Letters Archives - Page 2 of 16

Dec52020 No Comments

The Gift of Nostalgia

Christmas is a holiday for children. One may see this in the way the holiday season would move from being a magical time to merely a tradition people are expected to go through every year as they grow older. As a child, all the troublesome notions of the holiday were beyond me. The only important thing on my mind was the presents I may receive that year. As an adult, however, the responsibilities of the season come through the pressure of giving those gifts. I was on my way out of the mall after a day of buying typical Christmas presents when something from a nearby bookstore caught my eye. On display was a familiar red and blue figure on the cover of a comic book: Spiderman. Instantly, a wave of nostalgia hit me and for a moment, it was as if I was a child again. My fat

Dec42020 No Comments

Kintsugi: Beyond the Broken Bond

Letters

By ABIGAIL M. ADRIATICO BROKEN THINGS can be fixed but they tend to leave scars that cannot be erased. These marks serve as a painful reminder to those that bear them. Although such experiences come with pain, the presence of beauty within those moments can still be felt. The Japanese art of Kintsugi is the method of using gold to put together pieces of broken pottery. It shows that despite one’s negative experiences, their emotional scars can still be beautiful. However, it also emphasizes that people who try to hide them could end up breaking themselves even more. The film Kintsugi, directed by Lawrence Fajardo and written by Herlyn Alegre, follows the story of Dante Dizon (JC Santos), an overseas Filipino worker who works at a pottery factory in Japan. It is owned by the f

Dec32020 No Comments

Reality Amid Fantasy in Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids

Letters

By FATIMA B. BADURIA WITHIN the gloom of Philippine folklore are monstrous creatures that drive the stories told in the dark. These horrors may seem fictional, however, they do not stray far from reality. In legends, there are ravenous aswangs who possess great strength and hunt on human bodies. On the other hand, in real life, there are power-hungry people who prey on the less fortunate to acquire more wealth. Although these exploitations initially only bring grief, it can also ensue the emergence of heroes. In the case of Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids, aswang slayers are the line of defense against the insatiable hunger of the man-eating creatures. However, the waging war is not founded on the natural differences between the two sides. The film ingeniously portra

Nov292020 No Comments

He Who Is Without Sin: Stripped Of Virtue

Letters

By TAFFY ARELLA M. BERNALES WHAT one reveres and idolizes on screen, he might also grow to detest. Similarly, Martin Pangan’s (Elijah Canlas) admiration for TV reporter Lawrence Manalastas (Enzo Pineda) significantly gets distorted when Martin discovers the true nature of his idol after a night of coffee. Written and directed by Jason Paul Laxama, He Who Is Without Sin is an official entry for Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020. It tells the disturbing story of how broadcasting student Martin was left traumatized after an encounter with his idol. In the film, seventeen-year-old Martin tells three versions of his experience to his friends Klarisse (Lara Fortuna) and Neil (Gio Gahol), separately. The three versions can be compared to the Kardashev scale. In a random e

Nov282020 No Comments

Dwindle Out

Letters, Photo of the Week

She rubbed her right eye with her thumb before blinking rapidly. Her eyes were starting to hurt from staring at her computer all day. It was a familiar photo of a girl that caught her attention. Squinting, she leaned closer to the computer’s blinding screen. The girl in the photo was smiling toothily and waving with glee. At first examination, she thought it was her younger sister wearing the AB uniform in front of St. Raymund’s building. Recognizing the girl’s neatly-done half-updo, she realized how wrong she was. It was her in the photo, back from freshman year. The caption of the image file read, ‘Future lawyer over here!’ A weak laugh escaped her mouth as a memory tickled her mind. Her parents did not have to persuade her to mark her first day in college— she posed

