Saturday, May 26, 2012

"Ang Babae sa Septic Tank"/"The Woman in the Septic Tank" In A Six-Day Run at the Museum of Modern Art as Part of ContemporAsian Film Series







One of the films featured in the ongoing ContemporAsian film series at the Museum of Modern Art is "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank"/"The Woman In the Septic Tank" from the Philippines. This self-reflexive parody of contemporary Filipino art films and the international film festival circuit follows a trio of young filmmakers during pre-production on the film they hope will get them to Cannes. This wonderful film is directed by Marlon N. Rivera, and stars Eugene Domingo, JM de Guzman and Kean Cipriano. Although there were scenes that dragged ending is predictable, this film is hilarious and very entertaining. Eugene Domingo shines in her portrayal of the lead actress. The movie is being shown at the Roy and Niuta Titus Theater (T2) of the Museum of Modern Art located art 11 West 53 Street. The film is in Tagalog with English subtitles. This is the film's New York premiere.

Synopsis: (From Cinemalaya) Ang Babae sa Septic Tank chronicles a day in the life of three ambitious, passionate but misguided filmmakers as they set out to do a quick pre-prod at Starbucks, a courtesy call to their lead actress, Eugene Domingo, and an ocular inspection of their film’s major location, the Payatas dumpsite. Director Rainier, Producer Bingbong and Production Assistant Jocelyn are well-to-do, well-educated film school graduates who are dead set on making an Oscar worthy film. They believe they have a winning script, the energy and the drive to make their dreams come true. Like most filmmakers they know, they have devised a screenplay that will show the real essence of our culture: poverty. In the course of one day, they brainstorm and exhaust all possible treatment of their project: the story of Mila (Eugene Domingo), a mother from the slums, who out of desperation to survive, has sold her child to a pedophile. As they discuss the possible executions of the story, the movie-within-a-movie gets reborn in Jocelyn’s imagination several times. As a gritty no frills neo-realist film, as a glossy musical, as an over-the-top melodrama and as a docu drama using non-actors. For their last task of the day, they visit the dumpsite for the first time. As filmmakers gunning for authenticity, they get excited with the ”beauty” of the squalor around them. Soon enough, they are faced with reality as they come face to face with the real effects of their chosen subject. Babae sa Septic Tank is a comedy about misguided ambitions, the art of making art and the romanticization of poverty.
Screening Schedule
Wednesday, May 23, 7:00
Thursday, May 24, 4:00
Friday, May 25, 7:00
Saturday, May 26, 1:30
Sunday, May 27, 5:00
Monday, May 28, 4:00

1 comment:

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