Blog Entry No. 3 Part 2 - Indie Film "Paano ko Sasabihin"

As I searched for an indie film to watch, I chose Paano ko Sasabihin starring Erich Gonzaga and Enchong dee which is directed by Richard Legaspi and realeased by Cinema One Originals.

Synopsis: Two strangers find love in a chance encounter on the train to work. Meet Ehryl, a television writer, with a Deaf brother, and Mike, an art teacher for the Deaf. Thinking Mike was Deaf, Erhyl replies in sign language, making Mike believe she was also Deaf. And so they continue their charade, sharing their problems and dreams– all in sign language. Until Erhyl accidentally blows her cover. She keeps away, ridden by pain and guilt, only to be surprised by another truth in the end.

Paano Ko Sasabihin speculates the question how far would you go to keep appearances up for love’s sake? And would that love stand a chance in the face of the painful truth?

For Ehryl (Erich Gonzalez), a young TV soap writer, one of the strange pleasures of her otherwise humdrum daily commute from home to work is the opportunity to glance upon a handsome co-commuter who seems to have only one down side - he is deaf-mute. Lucky for her, because her younger brother is also a deaf-mute, she has become very adept in communicating in sign language. When the opportunity presented itself for her to get to know the guy who she believes is the mysterious man from her recurring dreams, she decides to pretend to be a deaf-mute, in the belief that the innocent deceit would facilitate what she wished was a blossoming relationship.

Mike (Enchong Dee), the commuter who Ehryl believes to be deaf-mute as well as the man in her recurring dream, as it turns out, can both hear and talk normally. He is a teacher in a special school for deaf-mute children. Believing that Ehryl is deaf-mute, he resolves to pretend to be deaf-mute. As their misrepresentations mature to become lies that are too complicated that they can only threaten the feelings that have slowly and surely developed between the two of them, they become entangled in a shared fear of being found out and eventually losing each other.

In WOTL Make your Own Indie Film Part 1, the elements cited are:

1. Artistic Director

The film was directed and written by Richard Legaspi. Richard Soriano Legaspi, a young graduate turned faculty member of the UE College of Fine Arts, has started making ripples in Philippine independent cinema. His short film Ambulancia was warmly received during its screening at the 2007 Cinemanila Film Festival held at the Gateway mall last August 17. Furthermore, he is one of only two Filipinos accepted to the 2007 Asian Film Academy to be held in Seoul and Busan, South Korea, as part of the Busan International Film Festival on September 27 to October 12.

2. Producer (low to moderate budget)

I guess the budget for this film was moderate since the two leading actors in the film are well-known and it was released by Cinema One Originals.

3. Shaky Camera 

The camera is a bit shaky since some of the scenes were located at train and jeepney. But overall, the camera is steady and stable.

4. Poor lightning and sounds

The lightning and sounds are good enough to satisfy the viewers of the film.

5. Focus Framing

There are some focus framing on the scenes inside the train for the viewers to fully understand the film’s perspective.

In the WOTL Make your Own Indie Film Part 2, the elements cited are:

1. Prostitute and Callboy
2. Gay Element

There were no prostitute, callboy and gay element involved in the film.

3. Poverty Porn

Even though it’s not much specified, Eryhl’s family is living on a decent house but somehow near a slum areas.

4. Amateur Actors(raw talent)

The two well-known leading actors are Erich Gonzales and Enchong Dee. The other cast are amateur since they are not famous, such as Geraldine Tan, Johann Alcantara, Mikhail Hirang, Max Balatbat, Ian Victor and Zernan Mataya.

In the WOTL Make your Own Indie Film Part 3, the elements cited are:

1. Subtitles 
2. “Taong Grasa” 
3. Well-known Indie Film Actors

There was a subtitle included in the film but no “Taong Grasa” involved. The well-known Indie Film Actors were also not involved but the two leading actors are famous and well experienced on doing different kind of films.

LINK TO THE FULL MOVIE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvUyvgv_f9I


REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Paano_Ko_Sasabihin_(_Film_)
http://www.agimat.net
http://twitchfilm.com/2010/04/how-do-i-tell-you-review.html
https://www.ue.edu.ph/manila/uetoday/index.php?nav=12.htm&archive=200705