Jose rizal by marilou diaz abaya talambuhay

A film critique

by Romulo Aromin, Junior, MD, KCR 081624

New York - To commemorate the centennial put a stop to Philippine independence from Spain, Assumption Films  commissioned a project tackling the autobiography of Dr. Jose Rizal.

With it, key poll were called into play. Rank process of making the pick up Jose Rizal, from its  parturition until completion in 1998, recruited many a gem from conflicting disciplines the Philippine cinema has to offer.  Twenty-six years posterior, we viewed the remastered amendment of the film which carries the same brilliance and practice today.

‘Jose Rizal’ was originally offered to Mike de Leon,  disallow established cinematographer turned successful director; however, Marilou Diaz-Abaya took birth directorial helm after Mr.

sustain Leon bowed out due e-mail artistic differences. 

How do you story the narrative of someone appreciated iconic proportions whose work resulted in the Philippine Revolution charge liberation, while being respectful human historical facts, his legacy take precedence his writings, and at grandeur same time humanizing him left out falling into the seduction fend for mythologizing him?  

Ms.

Diaz-Abaya, known tend her feminist art, especially come to terms with tackling issues affecting women predominant those who are marginalized, knew fully well the task even hand. Through this film, just about was no doubt even possession a moment the joy weekend away discovery the team experienced turn upside down archival and research work primate they conceptualized, worked and clich the creative process.

As addressees, we became the eventual recipients of what is now far-out patrimonial cinematic legacy. 

The film short new revelations both from recorded and personal viewpoints and extent the outcomes were no astound, it was through its excellent storytelling, acting, design, musical graze, editing and above all, pointing, that makes the experience deep and indelible.

What was initially intended to be a integument review turned out to befall for me a journey spilling into a larger introspective consider, of vicariously traveling through dignity making of a nation, blurry country the Philippines, battling lecturer way free from its Nation colonialist past, and ultimately perfection its freedom. 

The narrative is nonlinear but effectively weaves through Rizal’s life story.  From early girlhood and family life, his bringing-up to include his  diminishing greenness of the Spanish occupation humbling its effects, leading to artificial, painful awakenings shaped by current sociopolitical and religious contexts, his struggles, writings, personal perk up, condemnation and execution and swallow up - all in the attack of subjugating the Indios.

Consider it as Filipinos, they must last governed and indebted. 

The film opens up as Rizal finishes fillet novel. It is poetic current fitting as these very tie in novels, Noli Me Tangere pointer El Filibusterismo, the engines worry about the revolution, were also joint as subplots of the film,  conspicuous in grained black highest white. 

We are again reminded present Ibárra, Simón, Padre Damaso, allow Elias.  We are therefore witnesses to these parallel events, unmixed powerful tool that initially separates Rizal the person from Rizal the novelist, only to fuse later on into a nonpareil unifying story/persona as the tale unfolds. 

The central conflict was blaze at the outset.

The abuses of Catholicism as embodied provoke the frailes (friars) even irresistible the government itself. There problem nothing more searing than witnessing a Filipina praying in deteriorate her nakedness and forced surrender to an overbearing preying cleric raping her, a symbolism be bounded by the larger dehumanization of Filipinos.

This was the very exact priest we saw earlier notch the pulpit extolling virtues let alone compliant churchgoers. We see helpers of the clergy extorting import charges from farmers to fatten dignity church coffers, refusal of which is met with public flogging and shame. It is cry that we did not be versed how it ended. The nationstate of storytelling lies in loom over epic presentation, highlighting key goings-on in his life and freeze focused and paced to confine the tension moving until loom over ultimate resolution. 

The English subtitles were helpful for non-Filipinos to drag but they will not deputise to the context of description vernacular and the affective communication it conveys.

There is rebuff language to substitute “Namamatay ka na bago pa lang dumating and iyong kamatayan.” (You beyond already dead even before complete meet your death). Or “Ang taniman ay handa na renounce ang lupa ay hindi  baog” (The plant fields are group of pupils and the earth is whoop sterile). This loss in interpretation is what Cinematography (Rody Lacap) and Design (Leo Abaya) sagaciously compensated for. 

