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Entertainment => Film & TV Talk => Pinoy Entertainment => Topic started by: commentary on Apr 27, 2004 at 04:28 PM
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Ten years after it's March 1994 first day shooting Lav Diaz' Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino is finally near completion. Rough cut is good and done; final cut will be ready in one month. Final Rough Cut Running Time: 8 Hours.
Sit tight folks...
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Time: 8 hours
At that length, it better be just as good or even better that Batang West Side. I can't wait. Finally...
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I'm definitely sure this new movie by Lav Diaz will never be release again commercially in theatres.
I'm still dying up to now to watch on the big screen his BATANG WESTSIDE.
8 hours...that's 2-3 movies in one sitting including the trailers, commercials. ;D
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I'm still hoping and wishing Batang West Side will be released on DVD or VCD. I have seen his Kriminal ng Bo. Concepcion and Hubad sa Ilalim Ng Buwan and he is one of the foremost groundbreaking directors in Philippine Cinema today.
Here's the latest on the movie:
Lav Diaz’s Ebolusyon At The Toronto Int’l Film Festival
Meanwhile, I just got the following report from Funfare’s Toronto-based "international correspondent" Ferdinand Lapuz on how he "survived" Lav Diaz’s nine-hour opus, Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino, at the recently concluded Toronto International Film Festival (non-competition):
"This is going to be the most challenging assignment I’ve ever had as a film critic," said a Variety reviewer as he entered the combined press/public screening of Lav Diaz’s Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino (Evolution of a Filipino Family) last Sept. 17 at the Jackman Hall Theater, as published in the Toronto Star the day after.
Ebolusyon had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last week with direk Lav and producer Paul Tanedo in attendance. It was one of the most anticipated titles in the festival because of its unusual length. For the first time since 1994, only one Filipino film made it to North America’s largest film event.
Last Sept. 18, I prepared myself to sit for nine hours for the second screening at the Varsity Theater VIP Room 3. I arrived early and met direk Lav and Paul. To their surprise, VIP Room 3 was sold out. They added VIP Room 2 to accommodate other festival-goers who were eager to see Diaz’s latest masterpiece.
Armed with one bottle of water, a chicken sandwich, hopias and some cookies I entered VIP Room 2 at 12:30 p.m. The screening lasted until 10:30 p.m. The festival program was wrong! The film was 10 hours long and not nine hours as stated. Watching the Gallardo family evolve from the 1970s to the 1980s was a great cinematic experience.
I surprised myself that I was able to endure sitting in the theater for 10 hours with only quick breaks to the washroom. I am used to having hefty lunch and dinner with rice and ulam but during the screening, I forgot my hunger and focused on the film. I think this worked on my part as I was engrossed in the film and got involved with the film’s characters.
I can truly say that Angie Ferro, Ronnie Lazaro, Lui Manansala and Pen Medina delivered the performances of their careers. I won’t be surprised if they will be given recognition for their tour de force acting. The newcomers, mostly with theater backgrounds, who were Angie’s granddaughters and Ronnie and Lui’s adopted sons, were equally splendid. Direk Lav told me after the screening that singer Roeder played Bendo, the mute son. You can’t help but laugh at their own sign language in several scenes.
I would also like to mention that the late actor Ray Ventura was equally good in his last but brief performance. Appearing in short but memorable roles were Joel Torre, Angel Aquino, Hammy Sotto and Gino Dormiendo in the role of the late Lino Brocka.
I told direk Lav that he did a perfect casting for the role of Raynaldo who served as the link in the story. To my surprise, he said that the same actor performed both roles. He forgot his last name, but Erwin was maybe seven or eight years old, taken out of the Smokey Mountain to shoot the earlier part of the film. When they resumed production last year, direk Lav looked for Erwin again for him to play the same role he portrayed in the unfinished film.
The film showed Filipino’s fascination with radio drama series. Direk Lav was not contented with showing the characters just listening to the radio; there were scenes showing the actors on the radio program.
I have never seen how radio drama series are done so it was such a delight to see the actual production process. Well, as a bonus, I was able to listen to Eddie Peregrina’s hit single Together Again in one scene.
