ive been a fan of botong francisco and i truly believe he is our version of Alphonse Mucha. or mucha is the czech republic’s version of our botong francisco? either way, they are both awesome and doing all this crazy ass big mural paintings.
i cant wait to see this on saturday. off to the national museum!
the irony of me posting on twitter a few days before and me last night visiting BBW.
rc and bianca had original plans to visit the big bad wolf sale after the awards show at resort’s world. since carlo and i generally had nothing to do afterwards (except sleep), we went along. i though to myself, if i do find some titles i planned to buy anyway, i might as well indulge.
the good thing about this is it’s 24 hours open. i know the whole thing opened a few days ago and will end on february 24, 2018. it’s a massive display of books it kinda reminds me of m/v doulos back in the 80s, which docked in cagayan de oro as part of its philippine tour and we were all excited to go buy our books.
the name big bad wolf reminds me of customer service wolf who works in a bookstore. lol
love this comic strip.
The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale originated in Malaysia and was founded by Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng in 2009. It is a regular event in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka; the 2018 event in Pasay will mark the first time it will be held in the Philippines.
Most of the books available come from the stock of Andrew and Jacqueline’s BookXcess, a bookstore that specializes in excess stock from international distributors.
while there was indeed a massive selection to choose from, i came home empty handed. i was practicing self-control because i am on a material-things-diet. books, as much as i love them, still counts for space in my room and i know i wont be able to read them as fast as i want and as long as that happens, i told myself years ago i shouldnt be buying new books (promise kept).
full disclosure, the last book i purchased was from fully booked just a week ago.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfDSIYkBfq4/?taken-by=b3npad3ro
back to big bad wolf, i wanted to buy some books by douglas adams but they didnt feature the whole hitchhikers guide collection (the only ones available were book two and three i found miles away from each other– or maybe they ran out of the other titles) or that x-men tradepaperback graphic novel but eventually decided to pass. a lot of gorgeous interior design books but they were still quite expensive in general and by experience, they get outdated pretty quickly so ive actually stopped buying these years ago. i also tried to pick up a biography of alexander mcqueen and some books by h.g. wells. eventually i dropped them along the way and never looked back (sorry if im messing up the floor space by moving those few books around, i love you BBW staff).
on the whole, it was still encouraging to see people at 2.30AM still out and about bookshopping. there were also some kids with their parents so might be pretty exciting for young minds to be in this huge ass warehouse with all the books, noh?
BIG BAD WOLF is at the world trade center, pasay city. open 24 hours until february 24, 2018. cheers!
first time im hearing this now. capsule wardrobe! maria callas in terence mcnally’s masterclass talked about having the Look. it’s when you’re bound to a certain recognizable style that becomes your brand. lagerfeld with his glasses. steve jobs with his turtlenecks. zuckerberg with his grey shirts. anna wintour with her hair (ok it’s not clothing, what do you expect from a fashion guru). the Look is not necessarily being fashionable but about being yourself. perhaps capsule wardrobe is a mashup of the Look (in relation to a curated wardrobe) and the konmarie method of a. keeping what brings you joy and b. keeping clothes to a minimum.
umm, no, that’s not my Look. it’s my wakanda warrior pose.
im almost always wearing black. it was something that just naturally happened during my college years and cemented itself when i started working. ive had a few colored shirts throughout the years but it’s probably in the last 5 years that ive almost exclusively worn black tops and dark jeans.
well, ok in this photo i wore blue chinos.
my reasons for wearing black were mostly because they were economical. number 1, it takes me about a second to decide on what to wear in the morning. i open my closet and pick oh, maybe this black shirt instead of that other one, and they’re all the same black shirts (fila large size black shirts because the length and width of the shirt is perfect for me and also the length of the sleeves). it’s a no brainer.
secondly, black doesnt scream out fat. i was a skinny 90 lb kid in the 90s. and in the year 2018 im maybe 2018 lbs. no, im not. im hiding some things (like my midsection really). my neck and cheeks have gotten really big too so i should maybe consider turtlenecks. in tropical philippines. thirdly, there’s no third reason. my shirts are inexpensive, only my underwear is expensive but ive stopped buying expensive underwear for the last 3 years maybe but that’s for another blog.
