns and killed all who aged ten and above. For historians and people who lived there, the massacre came after the events of Smith’s orders. Americans practiced scorched earth policy and took food and killed people.

The film revolves around the journey of 8-year-old boy Kulas and his grandfather as they fled the town after Smith’s order to kill everyone over ten years old as revenge for the “rebellion” of the people in Balangiga.

Some scenes were limited especially violence on animals.

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) mentioned that actual scenes of the film were limited.

The sickening scenes of animal slaughter, corpses and deaths will shock or excite us more.

Its tone will keep you interested

Even with gruesome scenes, the dreamy-feels tone with a mood that will continuously haunt you will surely keep you seating on your chair.

The film has minimal dialogues it will also show beautiful shots in the countryside.

It won awards in QCinema International Film Festival 2017

The film won Best Picture during the 2017 QCinema International Film Festival.

Following its back-to-back awards, it also bagged trophies in the 66^th Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) and Urian.

It will be a part of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018

Because of its numerous awards in different film festivals, “Balangiga” will be part of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018 as a guest entry under Special Features Section.

Under this section are best picture awardees in different independent festivals from 2017 to be shown as exhibition films.

The director of the film is also a musician

“Balangiga” was one of the masterpieces of director Khavn dela Cruz. Surprisingly, dela Cruz’s composition “Katurog Na” sang by folk-rock artist Lolita Carbon won Best Original Song in 66^th FAMAS.

It was intended to be a historical film for children

According to dela Cruz, the film is an unfinished project.

In his interview with ABS-CBN, he mentioned that he focused on adding and re-shooting the film to make it more accessible to a wider audience, especially for children.

History films show us more. “Balangiga” explained and portrayed more on the horrors of the armed conflict between the American forces and Filipino people.

More importantly, it showed that there is no good outcome from colonialism.

The film will be shown starting on August 15, 2018 in selected cinemas nationwide including Robinsons Galleria.

See you there!

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Scenes From the Manila Art Fair 2026

photography by Doro Barandino

“Art is unpredictable and goes in different directions. I have no idea. I would rather live the present moment.” —Bencab, National artist of the Philippines.

Q&A with interior decorator and jewellery designer Doro Barandino

Which of the participating art galleries had the most unified and exciting theme?
Leon Gallery had the most amazingly put-together collection. Though the gallery engaged various artists, the overall visual effect felt like one unified theme. Leon Gallery used a sack-like cloth (most likely raw linen) as the background for the booth, and it brought the collection together. It had an old-world feel in a chaotic setting.

Who were the artists that were the most visually engaging?
The works of Carlo Tanseco were definitely my favorite. The artist used an eye chart (Snellen chart) as the background for the image of Dr. Jose Rizal giving us the middle finger—such an “in your face” message. The concept of our national hero as a modern-day provocateur was a wake-up call to everyone. Very subversive and underground material. I was also attracted to the works of Japanese artist Tadashi Kogure; they’re very architectural.

Was the choice of venue and its layout helpful in engaging the whole art vibe?
What I noticed was that the masters like Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo, and Fernando Zóbel still attracted the most viewers at the art fair. People are naturally drawn to their masterful strokes and historical significance, or perhaps these artworks are not readily accessible for public viewing. Or maybe those booths that carried the masters’ works were strategically positioned right after the registrar.

The choice of venue at Center One was a good move—it created a total art vibe. Manila Art Fair remains the premier art fair in the country today, showcasing the finest modern and contemporary art while offering curated projects and immersive installations.

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Butch Carungay’s 50th in Neverland

By Emmanuel Hamoy

Cebu’s glitterati came out in full force for Butch Carungay’s 50th birthday bash at EdenClub. It was a fun-filled night overflowing with Pol Roger, trivia games whilst traipsing the light fantastic.