Daily Prompt: Get Set, Ready, Go

Yesterday, it was like attending a rally. With Macky Calbay, a Deaf youth leader, we hopped from one building to another, in the campus of the University of the Philippines to hang tarpaulins, print posters, distribute flyers, talk to partners who have joined us to support the screening of my film, A MI PATRIA / INANG-BAYAN / TO MY MOTHERLAND scheduled next week on February 3. It is a collection of Dr. Jose Rizal’s patriotic poems written between the time when he was a teener to the day or a couple of days before he was shot to death by a firing squad on December 30, 1896 during the Spanish regime in the Philippines. My film is the first-ever interpretation in Filipino Sign Language of Rizal’s poems which he wrote more than 100 years ago. They are as follows: A Filipinas, A la Juventud Filipina, Canto de Maria Clara, A las Flores de Heidelberg and Ultimo Adios. Though primarily made with, and for the Deaf sector, the film eventually turned out to serve ordinary students of Rizal Studies. I decided to make the spoken language versions of the film in Spanish, Filipino and English to give access to Blind students.

Running around to market my own film is one of the experiences, we makers of non-commercially viable films encounter. With no known actors, and made for a marginalized sector, I nevertheless expect unexpected reactions as I always tend to choose subjects never before tackled.

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A Mi PATRIA – 5 Rizal’s Poetry in Film Interpreted in FSL Previews Tomorrow

The collection of Dr. Jose Rizal’s poetry [in film] done in four languages: Filipino Sign Language, Filipino, English and Spanish will finally be previewed tomorrow, May 18 at 1pm. The viewing scheduled at PEN Learning Room at DLS-CSB SDEAS is limited to performers, production staff and a few guests only. It is just my SOP to show it to the staff before any premiere screening is held to welcome suggestions to further improve the film, if and when necessary. Its public / premiere showing is targeted next month, June 19, the start of the 151st celebration of Rizal’s bday. Notably, A mi Patria was made exactly 100 years after the first film on Rizal in the Philippines was produced by the Americans, Yearsley and Gross. The film features Aldrin Gabriel, Mark Gaspar and Romalito Mallari as Rizal; Jorelle Faytaren as Maria Clara, and the Silent Steps.

The title “A MI PATRIA” / INANG-BAYAN / TO MY MOTHERLAND [FSL version] – which has taken a year to finish came from Noli Me Tangere, Dr. Rizal’s novel. It is the dedication title of Rizal in the said book. A MI is thematic; it centers on Rizal’s love of country and/or patriotism. All are inspiring poems; some sad, others hopeful. The poems interpreted in FSL are: A Filipinas, A la Juventud Filipina, Canto de Maria Clara, A las Flores de Heidelberg and Ultimo Adios. Rizal started writing poetry from his teenage years.

SDEAS will facilitate the special screening tomorrow.

Anthology of Rizal’s Patriotic Poems_A mi Patria

Finally!!! I now have the list of my omnibus film consisting of five Rizal’s poems each x four versions and their durations, as follows:

A mi Patria: Filipino Sign Language [FSL] version – 47:33 mins. [with English subtitles]; Deaf Interpreters: Aldrin Gabriel, Mark Steven Gaspar, Jorelle Faytaren and Romalito Mallari

A mi Patria: Spanish Language version – 24.27 mins [with Filipino subtitles and interpreted in FSL by the members of the Silent Steps]; Poem Readers: Belen Tangco, Fernando Ramos, Anna Marie Yglopaz, Beatriz Tardio-Alvarez, Wystan de la Pena

Inang-Bayan: Filipino Language version – 28.32 mins. [with English subtitles and interpreted in FSL]; Poem Readers: Apolonio Chua, Roselle Pineda, Jannette Pinzon, Crisanta Flores, Vim Nadera

To My Motherland: English Language version – 26.10 mins [with Spanish subtitles and interpreted in FSL]; Poem Readers: Apolonio Chua, Roselle Pineda, Jannette Pinzon, Belen Calingacion, Rex Flores

Featured Poems: A FILIPINAS, A LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA, CANTO DE MARIA CLARA, A LAS FLORES DE HEIDELBERG and ULTIMO ADIOS.

It took me a year to finish these films. At this point in time, I have yet to do the DVD authoring. It’s worth the effort though. And definitely more fulfilling than working on Manila Kingpin which I alternately did with Project Rizal! But what a waste to work on a film where you have put in a lot of your time, mind and energy then lost its film form, meaning and sense because of producer’s interferences! Really better to work on your own. Budget was a problem but it’s just one of those realities I have learned to contend with.

In A mi…, I met new people specially some of Rizal’s descendants, made new friends, learned new things, but above all, met new challenges, and SUCCEEDED!!! I have met a lot of good, positive people with creative minds! And I worked with group of people full of dedication and commitment in their hearts.