In the festival book, programmer Steve Gravestock wrote that "Ebolusyon is epic in scope, reach and length. Photographed in black and white and relying almost exclusively on natural sound (there is no score), Ebolusyon was shot over an eight-year period. Throughout the movie, you feel the pull and power of history, so much so that, when the family finally acquires a radio and becomes addicted to a soap opera, the mere presence of the medium feels like an invasion from another planet, signaling the end of their way of life.
"Nature is actually the dominant presence in the film, with Diaz often using this imagery to comment on the vain, pointless actions of his characters, particularly when there's politics or money involved. A battle between the Gallardos and the guerrillas, for instance, is juxtaposed with a shot of two spiders eating one another alive. Moving and trenchant, at nine hours Evolution of a Filipino Family is quite simply one of the most extraordinary and ambitious films you will see this year."
Ebolusyon has been officially invited to the Rotterdam International Film Festival and to the Forum program of Berlin next year. Direk Lav is a little confused which festival to bestow Evolution’s European premiere. Forum screened his Hubad sa Ilalim ng Buwan in 2000 while Rotterdam is providing financial assistance to his next production, Heremias, as winner of their film fund.
Joining the Q&A portion at the lobby of the theater was award winning production designer and writer Raquel Villavicencio who is currently on leave from showbiz. She is staying in San Diego for now and is very much interested in mounting her first film, preferably a documentary, very soon. She praised the film, especially the strong performances of the actors.
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I know the film is shown already at CCP. I only find out its finshed already!!! Poor me!!!
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God....the multi-talented ANGIE FERRO is in this Lav Diaz' masterpiece.... :o :)
will there be hope for a theatrical run..... ???
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Heads up.....folks.
Lav Diaz 10 hour epic masterpiece will be shown at Sm City Cebu on Dec. 4 at 1:30 pm.
If only I could get there by land transpo on saturday...... :(
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Lav Diaz and co. in town to promote the movie! Welcome!
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The UP Cinema As Art Movement would like to invite you to be part of the Philippine screening of Director Lav Diaz's 10-hour epic movie"Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino" on December 17, 2004, 10:00 am to 8:00pm at the Cine Adarna, UP Film Institute.
Tickets are priced at Php 80 and will be available starting the week of December 6th at the CAM booth at the UP Fine Arts Lobby or at the Administration Office of the College of Fine Arts. For inquiries you may contact Jhem Manalang at 0920-2561859 or Rommel Joson at
0916-7054233 / rejoson@y... / 434-8218 (UP CFA Visua Communications Dept. - Fax)
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The UP Cinema As Art Movement would like to invite you to be part of the Philippine screening of Director Lav Diaz's 10-hour epic movie"Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino" on December 17, 2004, 10:00 am to 8:00pm at the Cine Adarna, UP Film Institute.
Tickets are priced at Php 80 and will be available starting the week of December 6th at the CAM booth at the UP Fine Arts Lobby or at the Administration Office of the College of Fine Arts. For inquiries you may contact Jhem Manalang at 0920-2561859 or Rommel Joson at
0916-7054233 / rejoson@y... / 434-8218 (UP CFA Visua Communications Dept. - Fax)
Dec . 17 RMN......I'll probably file my forced leave from work. Thanks for the info. :)
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The film will be shown next year at SM Megamall on March 9-15 2005.
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Better bring some pack lunch when you watch this on Dec. 17 at UP Film Institute so that you'll not be hungry watching this flick for 10 hours. :)
RMN will there be lunch break or breaks in between?
My eyeballs might popped up after the screening. ;D
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I will probably be watching this on the 17th... where exactly is Cine Adarna? Is it the same as the UP Film Center? Darn, nahihiya tuloy akong aminin na taga-UP ako...
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I will probably be watching this on the 17th... where exactly is Cine Adarna? Is it the same as the UP Film Center? Darn, nahihiya tuloy akong aminin na taga-UP ako...
P'reho tayo, oggs. Taga-UP din ako pero 'di ko rin alam yung Cine Adarna. Baka yan na ung bagong pangalan ng Film Center. Sana, at least, medyo komportable sa UPFC, e, lalo na kung walong oras yan. Parang 'sambuong working day a. Hehe.
Still checking my scheds kung mapapatulan ko 'to. Sana. . .
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10 hours of the film?! wow!!! a record for the longest filipino film. Next to Oro Plata Mata (original cut). I hope the 30 minute break. or i might bring 5 bags of popcorn. the problem is i can't smoke! :)
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The Cine Adarna is the new name of the UP Film Center :) Yeah, I'll be there too.
