Cast: Donna Gimeno, Lucia Juezan, Gregg Tecson, Fedwilyn Villarba,
Daday Melgar
Based on a story by Ma. Victoria Beltran
Directed by Remton Zuasola
Summary:
Terya comes from a poor family in
Olango Island, Cebu City, Philippines. Her father is a fisherman, while her mother is part time
laundry woman and housemaid. Because of their debts and low socioeconomic
income, her mother has no choice of possible solutions to their problems, but
to make a deal to a recruiter. This recruiter promises a convincing thought of once
in a lifetime opportunity is waiting them. Her mother believes like her niece
who also married a German, that her daughter, Terya, can do the same thing. So,
her mother agrees. Here forces Terya, as the eldest daughter to assume the
responsibility and support her family to get a better life for them.
On the other hand, Terya, the bride to
be, is a free-spirited woman who wants to have a simple but happy life. She admits
that she doesn’t want to marry a complete stranger whom she doesn’t even meet
and know. Plus, she has already a
boyfriend whom she dearly loved. However, her parents are not in favor to their
relationship. Her cousin also persuades Terya to break up with her boyfriend
for he doesn’t suit her and she deserves a better life.
The struggle becomes bigger and higher
for everybody when Terya attempts to evade the responsibility and tries to
elope together with her boyfriend in the midst of the town’s Baliw-Baliw
Festival. Yet, the plan of the two fails. Terya ends their relationship for she
chooses her family over her love. So after the long run and chase, Terya finally
decides once and for all that she’s on the go.
Unseeingly, her mother begins to doubt
her own decision for Terya and she feels sorry. She tries to discourage Terya’s
decision by withdrawing the deal, for Terya might regret it for the rest of her
life. But, Terya’s heart is as hard as stone for she feels hopeless. Her father
also fears for Terya’s leaving and blames his wife for all the wrongdoings. On
their way to the port, Terya’s crazy friend, who seems happy and funny, always
follows her and jokes the people around. Because of this, the recruiter who is
socialite, is distracted and wants the crazy man to be out of their way. While
the whole family, recruiter, crazy man and the cousin are busy dealing with
each other, Terya meets her old high school friend who is currently pregnant in
her second child. After they talked, Terya’s mind becomes more enlightened. She
realizes their life of poverty here in the Philippines. Her dream is to provide
a better life for her family. That is, to pay old debts, to build a house, to
support her younger sister’s education, to help her parents, to honor the
memory of her dead brother and to end her misery by leaving town.
At the climax of the whole scenario,
her cousin asks her again on her decision; Terya has no hesitations to answer
honestly. Unexpectedly at the harbor area, her ex-boyfriend shows up and try to
stop her. But, Terya refuses to come with him. Although she has the feeling of
uncertainty, she has gone this far to make her final decision. The story ends
where the recruiter and Terya are taken by a “Lantza”, small passenger boat heading to the airport of the next
island, leaving her family behind.
What
can I say?
Allow me to express my thoughts and
feelings to this movie entitled “Ang Damgo ni Eluteria” by Remton Zuasola. First,
I would like to talk about my negative criticism especially to the technicalities
and cinematography- the script, the visual effects and camera shots, costumes
and designs, and the music. Honestly during the first minutes of the movie, I
was so disappointed. Although it’s an Independent Filipino Film, my least expectations
were not even met. How I wished “Patikul” instead in the afternoon, but because
I was already there, I had no choice but to sit and watch. Perhaps, the other reason was my compliance
which I have to write my reaction paper later.
I think that the script keeps the
story dragging, at the same time, too long where the problem is constantly
unchanged. The same issue brags the whole plot. Although the language used is
my native tongue which makes it easy to understand, there are certain dialogues
of the characters which seem awful and exaggerated in a sense that it’s
unrealistic and boastful. There is too much talking and too much walking. Most
of the time, characters are boring to watch. It’s monotonous. There are no
thrills or even a hidden plot. Nothing seems new and exciting. It’s very
predictable! Although the climax of the story is good and interesting, but
again after that, it leaves the audience blunted and lacks luster.