this is me 50 lbs ago. and without hair. my Look then was a shaved head.
ive read and done the konmarie method of weeding out my stuff in 2015. take note, weeding, not keeping things tidy (at least for me). marie kondo, if you havent heard of her, is a japanese tidying-up master who wrote a book, spark joy, about the konmarie method. basically if you’re cleaning through your wardrobe, you take out all your clothes into a pile and touch them one by one, segregating the items that still give you “joy” when wearing and tossing out items you may not have worn in the last 1-2 years because maybe it doesnt fit you anymore or you were saving them for special events but have tons of those, and you might need to reconsider and let them go. it’s very therapeutic and helpful for hoarders like myself. i was able to cut down my clothes to a minimum. and they’re all black.
i did my kondofying of the closet around 2015. and im proud to say ive managed to keep my closet roughly the same now as it was when i cleaned it out. before photo below. mind you this was carlo’s and mine, yes it was recently cleaned up and organized but there were a lot of clothes here. photo taken in 2015.
here is my closet now, 2018 taken just this afternoon.
carlo and i just celebrated our 11th anniversary. you wanna know the secret in being able to keep a relationship going strong all these years? separate closets! i kid you not. what you’re seeing is just my closet.
in the photo above on pile number 1, i have maybe 5-6 cotton jackets (i get cold easily). pile number 2, i cycle through about 5 shirts for sleep/home use (oversized cotton shirts for comfort). i still have 3 shirts there i cant let go (one is a purple shirt coco martin wore as his costume in his first movie, an ET shirt from my cousin tootsie, and a coke shirt with ET on it from tita an). undernearth i have white button-down shirts i dont normally wear but need for formal events (a tuxedo shirt) or funerals (ironically, white is de rigueur in funerals). pile number 3: 2 dri-fit shirts for shooting (uniqlo shirts are nice) and maybe 10 cotton fila shirts for everyday needs plus around 5 button-down shirts (long and short-sleeved shirts). last pile, i have 5 pairs of denims and chinos. 3 or 4 easy shorts (in dark blue mostly) and another 2 in dri-fit material. maybe 5 boxer shorts for home. there are other seasonal items in my closet (stored separately) but these here are generally my go-to day wear to work (shoots, meeting with agency or clients, even sorta formal events — i just put on a cardigan over my cotton shirt and im good).
ps. the 2 stuffed animals in the closet were owned by our dog-baby who passed away 3-4 years ago. and since every time i see this stuffed monkey and cheetah it sparks joy in my heart and im reminded of pogiboybabyroobabydog all the time so i still keep them in there, on hangers. there is another stuffed banana toy of pogi’s kept safe in my props boxes in storage. hehe. *tear.
capsule wardrobe. that apparently is what i have. cheers!
see? im almost always in black. have you figured out what your Look is?
goes without saying carlo and i also went to watch competition films during the qcinema and cinema one originals film festivals this year. it’s a varied lot but i agree with the awards given out during their respective runs. balangiga looked and felt like the winner of the top prize. i was thrilled that newcomers took home the best actor and actress because they totally deserved it. paki and changing partners were big winners at cinema one originals festival and im happy the jury gave a special citation to our film, si chedeng at si apple.
here’s a list of what i got to watch. in pictures. and some words.
balangiga. this would be my first time watching a film not by khavn dela cruz. justin samson was a natural onscreen. tough to discuss about the onscreen dying/deaths of animals, felt to a certain extent they were in the film for shock value. regardless, it was a strong film.
the chanters. easily the most charming and endearing in the lineup. i loved every second of this film. the lead, jally nae gilbaliga, was awesome and won best actress win for it.
dormitoryo. i loved every second of sheenly and max, i could probably watch a whole movie of them just talking. ending was a bit contrived though.
neomanila. the hottest ticket at the qcinema. beautiful cinematography and awesome chemistry between eula valdez and timothy mabalot.
kulay lila ang gabi na binudburan pa ng mga bituin. yun. hwag mo na ako ipagcomment.