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Just talked to Rommel Joson a while ago one of the organizers of the premiere screening......too bad Lav Diaz is out of the country daw but the rest of the cast are going to attend the screening next Friday. :)
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I asked my wife is she wanted to see this film with me. She knows that there's always a catch whenever I ask her to watch something in places like UP and she nailed it immediately. Her first question was "How long is it?"
Suffice to say, after I told her about the running time she just told me to watch it with my friends, hehe.
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Woohoo! I got my ticket today!!! But will make it to the finish line? hehe ;D
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Kaya mo yan RMN! I'm going to do my best to watch as well. I saw the 10-hour Toronto cut which I think is great (despite having a very rough sound mix). This cut should be much much better I'm told.
Anyone else planning on going to the UP screening on the 17th?
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Kaya mo yan RMN! I'm going to do my best to watch as well. I saw the 10-hour Toronto cut which I think is great (despite having a very rough sound mix). This cut should be much much better I'm told.
Anyone else planning on going to the UP screening on the 17th?
There are two different 10-hour cuts? Can you enlighten us about this, Commentary?
Barring any sudden changes to my schedule, I'm gonna watch this. Haven't seen a film at UP in quite a while -- this will be a homecoming of sorts. :)
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There are two different 10-hour cuts? Can you enlighten us about this, Commentary?
Barring any sudden changes to my schedule, I'm gonna watch this. Haven't seen a film at UP in quite a while -- this will be a homecoming of sorts. :)
Surely indie boi!
The first screened cut of the film would be the Asian Cinevisions version that showed in New York, which runs about 8 hours. The second screened cut of the film would be the Toronto version, which ran 10 hours. This cut of the film to be shown this Friday should be just a little bit longer than the Toronto version (Lav shot, with himself as cameraman, an additional train sequence, and sequences in Bicol, and might have slipped in a few more short snippets from the 16mm shoots), and the sound mix should be much much better (they had to rush the dubbing out of the film, and were left with a rough sound mix).
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Thanks Commentary! It looks like Friday's screening will be a more "definitive" version of the film. I'm looking forward to this.
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Will I make it also on the finish line? I'm now saving for mineral water, sandwiches, and pringles for the 10 hour screening this coming Friday. Since I don't smoke that would be better. ;D
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Will I make it also on the finish line? I'm now saving for mineral water, sandwiches, and pringles for the 10 hour screening this coming Friday. Since I don't smoke that would be better. ;D
The key is to limit water intake pre, hehe.
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The key is to limit water intake pre, hehe.
Will take note of that indie boi. ;D.....looks like we'll attend a film symposium on Friday. Will get the tickets tomorrow. :)
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Fruit is your best bet. Nothing salty--you'll get thirsty, and will want to fill your bladder.
Apples work like coffee--they perk you up. Don't ask me why, but it works.
And worse comes to worse, just go--it's ten hours, you can catch up later.
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Kaya mo yan RMN! I'm going to do my best to watch as well.
Thanks man! We'll see ;D Hope you could make it btw.
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Oh boy. I hope they'll screen this again next year.
If not, I hope they release it in dvd or vcd
If not, I hope it'll make a run here in some film festival.
If not, c'est la vie.
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Fruit is your best bet. Nothing salty--you'll get thirsty, and will want to fill your bladder.
Apples work like coffee--they perk you up. Don't ask me why, but it works.
And worse comes to worse, just go--it's ten hours, you can catch up later.
Apples -- good idea. :)
I'm gonna stock up on mints too.
I do hope this is gonna be a good film. The last Pinoy film that I made concrete plans for was the first screening of Abaya's Rizal at Louie's THX -- and that was such a HUGE disappointment.
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Has anyone seen Diaz's Batang Westside? Will it still make a commercial release (after being pulled out noon)? Does he have plans on putting it in video? I really want to see that film.
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The last Pinoy film that I made concrete plans for was the first screening of Abaya's Rizal at Louie's THX -- and that was such a HUGE disappointment.
I wrote about how bad that was way back when.
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Has anyone seen Diaz's Batang Westside? Will it still make a commercial release (after being pulled out noon)? Does he have plans on putting it in video? I really want to see that film.
