Boses.

(Written July 16, Multiply) 

Imagine Kasuy going around the first and second floor of the Cultural Center of the Philippines accompanying ten children, all boys, of varying ages. Not to mention going around strutting them with so many film enthusiasts, film makers, producers and actors such as Ricky Davao, Boots Anson-Roa, Eddie Garcia, Meryl Soriano and the like.

I first learned of the whole grandiose schedule of Cinemalaya last week from Eejay’s Multiply. Though I know it was highly impossible - given my wonderful acad/field/workload - for me to see ANY of the films, BOSES happened to be one I would have wanted to watch, alongside 100, Brutus, Concerto, HulingPasada, My Fake American Accent, and Ranchero (meaning, almost all the entries).

When I came this afternoon to the center/temporary shelter for street children where I’m doing my fieldwork, I found out that ten out of thirty children were invited to watch BOSES at CCP. Long story short, they asked me to accompany the kids. There were pros and cons, of course. The big PRO is that I’ll get to watch BOSES for free, enjoy it and at the same time earn fieldwork hours. The cons, however, are (a) I just barely recovered from severe cough and fever, and I can’t afford to worsen my health condition, and (b) that would mean going home later than the curfew which is 9pm, and I don’t want special treatment from our landlady.

THE REVIEW.

This is what’s written on Boses’ synopsis:

” BOSES (VOICES) by Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil is the story of a musician, who regains back his humanity by giving violin lessons to a child of the slums.  In turn, the child, through the instrument, is able to get back his voice from a muted, abused and desensitized existence. This is a story of a friendship founded on the sublime beauty of music. “

Onyok, the abused child rescued from his own biological father, is only one of the many cases of child physical abuse - and this I think is the reason why they invited children from different centers. Though it is an “indie” film, UNICEF supported its making together with other child-oriented organizations like Children’s Welfare Commission (CWC). I don’t know which came first, the ask of support of the filmmaker to UNICEF, or UNICEF’s Children Against Violence project. Nonetheless, UNICEF and CWC both want the film to reach as many kids and parents as possible, most especially those exposed or are vulnerable to physical violence.

MUSIC.

Need I say more? It has violins! And pianos! What more can I ask for? Mostly pianos for the musical score, those scenes needing background music. Violin with Ariel and Onyok’s lessons, practice and performance.

CINEMALAYA GOES TO U.P. had BOSES scheduled on August 4, 5pm.