Viva Filipinas Futbol
Why football? Because, as the script says, the sport says so much about the Filipino spirit.
Sometimes, it’s that one goal that makes all the difference.
Co-written with Nikki del Carmen.
If you like what you read and see, “like” it for the ASEF Short Film Competition!
“Football had come a long way from its home in England.
The sport had won the hearts of those outside of Europe, even in parts of Asia.
Japan and Korea are recognized leaders in the game, and most of Southeast Asia followed and loved the beautiful game.
But in the Philippines, it began with one team.
A team that sought to make a name for themselves, even when few else followed their sport.
While most of the country found their heroes and medals in basketball, boxing, or billiards, they kept on playing football.
They trained, they played to win, even when they were ignored.
Even when they hit their lowest, they never gave up.
Then came 2010, the AFF Suzuki Cup.
They swept through the group stages, undefeated.
Then came the game when they conquered defending champion, Vietnam.
For the first time ever, in the history of the team, they reached the semi-finals.
The news hit home, word spread, the country finally took notice.
They cheered!
No longer ignored, more people tuned in to follow the team as they prepared for their semi-finals. Bars and restaurants filled with fans, new and old, wanting to catch a glimpse of the game.
To everyone’s dismay, they were defeated. But, it was only the beginning.
They may have lost the tournament, but won an even bigger battle: the hearts of their countrymen.
They left the country as underdogs, but came home accepted by many as Filipino champions.
A team which started out as nobodies came home heroes.
And at THAT moment, it felt that Football was here to stay.
And sure, what does the Philippines know about Football?
Not a lot, definitely.
But just like that one team, we WILL persevere, and we WILL overcome.
Because THAT is who we are, THAT is our story.”
CREDITS
Film by Nikki del Carmen
Written by Nikki del Carmen and Mia Marci
VO by Ebong Joson, the Blue Haired Fanatic
Like it? VOTE for it at the ASEF Short Film competition! Like it on the site!
[Day 17] An art piece
It was the Merchant Ivory film adaptation of ‘Surviving Picasso’ that got me into Pablo Picasso. Guernica stands out, not just as one of Picasso’s most memorable body of work, but for the story behind it; Picasso was said to have made his wife and mistress fight for him while he finished the painting.
Part of the 30 Day Writing Meme. Next is ‘Day 18: Whatever tickles your fancy’.
[Day 16] A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Closer the movie was the first film that had me bawling from the middle of the movie. I watched it during a very, very bad time in my life. On a brighter note, it did introduce me to the brilliance of British playwright, Patrick Marber.
And well, cue the music.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YXVMCHG-Nk]
And so it is just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
most of the time
And so it is the shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
I can’t take my eyes off of you
I can’t take my eyes off you
I can’t take my eyes off of you
I can’t take my eyes off you
I can’t take my eyes off you
I can’t take my eyes
And so it is just like you said it should be
We’ll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is the colder water
The Blower’s Daughter
The pupil in denial
I can’t take my eyes off of you
I can’t take my eyes off you
I can’t take my eyes off of you
I can’t take my eyes off you
I can’t take my eyes off you
I can’t take my eyes
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
I can’t take my mind off of you
I can’t take my mind off you
I can’t take my mind off of you
I can’t take my mind off you
I can’t take my mind off you
I can’t take my mind
my mind my mind
‘Til I find somebody new
[Day 15] A fanfic
Once upon a time, I read and wrote fanfiction. I was fourteen years old at the time, I found the school paper boring, and I was annoyed that Mulder and Scully from the X-Files didn’t get together. Oh those were the days.
No, I won’t be posting any of my old fanfics. That was a very different me and I’d like it to remain in the cache hell of the internet.
But while many can argue fanfic as being lazy writing, there are the few and proud that I personally think improved on the series and original canon, or just continues to feed that giddy, little shallow side of me between day job duties.
Off the top of my head, here’s one fanfic that got it right: (contains mature content!)
X-Files: “E.L.S.” by Dawson E. Rambo
Part of the 30-Day writing meme. Next is ‘Day 16: A song that makes you cry (or nearly)’.
For the love of theater: Happiness and Blood
Lots of change in the air. I got back in the swing of production with Sipat Lawin Ensemble‘s Battalia Royale, and managed to catch 9works Theatrical‘s’ You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.
I. “Happiness Is” – 9 Works Theatrical’s You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown
For those who followed the Charles M. Schultz Peanuts serial, with kids you want to pull away from screens, do catch You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. It’s an entertaining and thoughtful show, made of children’s thoughts on childhood, happiness, and a dash of “philosophy”. As someone raised on the Peanuts holiday specials, it was just the break I needed from the humdrum of work. As an adult, it’s easy to lose sight on what it means to be ‘happy’. You could see that the cast had fun with it, and the fun is contagious.
To see just what I mean, here’s that classic clip of Kristin Chenoweth’s “My New Philosophy” with the bows version of “Happiness” from the Tony Awards 2000. Promise, the Philippine cast is just as good.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSHB0ai4878]
You can still catch the last few shows this weekend – March 2-8pm, March 3-330pm & 8pm. Call 557-5860, 586-7105, 0917-554-5560, or email info@9workstheatrical.com.
II. “A Sacred Space for Violence” – Sipat Lawin Ensemble’s Battalia Royale
It was through hell and high water that I made time to help with Sipat Lawin Ensemble’s Battalia Royale. It has been worth it.
Inspired by the Japanese cult series, “Battle Royale”, the story follows a batch of hijacked high school kids then made to fight each other to the death in a deadly game. Only one survives and “wins” the game.
The impact on the Philippine audience was an afterthought – even amidst largely conservative views on sex and violence. While I knew that it would gain a “following”, I did not expect a craze, a clamor for the show. As of writing, tickets for the March run have sold out. I remain amazed, even shocked, at the demand.
In the performance, several scenes play out to accommodate a 40+ member cast. As a crew member I found the show in the audience.
It was the last show during it’s CCP run that I caught part of a phone conversation from one audience member, “You have to come over here!” He was urging in Tagalog, “They’re shooting each other! They’re dying! They’re making out! It’s bad-ass, man! SO BAD ASS!”
The show brings out the little monsters in all of us. On the last night of its CCP run, it seemed like one big monster was made out of the 900+ or so people who came out to watch. They even voted to kill off one student during halftime (on the first two shows, that student was spared), and gleefully clapped as he fell to the floor.
But there is no prize at stake, just the show.
Also consider: the student most popularly rooted for is Kakai, who lies and seduces her way to survival. In the confines of classrooms, offices, any group of friends, a Kakai-type would be “ahas” – a snake. A manipulative slut who stops at nothing to get what she wants. But in this game, she’s considered cool, a hero.
So why the craze? I suspect, in a society where it’s all the more important to represent the good and proper, this is the only show where you can let your demons out. After all, the blood is fake. The deaths only last for as long as the show. It’s become sacred space to let it out, without any judgement.
Rage becomes the best weapon in this game. It can make something as basic as a bag of marbles into an instrument of murder. In the end, it’s what saves even the most peaceful and pacifist.
The show isn’t for the lighthearted. Watch if you dare.
For more information on Battalia Royale, check out their facebook.