Want to watch this film too. I missed it when it was screened in Greenbelt -- one of the pitfalls of working and living in QC.
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I wrote about how bad that was way back when.
My friend and I wanted to walk out but our other friend (who worked for Unitel) begged us not to -- nakakahiya daw sa boss nya. :)
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Do you think this film is the longest? In Philippine cinema history?
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Apples -- good idea. :)
I'm gonna stock up on mints too.
I do hope this is gonna be a good film. The last Pinoy film that I made concrete plans for was the first screening of Abaya's Rizal at Louie's THX -- and that was such a HUGE disappointment.
Indie boi I think we should bring a coffee maker there so that I'll not fall asleep or take a nap especially during lunch hours.... ;D......thanks Noel for the good recommendation.....apples instead of pringles..... :)
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Sir keating,
pashare naman sa snacks mo... dala rin ako... hehehe
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If we drink coffee, we have to make frequent trips to the john. Mag-Kopiko na lang tayo. Or better, bring salty chips!
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Sir keating,
pashare naman sa snacks mo... dala rin ako... hehehe
No problem oggs.....i'm planning to bring pansit malabon na rin which is indie boi's favorite and pichi pichi kaya lang baka maging picnic na instead of watching the film......he-he-he..... ;D
yeah reuven pls bring salty chips also and kopiko.....got the tickets kanina and so far all the reviews are all positive in the U.S. according to Rommel one of the organizers of the premiere screening. :)
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Do you think this film is the longest? In Philippine cinema history?
Yep, by far (the second runner up is Diaz's Batang West Side), plus the longest in Asia meant for a single sitting. The Human Condition is nine hours long, but meant to be seen in three instalments; The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple is 27 hours long, but meant to be seen in, I don't remember, 27 installments of one hour each.
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Can we buy tickets at the gate? I really hope so because I don't think I have time to get one...
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I officially declare Lav Diaz as the Conrado de Quiros of film making. Ebolusyon is like a (moving) visual presentation of de Quiros' past articles. There's sakada. There's Fort Bonifacio. There's Lino Brocka. There's Edsa 1.
THE BEST FILM OF 2004.
Even better than 2046 and Sideways.
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I just came from the Ebolusyon screening. I'm still digesting all 10+ hours of it.
My initial reaction though is that Diaz has a lot of balls for using a non-linear narrative approach and an Ozu-like film style for such a long movie.
I hope someone here can answer why some of the tapes were not readily on hand. There was a lot of "dead time" waiting for the tapes to arrive, especially after the fifth hour. Rene Villanueva walked out of the screening when he heard about this. Nalate ba yung lagarista? (joke) :)
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I just came also from the screening of Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino. Thanks to Reuven Malter who kept me awake during the entire screening and indie boi.....pre you will survive pala if war will happen. I can't eat without the lights on. ;D
More than 10 hours is too much for this movie. Can Mr. Lav Diaz explain what was his primary purpose in making one of the longest Filipino film in movie history....but the performaces are all top-notch. Pen Medina, Angie Ferro, Ronnie Lazaro should be given more meaty roles. Its such a pity that Angel Aquino's role was too short.
But then one of my wish lists to see this was granted finally. But one viewing is definitely ENOUGH.
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Also came from the screening... Sorry keating, I had to accompany my friend since I was the one who recommended watching the film. Anyway, I still need to digest the entire film (I think it lasted more than 10 hours?). Notwithstanding its low budget roots, I think the was a very striking, even if not really enjoyable, experience. I have a lot of complaints but it is easily one of the best films from this year, and definitely one of the more important Filipino films ever...
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Its ok oggs..nice meeting you again RMN also. Im still digesting the entire film, including those actual news footages in the movie.
Congrats to all of us.....we survived more than 10 hours of screening. ;D
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The version we will be screening is slightly different from the Toronto version (so I've been told, I haven't watched it). May dagdag na 30 mins ata (not sure).
30 mins. more??? The director had 10 hours to tell his story. What in God's name could he have possibly left out???
