THERE is a prevailing term for some indie films which collectively ran in our throat every inch of kahirapan – it’s called POORNOGRAPHY.
It is easily DISCERNIBLE why some people in the indie world came up with that term. Obvious na obvious naman na some filmmakers are selling all sorts of kahirapan to film festivals abroad.
Most of Brillante Mendoza’s films reek of poverty, the STENCH and FILTH of society, with the marginalized getting a lion’s share of PITY.
His “Serbis”, “Kinatay”, “Ma Rosa”, “Thy Womb” were all reeking with the rotten ills of society. Pinasingaw niya ang amoy pusali sa kanyang mga pelikula. His ganito-ang-buhay-ng-mahirap style of filmmaking has made the adoring public of film festivals abroad stop, look and listen.
Some indie filmmakers followed suit.
Maybe, one does not realize that Europeans love to see the STINKS that emanate from third world filmmakers. It makes them feel all the more powerful. It makes them realize the DISPA-RITY between the rich and poor.
And now, this film about aging prostitutes staring Ai Ai delas Alas, “Area”, earned the Special Jury Prize at the 12th EURASIA International Film Festival.
So, the STENCH and the STINKS will forever linger on.