ang gabing kasing haba ng buhok ko. interesting stories told. i loved anthony falcon’s character. and bagay si mat maging babae. haha
si chedeng at si apple. disclaimer: i am part of this film. too bad we didnt have time and budget to shoot the complete script. im still rooting for a screenplay book published though, featuring the complete script of “si chedeng, si apple, at ang louis vuitton (original title),” and “patay na si hesus.”
changing partners. current hit at the cinema one originals. good Lord, so much talent here. i especially loved jojit lorenzo’s awesome performance. felt very real. at certain points i got reminded of my own experiences with a partner older than me, and then with other past relationships.
paki. lovely film with dexter doria in the lead. i loved this scene with her and shamaine buencamino.
moral. restored classics. i love that this film remained relevant despite having been made 35 years back. groundbreaking work.
asedillo. one thing’s for sure. fernando poe jr is a gorgeous man. and the restoration team did a fantastic job with this one. and im also glad i got to watch this in the theater. cant wait to see more fpj films restored.
still hoping to catch nervous translation and the rest of the competition films up to next week. cheers!
edit: a week after i did manage to catch nervous translation.
nervouse translation. curious and fascinating. thankfully i didnt go through the horror of taping over my dad’s voice tapes from KSA. my dad taught me how to break that tab above the cassette tape to prevent accidental erasing over a tape. and how to properly wind a tape for cue. lol
the main comp titles we got to watch. read on.
marathon in a way. was able to catch a lot of 2017’s awesomest films at the qcinema and at cinema one originals in the last 2 months. had i the time of the world i would have watched everything. last year, we actually were at film festivals in venice, karlovy vary, and busan but watched very few films (we spent a good half of the time exploring the town. and partying). the irony is that this year, we got to watch more films here at home. what i love with most of them is i was sorta expecting them to go a certain route (wishing they wouldnt) and they dont. most of the films here are foreign language submissions to the oscars. and some won top honors at the big festivals.
here’s a list. in pictures. and some words.
the square. won top honors at cannes. interesting turn of events. and concept of the square. and the film as a mirror to that concept. char.
the killing of a sacred deer. kept us on the edge of seats. powerful, confident direction.
loveless. riveting performances. learned the mother won best actress at cannes. deserving. was very difficult to watch her because she was so good. dont make sense, ya?
marlina the murderer in four acts. gorgeous movie. concept of severed head was too close for comfort (we also had a severed head in our film SI CHEDENG AT SI APPLE). however, this would turn out to be a totally different movie. wonderful cinematography and design.
BPM (beats per minute). about the HIV movement in paris in the 80s. a tad too long. i felt there were two movies in this one, we could cut it right at the middle. but engaging story nevertheless about people living with HIV.
pop aye. the elephant unanimously stole the show. char. about a guy on the brink of a nervous breakdown. and an elephant named pop aye.
in between seasons. about this cute couple. and their mother. heartbreaking.
loving vincent. gorgeous. wonderful. but i got dizzy with all the colors and it sent me off to la la land. very hypnotic. still, clearly should be watched by many. and i might need to watch it again next time.
3 billboards across ebbing missouri. wonderful script and great ensemble acting. frances mcdormand might just get her 2nd oscar with this one. it left me breathless. and at peace with the world
thelma. crazy lady this one. art house genre? reminded me of let the right one in. pa-art pero horror? ang ganda ng sound design nitesh. scoring and sound.
call me by your name. beautiful movie. by one of my favorite directors, i learned later on. captivating. powerful acting especially from timothee chalamet. gorgeous locations, wonderful tile floors. food shots. the balcony. everything. and the beautiful armie hammer is icing on the affogato.
a fantastic woman. brave, wonderful performance from this lady here. wonderful sound design, feeling ko tuloy ako siya.
sweet country. riveting. i normally dont like country films but i took a chance and was rewarded with a magnificent film about class & race, family, and justice. the textures on their costumes were fantastic, i could smell them from where i was seated in the theater. sam neill was practically unrecognizable. amazing.
writing about the wonderful international movies i watched recently in qcinema and cinema one originals.