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(http://members.rogers.com/che8/images/diaz.jpg)
Evolution of a Filipino Family - Lav Diaz
At around 10:45 pm last night, I just finished watching the longest film I've ever seen in my entire life. It lasted more than 10 hours long. It started at around 10:45am but because of several delays of the tapes, which were arriving by piece in the theater, the whole viewing experience lasted to around half a day. Lav Diaz is a truly uncompromising director. His previous effort was Batang West Side, a tale about a Filipino detective investigating the murder of a Filipino immigrant in the United States. That film lasted five hours long and although I haven't seen it, is probably the best Filipino film in recent years. Running twice the length of its predecessor, Evolution of a Filipino Family tackles on a theme that is more at home, the experiences of a Filipino family during and after the regime of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The central character here is Reynaldo (Elryan de Vera) who was picked up from a Manila trash dump by loony Gilda (Marife Necisito) when he was just a baby. Gilda returned to her agricultural province where the family matriarch Puring (Angie Ferro) resents her coming, blaming her for the death of her husband and all the misfortunes that have entered her family. Gilda's brother Kadyo (Pen Medina) is far more understanding as he has treated her sister and his adoptive nephew with love, almost equal to her three daughters. Because of several key events, Reynaldo is separated from the family and is again adopted by another family whose mean of livelihood are affected by the mixture of economic weather of the nation and the needs of the mother who is going blind. Kadyo, who although is strong in character has several lapses of insanity, sometimes falling into doing thievery for which he was jailed for several years. Upon release, he then searches for his long lost nephew.
Although the film's plot could've been encapsulated in 2 hours or less, the whole experience wouldn't be as effective. Lav Diaz here emulates Ozu as he populates the film with scenes of austere beauty where almost nothing happens. Five minute scenes of chickens idly chuckling around a provincial house or a farming family walking through the rice paddies are several. This in turn purposely drowns the viewers into a realistic connection with the family Diaz is tackling. These scenes also distill several scenes of melodramatic heights into reality creating a very un-Filipino Filipino film. Also, I've never seen a film that accurately presents the idle beauty and the eminent danger of the Philippine countryside. These peaceful shots of the Philippine countryside would often be disturbed by faraway gun blasts, a continuing reminder of the ongoing battles between government forces and the Communist rebels.
Another quite effective technique utilized by Diaz is the cross cutting of farmers relaxedly listening to radio dramas, which are very popular to the Filipino rural citizens as televisions would be too expensive, to the actual scenes of the radio drama voice actors recording those overdramatic radio melodramas. This technique, which provides for comedy to the otherwise serious piece, also creates that continuing connection of the rural farmlands to Metro Manila, where all the political happenings happen. That constant reminder of that connection is greatly needed in the film because aside from one newsreel of a provincial zoning (residents are put into one place, sometimes for days and weeks so that a crime can be solved: a human rights violation that is usually happened during the Marcos regime), the Marcos unjust regime has never evidently reached the farflung rice paddies of Puring's family. Lav Diaz also puts several real newsreels of actual happenings during the entire period of the film, from as I have said, those zoning episodes to the several farmer's riots during the Aquino administration right after Marcos was overthrown from the presidency. This provides an ample clue to what historical period the family is quietly reacting to. Especially because the film is non-linear, those newsreels provide for a sense of historical placing of the events as well as logical storytelling. Another interesting bit here is a staged interview with Lino Brocka, the Philippine film industry's most vocal anti-Marcos director whose films have entered the Cannes film festival and have presented realistic poverty and moral devaluation of the Filipinos during the oppressive regime. Here, Diaz teases the audience, who I assume would mostly be cineastes especially because of its running time, into relating to the level of oppression of the Marcos regime that not only affected the normal families but also the film industry, an especially important commodity to the Filipinos as compared to the nation's love for loud and emotional melodramas.
Evolution of a Filipino Family is nowhere a perfect film. The film's low budget roots are very evident. Lighting is sometimes unsufficient with several scenes completely undecipherable because it was shot at night, with only a candle for lighting or sometimes nothing at all. This creates an unbearable experience that because of well, evolution of our eyeballs to the lack of lighting, turns into an entirely new experience of actually feeling the farmers' actual experience of living in the dark. There are several anachronistic mistakes in the film, like vehicles and items evidently created during the 90's appearing suddenly. All these mistakes are merely nitpicking that cannot take away the power, and dry emotionality of Diaz's masterpiece. Evolution of a Filipino Family is undoubtedly a very very important film. Its magnitude compliments the film's topic's level of intimacy. This is clearly one of the year's best films and one of recent years' most important additions to world cinema. *****/*****
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I just came from the Ebolusyon screening. I'm still digesting all 10+ hours of it.
