WITH almost eight months of quarantine, the pandemic must have compelled us to introspectively make this perennial question: How is it to be human? What are the rights that we need to fight for?
To help us re-evaluate and reflect on these questions, the CCP Arthouse Cinema presents "To Be Human" special screenings on Human Rights, in celebration of the International Human Rights Week. The program features selected films from the European Union, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Cinemalaya, Gawad Alternatibo and from Filipino filmmakers, ongoing until December 13, 3pm, via the CCP Vimeo Channel. This initiative was made possible through a partnership with the European Union Delegation to the Philippines, and in cooperation with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, and the Commission on Human Rights.
Catch the specially curated international full-length films from European nations: "SEXOCRACY - THE MAN OF BUNGA BUNGA" and "OF SINNERS AND SAINTS," both directed by Ruben Maria Soriquez (Italy); "FASHION VICTIMS," directed by Chiara Ka'hue Cattaneo and Alessandro Brasile (Italy); "SAMI BLOD (SAME BLOOD)," directed by Amanda Kernell (Sweden, Denmark, Norway); "STRANGER IN PARADISE," directed by Guido Hendrikx (The Netherlands); "PROBLEMSKI HOTEL," directed by Manu Riche (Belgium); and "TWO ROADS," directed by Radovan Sibrt (Czech Republic).
On the other hand, you will also get to watch the following featured Filipino films: "BURGOS" and "PATIKUL" both by Joel Lamangan; "A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE" by Nick Deocampo; "MISSING" by Zig Dulay; "ALUNSINA" by Kiri Dalena; "LANGIT LUPA" by Cha Roque; "PANATA" by Gian Andre Rembrandt and Dominguez Arre; "I BELIEVE" by Sean Russell S. Estrella; "HAYOP" by Maki Liwanag; "ANG PAGSAGIP SA DYIP" by King Catoy and Ilang-ilang Quijano.
Most of the featured films from the EU are geo-tagged to the Philippines while most Filipino films in this program will made available for the global audience.
European film lineup
" SEXOCRACY - The Man of Bunga Bunga " is about an influential entertainment industry's agent who was accused of bringing escorts to the residence of then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for group sex sessions. The film will be available on December 7 to 13.
" OF SINNERS AND SAINTS " follows an Italian missionary who counsels battered women and teaches poor children in the Philippines. Problems arise when he meets Merlinda, a young woman with a violent husband and a six-year-old missing child. It will be available on December 7 to 13.
For limited screening on December 10 and 11, " FASHION VICTIMS " weaves the stories of young women who work in the textile industry. Narrating their past and their future, the film draws a picture of the daily cruelty of a production system in which the first fashion victims are themselves, violated in the body and in their dreams, to produce what we wear everyday.
In " SAMI BLOD (SAME BLOOD)," a reindeer-breading Sámi girl, who is exposed to the racism of the 1930's and racebiology examinations at her boarding school, has to become someone else and break all ties with her family and culture to achieve her dreams of another life.
" STRANGER IN PARADISE " investigates the power relations between Europe and refugees. Operating at the intersection of documentary and fiction, it is an unflinching film essay on the mechanisms through which Europe tackles the refugees' desire for happiness.
In " PROBLEMSKI HOTEL," the cross-frontier migrant's life 'within the system' becomes even bleaker in December. But just when the situation seems hopeless, help is at hand.
What would you do with your life if you knew that the Grim Reaper were lurking much closer than usual? Find out in " TWO ROADS," with limited streaming on December 10 only.
Filipino film lineup
First in the row are films by renowned filmmaker Joel Lamangan with his film BURGOS, which tells a true-to-life story of Jonas Burgos' mother as she faces the hardships and cruelties of life in a never-ending search for her long lost son. The film was first featured as a festival closing film in Cinemalaya 2013.
Another Joel Lamangan film is PATIKUL, a film that narrates how a coffee farmer continues to believe that there is still hope for their town ravaged by the long-standing conflict between the military forces and the rebel group and still believes that educating his children would change their present situation.
For a historical overview of the periodic violence marking the evolution of the Filipino nation, the film essay of renowned film historian and director Nick De Ocampo, A LEGACY OF VIOLENCE is revealing. Dwelling on events after the EDSA revolt, it traces the role played by media in shaping politics and media. This film project is the Philippine segment of "The Revolution will be televised," a five-hour video marathon about popular uprising in Asia. The work was also De Ocampo's earliest CCP Gawad Alternatibo winning films.
For the short film lineup, the program features Zig Dulay's award-winning Cinemalaya short film, MISSING, which tackles about a desaparecido who goes home and searches for the society's spirit of truth and freedom.
ALUNSINA, is a most recent work by renowned documentary filmmaker and human rights advocate Kiri Dalena. In this film she continues to explore both the potentials and limits of engagement within a community of orphaned children that is facing trauma brought about by the administration's drug war.
In L ANGIT LUPA, film director Cha Roque, creatively narrates how a young boy regales his new classmates with stories of his happy family only to return home to his realities. The boy is also an orphan of the ongoing drug war.
Winners of the 2019 Freedom MOV.E film competition by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is also in the lineup.
PANATA, shows how a student, blindfolded at the principal's office, must recite the lines of the Philippine patriotic oath flawlessly or suffer further punishment from her school principal.
I BELIEVE is a documentary about the life of a professional transgender who has to overcome the discriminations to have a profession. And HAYOP, which is also a 2019 CCP Gawad Alternatibo winner, satirically tells an unfortunate journey of one who is captured and accused of insurgency.
And lastly, is ANG PAGSAGIP SA DYIP, a most recent film by King Catoy and Ilang-Ilang Quiajno. The film reveals the dire need to support the livelihood of jeepney drivers, who are already suffering loss of income due to the pandemic, as they salvaged whatever is left from their submerged jeepneys after the recent Typhoon Ulysses.
Don't miss the online talkback on December 9, 3pm, in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom to be moderated by Melchor Cayabyab from the Advocacy and Campaign Division of the Commission on Human Rights.
HOW TO WATCH:
To watch the European films and Alunsina, go to https://vimeo.com/ondemand/tobehuman/. After choosing the film you want to watch, click RENT. At the billing page, type the promo code HUMAN and click Apply.
To watch the films from the Philippines, go to vimeo.com/showcase/tobehuman. Use the password HUMAN to enjoy the films.