the frenzy of a gala night has mellowed down but most of them are still drinking now back at the bar. it’s 1.30am. carlo and i called it a night and im now in bed recalling the events (and posting them online).
it’s been a crazy ride from preprod to premiere night but we made it and the audience reaction was awesome. some things you can’t really plan and the laughter in the theater means somewhere in your youth or childhood, you must have done something good.
hope this film finds its audience and fast! reviews on twitter has been amazing and encouraging. congrats fatrick and rae!
because the earth needs all the help it can get. and my advocacy is to reduce getting plastic bags to contain stuff i buy from stores so why stop there? get your washable stainless steel straws from dvsoria or shops like roots in katipunan (ground floor, fbr building, where yellow cab is located), loyola heights, quezon city.
it’s official! c1 originals festival 2017 just posted on their facebook page that our short film, INA NYO, is in competition! thrilled that cinema one originals under ronald arguelles took it in. we finally have our world premiere! wohoo!
INA NYO is a short film directed by Mary Grace Evangelista and was part of her final requirements for her film program under NYU-TISCH. Ina Nyo (Your Mother) is a day in the life of Ana, a young housemaid in Manila, and her quiet resilience as she is hassled by the family she has come to care for and know. While desperate to send more money to her mother, her job is suddenly jeopardized when the rivalry of the siblings and their desire for her go too far. Ana struggles with how to maintain her livelihood.
was introduced to mary online through her brother, eric. it wasnt until she was about to shoot that i got to really meet her. as i couldnt do her design work for this project, i tapped my art directors kitch napigkit, to be prod designer, and arman montallana, to be prod manager. and since i was supervising the local team and logistics, i got swept into the whirlwind of producing without realizing it. grateful to have done it but im not sure if i did a pretty decent job. i should remind myself to sit in bianca balbuena’s workshops next time.
production meeting when the crew from new york arrived. from left: me, arman (prod manager), JP habac (assistant director turned coordinator), mikee (stylist), kitch (PD), mary (director), joanne (DOP), charlie (AC), and falko (gaffer).
notes between kitch and me discussing/consulting design and requirements.
it’s been a while since mary and i saw each other (we briefly spent an afternoon a few weeks ago with brother eric and his partner stan) so i decided to do a short interview about her thoughts behind INA NYO and her future plans. a first for this blog! always wanted to do an interview so here goes.
tell us a little bit more about writing and developing this story. there are a lot of strong women also in the film. what are your thoughts on feminist filmmaking?
I grew up surrounded by tough women who worked as caretakers, cleaning ladies and nannies. I was inspired by their stories and their resilience. My mom and her best friend, Tita Lina would chismis about work and they’d tell these amusing stories that were sometimes pretty tragic – but it was always told in a way that empowered. There was a lot of laughter growing up so the somber ending to the film is more of my own doing in this case. I am a feminist so naturally I feel my filmmaking will be reflective of that as well.
it seems this story is relevant more than ever. how do you feel about this with the current weinstein gate?
Weinstein sucks. When I was writing the script I had a professor who couldn’t understand why Ana would give in to John, as if she let herself get assaulted. That was frustrating and alarming because of course she doesn’t – no one is ever asking for it. With the story I wanted to explore how as women we’re constantly navigating these power dynamics and it’s hard to know what the right answer is in situations especially when you feel trapped.
tell us a bit more about shooting this film
It was incredible to shoot in the Philippines. When you and JP came on board that’s when it all came together and suddenly I found myself on set with thirty people waiting for direction, a generator, a signal number 2 typhoon wreaking havoc and lots of art and production design.
I also love how my friends who came with me from the States bonded with your team and we became a little family. Lots of Taglish and even some beki lingo were spoken in-between takes and generally it was a playful set which counterbalanced the dark material and the grueling schedule.
any thing else you are currently developing? a full length perhaps? what’s next for you?
I’m working on a couple projects including writing a feature length version of Ina Nyo. It’s set in the Bay Area California (where I mostly grew up) and follows Ana’s rocky first summer in the States while both she and her mom work as domestics and hide from the immigration authorities.
——–
catch the short film in the shorts program! screening schedule listed below!
benjamin padero 