My initial reaction though is that Diaz has a lot of balls for using a non-linear narrative approach and an Ozu-like film style for such a long movie.
I hope someone here can answer why some of the tapes were not readily on hand. There was a lot of "dead time" waiting for the tapes to arrive, especially after the fifth hour. Rene Villanueva walked out of the screening when he heard about this. Nalate ba yung lagarista? (joke) :)
I came from the screening too (and a late dinner after, phew!). Regarding some tapes being late... apparently, Lav had left for Croatia late last week, where Batang West Side acted as the opening film to a Human Rights Film Festival there. Things were in order when he left, but some problems arose in the dubbing out process. He came back a little bit earlier than expected (arrived around 1am Friday morning, morning of the screening), and immediately got to work on the film and the computer. Meaning... after a flight that lasted over 20 hours including the stopover, he came back, got working, and didn't sleep until after the premiere of the film was finished.
Mind you, one wishes thing were in order well in advance. But either way, I'm just glad I got to attend this screening. It was entirely surreal stepping out of the theater for the short breaks and seeing so many people, characters in the film, whose lives you were just immersed in, whose family you became a part of; sitting, smoking, ordering hot dogs and loitering around. Amazing.
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24 year-old among those who survived a mpre than 10 hour movie screening!
24-old RMN was among those who lived to tell the story of the more than ten hour screening of Lav Diaz's film Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino held yesterday at the UP Cine Adarna . "It was unbelievable. I'm amazed that I actually sat through the whole thing. But I guess it help that I was with friends and the movie was totaly engrossing." RMN, who is currently on a vegetarian diet, subsisted only on his ration of fruits and veggies and mineral water. The screening, which started at around 11 am and came to end at past 10 pm, was beset by some delays because of some kinks in the dubbing out process which were still being fixed by the director as tapes were being rushed to UP from his Cubao home. "The delays ticked off a lot of the viewers. Playright Rene Villanueva, I heard, walked out."
His thoughts on the movie? "Without a doubt, Ebolusyon is a landmark undertaking never before attempted by any local filmmaker. The story itself was interesting to begin with and I loved the radio drama element, with shots of an actual recording with voice talents. Check-out, too, the Hammie Sotto-Lino Brocka part played by Quark and Gino Dormiendo! And yeah, there's the archival news footage and homage to Juan Luna's Spolarium". RMN likes to point-out, however, that he also has misgivings. "I didn't appreciate Lav's use of long shots where the characters could barely be seen", he opines. "Same goes for his penchant for these "dead" scenes without the camera moving for a long period. Also, certain scenes were, well, too dark."
Among those also spotted at the screening were Ace and Vince, former Cinemanila volunteers; Keating, Indie Boi, and Reuven Malter of Pinoydvd; Eric and Joven of Titus; Bien Lumbera of The Manunuri; Victor Tejero of Graphic Magazine; Alexis Tioseco (commentary) and Khavn de la Cruz of Filmless Films. When asked if he is willing to go through the experience again, he had this to say: "While it was a truly a rare opportunity, I'll prolly never go through it again. You'd have to be some sort of a masochist to do it again."
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The movie contains some of the best striking images and powerful visuals ever to appear in a local epic film but sadly dragged down mainly due to its long running time.
I still have mixed reactions to this Lav Diaz flick. Some of the scenes like what RMN said are too dark....and the radio drama element was good to insert some humor to the seriousness of the movie. Still I'm dying to see his BATANG WESTSIDE.
Although U.P. Film Institute was not SRO....I salute always the audience whenever I watch a film in this place....
Mr. Bienvenido Lumbera of the Manunuri was seated infront of us.
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as i told Indie and Keating, Lav Diaz cured me of my 'ridiculous' obssession with cinema...
...not!
give me 10 hours to digest the film too. so far, I can say that this was one cinematic experience I will remember with madness and fondness. viewing the film was as entertaining as seeing the brave people of the dark endure this opus. some were called and fewer even survived. it was also a test of one's creativity in staying awake with eyes wide open: yosi breaks, chicheria chomping, stretching exercises, cracking jokes, etc.
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I can see Gino as Lino (brilliant stroke of casting, I think), but Quark as Hammi? Has Quark lost a lot of weight or was Hammi plumper when he was young? Sabagay, he was diabetic...
