by Peter F. Cantos
What is poverty pornography?
Contrary to popular belief, nudity and the reverse cowgirl does not make a form of media pornographic, it's the exploitation involved. Exploiting something for purposes ranging from sexual arousal to blatant commercialism.
Again, what is poverty pornography?
Poverty pornography is a term of criticism applied to films which are accused of being made for a privileged audience and offer up stories of poverty and suffering for their enjoyment. The notion of poverty pornography seems to have emerged as a reaction to Danny Boyle’s Oscar winning film, Slumdog Millionaire.
So what, fucker?
Poverty pornography is prevalent in our local independent film industry. Yes, we are infected.
So what again, fucker?
Independent cinema used to be an economic model. Movies that were produced outside major film studios, made with ridiculously low budget, and/or noticeably different from mainstream films, were considered indie films.
Making a buzz in the international film scene and an entry to an international film festival usually measures the success of a local independent film. And the ugly truth? Foreign film festivals are partial to movies with the style and subject in topic, thus engineering the festival’s inclination to showcase vivid third-world imagery. In other words, they want to see flying pieces of trash being scored by an orchestra. As a result, Filipino indie film makers end up utilizing techniques that exploit poverty in order to be recognized by foreign film festivals.
This has become the label of our local independent films. Yes, we can't deny the reality of poverty but that is not all we are. Yes, we need sympathy but we also need respect. No, we don't eat shit and we know how to read and write.
A vivid and fucked up example that poverty is becoming the marker for our films?
Chris Martinez’s 100, winner of the 2008 Cinemalaya’s Best Director and Best Screenplay in full length category, was screened in a foreign film festival but did not receive the attention it deserved since it did not displayed imagery of the expected theme.
As for the local independent film scene?
People in the independent film industry criticize mainstream movies (Yeah, fuck the Mano Po tradition) for sticking with worn-out ancient formulas, now they have their own formula to stick to. The shrieking images of poverty, the low-budget guerilla film making, the shaky and underexposed photography, and the terrible sound, all are required to make an indie film. If this continues, the local film scene is definitely heading for the septic tank.
What to do?
Watch Ang Babae sa Septic Tank. It contains everything you would want to say to the budding affair between poverty pornography and our local independent film industry. Kudos to everyone involved in the production of this film.
 |
| Hindi ito pelikula tungkol sa kahirapan, ito'y pelikula tungkol sa paggawa ng pelikula tungkol sa kahirapan. |