Furthermore, I am so distracted by the
visual effects and camera shots. The English subtitles below are not helpful
and really disturbing on the screen. If there was only a remote control, I
would gladly turn off the subtitles because reading it was not totally reliable
compared when listening their dialogues. Because it’s taken once with no cuts,
the camera angles poorly. Sad to say there are some scenes where brightness is
in poverty! It is so dim to watch that, in fact the movie was taken daylight. I
could hardly see their faces. I don’t even know who is talking. Perhaps, it is
better to listen with your ears like a radio drama, than to watch with your
eyes wide open.
I also observe that some of the
characters dress badly. The props and costumes lack designs. The production
appears to be dry and turmoil. It’s lousy to look at them acting. Another
depressing detail is their background sound and music. Supposed to be the sound
and music adds life, yet in the movie, it lacks energy. As my first impression
says, it does not capture interest and attention.
On the other hand, let’s go to the
positive side of this movie- the symbolism of the inspired life story, the non-stop
90 minutes shooting and the efforts of the production unit. At first I am so
confused and bothered, but later on I realize what the symbolism it shares to
its audience is much more important. Thumbs up J Thanks to the director of this film,
although imperfections vary, the script goes deep to the context wherein most intrapersonal
and interpersonal troubles are emphasized.
The film represents a reality check to
all Filipino nowadays. Our technology makes communication so fast and easy. It
draws more people closer from different sides of the globe to unite and
communicate. It offers more employment, provides quality education, helps the mass
media for information dissemination, supports research studies in science and
health, etc. However, the risk of human
trafficking also increases. Illegal recruiters are all over the country and are
paid highly.
It is true that the promises of
greatness always attract desperate audiences and that; the idea of marrying
foreigner to get a better life is very rampant. I have surfed in the internet
the issue of mail order bride Filipinas who were domesticated abroad. It’s sad
to know, that to uplift Filipinos quality of life is by this means. It is so humiliating
without dignity and honor. Filipinas were not just domesticated as nurse, teachers,
factory workers and housemaids but also as brides! What is this “lima sinko”
concept? What happened to our human right? Working abroad is good because OFW
helps the economy of the Philippines rise, but, marrying a foreigner is another
thing especially for those who have low educational background and unemployed in
their remote towns.
Moreover, what is the impact of the
movie to me? It delivers a powerful message because of its transparency. Each
characters of the story represent the people in our society- the parasites, ambitious,
hooker, greedy, lazy, stubborn, fool and innocent. The townspeople, mother, father, cousin, crazy
man, recruiter, boyfriend and the younger sister bring out who and what
Eluteria really is. In the story, I see Terya to be put in a very
difficult situation that she has made no choice but to swallow the bitter pill
of life. Because of her love to her family, Terya conquers her fears and ready
to make her dream a reality to leave and marry a foreigner. Yet, in reality not
all foreigner marriages landed a perfect marriage life as to what her cousin
experienced. Others results to annulment and divorce which leads to broken
families. Well in fact, it does not even guarantee security and happiness.
In addition, the film tells more than
the literal meaning of email brides and human trafficking issues. Here we witness
a hopeless nation, where Filipinos find no reason to stay for. It depicts
political, cultural, moral and socio-economic dilemma in our country, even our
DFA, DOLE and DOJ has no total control in this menace. It’s a disgrace to our
government who takes a slow action on these matters as well as to the
impoverished families. I feel sorry for them. If all Filipinas are like Terya,
what will our mothers, sisters, daughter be? Like whores domesticated or
prostituted? Where is our Filipino moral value? Or another history cycle of our
exploitation, poverty and corrupt government? When are we going to respond and
learn? Do we have to wait for the worst to come?
And I ponder; if people have better
pay-offs and job satisfaction, more employment and education, universal access
to health care, equal justice system and effective governance of our leaders,
then, Filipinos would rather stay here in Philippines with their families, rather than go abroad and be homesick.
Indeed, this movie has moved me to pause and reflect. “What can I help?” I say, as youth, we must come together as one and be the force of change. We must act today. This is a call for action!
Reference: http://www.manunuri.com/reviews/ang_damgo_ni_elueteria_the_one_long_shot_hits_the_target, agimat.net, pinoytumblr.com