Thanks for the comments, guys. Would welcome any more, forthcoming.
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Quark Henares was credible as the late Hammi Sotto. In fact I didn't notice that it was him after Reuven Malter told me. But then he still looks fat on the screen.
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Quark Henares was credible as the late Hammi Sotto. In fact I didn't notice that it was him after Reuven Malter told me. But then he still looks fat on the screen.
That's what I mean--Hammi when I knew him was thin as a rail. But I heard he lost a lot of weight from his diabetes.
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any guesstimate as to how many attended?
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any guesstimate as to how many attended?
I think we are only less than 30 RMN.
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Tickets sold I believe were a little more than 80. But perhaps the number of people that finished the film would be hovering around 40 or so.
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I saw this movie only knowing about how long it would take. I was second-guessing what it was about based on the title. I only wanted to test how long I can endure sitting through a film... I was rewarded with even a better film experience, both of the film and its audience.
Ebolusyon..., although it centers around the domestic travails of a working-class family, is an epic film because these trials are chronicled using the Martial Law regime as a reference. The film is not told linearly. Indie commented that Lav Diaz may have done so to keep us glued to the movie since he employed an Ozu-style to narrate his story.
One must persevere until the last sequences (the last tape for the UP film audience) since a key scene helps understand the whole film. I am not sure if I'd be a spoiler by articulating it; so, to be safe, I'd rather not. This is also to help drum more interest for this groundbreaking film.
The evolution of a Filipino family may give us an idea how the whole country evolves. What transpires outside the home affects what does inside and vice versa. This was the same theme tackled by Dekada '70 but in Diaz' opus, more ambitious and sprawling. Martial Law served as a reference but it served as the most significant historical event that changed the course of the lives of the family portrayed in the film.
Growing up in the province and in a farm, Diaz really captured what it was like. Sometimes, the vastness of it all transfixes yet it may also enervate. Like what Fellini's I Vitelloni wanted to impart, a rustic life may drive you towards boredom but it also offers comfort and security. Puring's family didn't want to be involved in politics and government; yet, socio-politics keep on meddling with their lives with traumatic consequences.
If I discuss much longer, I might cross over towards politics. What I learned from this film and the experience is that: life goes on even if things do not go our way. Our sanity threatens to get itself lost when we do not hold on to this fact. It is inevitable that our ideas of peace, happiness may run counter against those of the government, society or even our own family. This dissonance must not dissuade us from enduring life's challenges. Being a person of integrity does not mean being staunchly defensive of our ideals, but to be flexible enough to reconsider if our ideals are not in accordance with reality and the Truth.
Life finds a way to right our wrongs. We cannot fight fate but we can work with it. Everything changes, nothing is permanent. But, we do not have to be a slave to life's evolution. If we are steadfast and summon up the courage, we may initiate the change.
Unlike most of the Brocka and Bernal wannabe's flicks, Diaz challenges us to go beyond our historical blunders. We must move on. Instead of wallowing in blaming someone or something, let us channel our energies in building our society. This begins in building ourselves. Like Pilosopong Tasyo, we must be as stubborn as the bamboo tree as it faces the storms of life. Our societal problems are nothing compared to that of other less developed countries, as most diplomats attest. Too often, we whine and complain about how bad things get; yet, we never lift a finger nor get our hands dirty to do something about our hang-ups.
Spending almost a day in the theater and musing about our society is enough. What can we DO next?
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Dormiendo on Lav:
" A good filmmaker must be able to tell a story within the span of 2-3 hours; anymore than that, you have a problem...He should respect his audience. Not everyone is willing to watch a 10 hour film and I other things to do than to just watch movies!"
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someone tell bela tarr, kobayashi, and warhol.
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NCCA will screen Ebolusyon on March 14 for those who want to catch it.
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NCCA will screen Ebolusyon on March 14 for those who want to catch it.
Oh, one viewing experience is enough RMN.
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Dormiendo on Lav:
" A good filmmaker must be able to tell a story within the span of 2-3 hours; anymore than that, you have a problem...He should respect his audience. Not everyone is willing to watch a 10 hour film and I other things to do than to just watch movies!"