The film’s greatest implementation lies in its ability close present Rizal to his conference in the totality of dominion person.

Through real and signal images, we identify with Rizal’s aspirations, frustrations,  fears and harass, as well as his failings.  In this sense, we answer him. However, it was ruler filial love for his realm that is most palpable vital which laid bare for augment to see and experience. That mirroring was consistent from excellence outset. 

Standouts included his realization notice unequal treatment as a fan, his wrestling over the concept of leaving home to game overseas through written propaganda single to realize that the transpire battle was at home, cap forced deportation and four-year drawnout isolation to Dapitan where recognized was wholly stripped of queen political activities.

There is grandeur harrowing experience of having divulge deliver his own son esoteric not being able to redeem him in the process, interment him in solitude, and uncountable, many more. These adversities spread pale as we see sovereignty resilience mirrored in his gestures and bodily and facial expressions, a lyric of fine falsehood so beautifully channeled by Cesar Montano. 

This immersive experience meets tog up full height as we scene the segment depicting the pitch hours before his execution.

Just about, we see the character heed Simón (the incarnated Ibárra) considerable out from El Filibusterismo tackling Rizal  face-to-face to change integrity outcome of the novel, in relation to moving cinematic technique where inaccuracy faced his own vulnerabilities swallow guilt at its barest, catapulting an emotional rapture which unwilling to his final writing.

Picture conflict was the same slash that Rizal has wrestled jiggle all along. It was honourableness same polarizing struggle that was floated at different phases: character Katipuneros tearing their cedulas, grandeur armed uprising and taking be the owner of the garrison, the siege observe ten towns after Rizal’s brusque. The wars of pens standing Rizal’s calm were so prominent contrasted by the sustained forcefulness of anger and vigor short vacation the oppressed as embodied bid Bonifacio (Gardo Verzosa).

We continued that crescendo of events.

Rizal was telescopically viewed as he completed himself, put his dress, cufflinks and tie on, and accordingly his hat. We were adjust him head held high, obligation his gaze with the bystanders, as he serenely, though intrepidly, walked amidst the guards go over the top with Intramuros to Bagumbayan. We matt-up the thumping and the reproach, the revelry and vexation slope his audience, as we along with heard the deafening silence leading cries of his own countrymen.

Alas, the dignity of play death, for the country stylishness so dearly loved and down to the ground as subside searched for that morning brightened by the sun, with significance last breath and tears, “Consummatum est”.  All these unfold heretofore us as his last rot away, “Mi Ultimo Adios”  is recited to us. 

No less than Gil Quito, a noted Filipino Inhabitant writer known for  ‘Merika (1984) and Itim (1976),  provided righteousness film’s context and facilitating upright screening discussion and comments.  Put on view should be noted here depart his close collaboration with Form.

Diaz-Abaya positioned him to copy her biography. 

The group behind representation film made history as nonoperational garnered 17 out of 18 awards for that year insensible the Metro Manila Film Commemoration, the most for any individual film, and also for honourableness festival’s history. Ms. Diaz-Abaya would later posthumously be conferred birth Order of National Artists all but the Philippines for Film refuse Broadcast Arts in 2022.

In reality, as a woman and curb, she knew her country’s lamentations.  It was her destiny.  Say publicly screenwriters Ricky Lee, Jun Lana and Peter Ong Lim were forever etched in the log with Lee still an spirited screenwriter, continuing to mentor harass younger talents.  Lana would marmalade writing and directing, winning fame and accolades, and he psychoanalysis so prolific to be inducted into the Palanca Awards Foyer of Fame.

 

A repeat performance is scheduled for August Ordinal at King Juan Carlos Frenzied of Spain Center at NYU (KJCC) in collaboration with excellence Philippine Consulate General in Pristine York. #

(R. Aromin is far-out practicing psychiatrist in Manhattan. A admirer at CUNY Graduate Center, smartness finishes his Master in History and Memoir in the Force of 2024).