Nov262020 No Comments

Ulan: A Force of Nature

Letters

By PATRICK V. MIGUEL LIKE THE WEATHER, there are forces of nature that are at times unpredictable. Even so, if the rain pours hard in life, people are taught how to dance with it. This shows that sometimes, there is nothing wrong with letting the stream take you wherever it goes. After all, the rain will eventually pass and life will still go on. Written and directed by Irene Emma Villamor, Ulan was released in 2019 and is currently one of the films featured in this year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. Ulan tells the story of Maya (Nadine Lustre), a hopeless romantic who experiences consecutive misfortunes. She is the typical archetypal girl who grew up consuming love stories that would build up her high expectations in romance. Unfortunately, expectations could lead to a grea

Nov212020 No Comments

Dispirited

Letters, Photo of the Week

Raging storms have never dispelled the silence and desolation in this amusement park— until today. An odd shadow arrived with a frozen, troubled gaze. I cared less of its expression and more of how it saved me from forlornness, giving me the chance to finally exhibit my bright colors. I excitedly readied my chains to give this visitor the most enjoyable ride that I have craved to offer for so long. Slowly, the mysterious entity tilted its head upwards, revealing its bluish skin etched with abrasions. Its red glassy eyes widened and reflected the glimmer of my light bulbs. Froth also began to spill over from its badly-shriveled lips and bubbled down its convulsing jaw. Deprived of hearing howls of thrill and enjoyment after months of abandonment, I was shaken by its r

Nov172020 1 Comment

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020: Loss handled with love

Letters

By JUSTIN ANDREW CRUZANA FILIPINO SHORT FILMS are inherently magical. These small, bottled-up epochs could contain large and compelling stories. Even when the narratives differ, they are still tied together through one universal emotion: loss. Three short films from this year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, in diverse ways, deal with the issue of losing hope— from losing one’s path, a loved one, and even one’s home. Dagiti Tallu A Birhen This eight-minute short film by director Melver Ritz L. Gomez shows the qualms of a nun who lost interest in staying within the convent. While seemingly incohesive at first glance, Dagiti Tallu a Birhen is a collection of beautiful scenes strung together, relying on isolated scenery rather than the story. In truth, Dagiti Tallu a Birhen is mor

Nov152020 No Comments

Lilim

Letters, Photo of the Week

Matindi ang tirik ng araw, nang napatigil ako sa lilim ng puno. Ramdam ang pagkapawi ng uhaw sa maginhawang simoy ng hangin. Nang nabatid ang futbol, biglang sumagi sa aking isipan si Rosa. Siya ang maginhawang sinag sa aking umaga. Napapasakit ang tiyan sa mga kwentong pabaon niya. Nababahagian ng grasya sa mga kaalaman na hindi madaling maintindihan. Sinasayang namin ang oras sa mga kaligayahan ngunit sulit naman ang mga nabubuong ala-ala. Noong nagdaang pasko, niregaluhan niya ako ng bola. Napakataas ng paningin niya sa akin kaya magsanay raw ako sa paglalaro nito. Ang bigay ko naman sa kaniya ay simpleng kwaderno paglikha ng mga piyesa niya. Kahit hindi magarbo ang natanggap niya ay nakapagiwan pa rin ito ng pagkasabik ng puso. May mga asal na hindi namin masikmura sa isa’

Nov132020 No Comments

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020: Rewriting Maria Clara on Screen

Letters

By DAWN DANIELLE O. SOLANO WOMEN EMPOWERMENT secures a woman’s right to have full control over her life. As the battle for gender sensitization continues, it is unfortunate that some women’s issues remain untouched. For this reason, Filipinos now take the opportunity to use the media in influencing and shaping the future of women in society. This year’s online edition of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino includes CineMarya, a women-centered collection of short films made to further female empowerment and gender sensitivity. She’s Perfect The 3D animated short film is about a girl named Mahalia, who desperately tries to cover up a hole on her chest. Directed by Jochelle Casilad, the light-hearted short-film teaches a lesson of self-acceptance. Its title, She’s Perfect, abridge