This is being said 1) without having seen Ebolusyon, and 2) having acted in it. Not just Tarr, Warhol, and Kobayashi, but Kurosawa's masterpiece Seven Samurai is 3 1/2 hours, Edward Yang's masterpiece A Brighter Summer Day is 4 plus. I respect Mr.Dormiendo very much, but he has been out of the loop with regard to contemporary cinema for quite some time.
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The Ebolusyon screening at the NCCA has been moved to the 16th of March.
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Want to watch it kaso may pasok ako sa gabi e. but if it will start at 9am, mga anong oras kaya iyon matatapos? thanks in advance.
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Want to watch it kaso may pasok ako sa gabi e. but if it will start at 9am, mga anong oras kaya iyon matatapos? thanks in advance.
Probably around 8 or 8:30pm, based on the length and a half hour break.
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Roxlee: "Diba, napanood mo na yung Ebolusyon?"
Me: "Opo."
Roxlee: "Napanood na niya ang Ebolusyon..."
Lav: "Nakatulog ka?"
Me: "Oo, mga 10 minutes."
Lav: "haha"
Wala lang. I just had to share this and name drop ;D
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Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino
"Reality bites! A hard hitting film about the long time struggle of Filipinos"
(http://members.rogers.com/che8/images/diaz.jpg)
Directed by: Lav Diaz
Long live to Independent film makers!!! Not because that Lav Diaz directs the longest pinoy film that runs about eleven hours. His film tells about a long time struggle of Filipinos. a lot of symbolisms in the film. A filipino family worked as a helpless farmers and gold miners represents a poor Filipino. Pen Medina played the role of Kadyo, As a helpless farmer and Ronnie Lazaro as a gold miner. Including Joel Torre played the role of Mayor. As the inmate of Medina in prison who always takes advantage to some helpless filipinos. And the character of Reynaldo a boy thst is a victim of disturbed society. There are a lot of characters in this film with diffrent personalities that tells about every filipino. On technical aspects of the film. Most shoots are babad and some scenes are dragging. For me Lav Diaz tried to tell the audience the never ending struggle that's why he use that kind of technique for eleven hours. Well it's his own style. But for me the message is clear form Martial Law to Ninoy Aquino Assasination to People Power and to Cory Aquino's Adminstration. The filipinos still struggle for the rest of their lives. But i missed some scenes in the film because of "call of nature". Our break is only at 3 pm. only a 30 minute break at NCCA at Intramuros last Wed. Well Thanks anyway. I think Lav must simplify his length of his film. I hope he intend to do this bacause of his expression. But He's an artist! Artist can express their film even for about 15 to 30 minutes just to tell your story. No matter how long or short but the content the moral and the message of the story that counts. some scenes used some diffrent cameras. It ius very obvious. Some like a Handy cam, some are not. Well for the effort of Lav Diaz. It's inspiring!!!
My rating: :) :) :) :) / :) :) :) :) :)
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Hey llanesmark.....congrats dude. You survived the 10 hours screening of Ebolusyon. Did they show the original masterprint of the movie?
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Any more screenings?
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An article from a Singaporean paper about the reception of the film. It's an image and its big so I'll just post a link:
http://funvote.com/imagine/livejourn/18SIFF/forlav_STLIFE_bthiam.jpg
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There will be screening of Ebolusyon on July 17 at Cultural Center of the Phils. Don't be discourage by the running time. Bring food, water and pillow while watching it.
Its very rare to see this kind of motion picture spanning ten years!
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There will be screening of Ebolusyon on July 17 at Cultural Center of the Phils. Don't be discourage by the running time. Bring food, water and pillow while watching it.
Its very rare to see this kind of motion picture spanning ten years!
Oh thanks Keating, hopefully i'll be able to make it (Sunday, right?). If I ever make it to the screening i'll bring a cot and a basket of fruit :)
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Oh thanks Keating, hopefully i'll be able to make it (Sunday, right?). If I ever make it to the screening i'll bring a cot and a basket of fruit :)
That's good man......the movie will test your patience! But patience is a virtue.
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Lav Diaz: an overview of his films to date (http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/noelmoviereviews/message/526)
CRITIC AFTER DARK: A REVIEW OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA now available at Fully Booked, Powerplant Mall; CCP Bookstore; Datelines Bookstore, Cubao; and Booktopia, Libis, QC (http://www.bigomagazine.com/theshop/books/NVcritic.html)