Brillante Mendoza’s film Kinatay is a testament of the Filipino’s skill in

filmmaking and a testament of the power of filmmaking as a tool for social

commentary. Kinatay is a film that centers on a young husband who now has to

provide for a new family that he has. His need for money leads him to join a group

of men who unbeknownst to him holds no hesitation in using whatever ghastly

means to take back money that is owed them.

The film shows the dirt that is in Philippine society and the filth that poverty

and corruption can cause to grow in a Filipino’s heart. The fact that it is loosely

based on a true story only provides validation to the baseness that can grow in

Philippine roots.

Brillante Mendoza’s ability to take a camera and focus on such revolting

images is partly a proof of his clout as a director. He has a few films in his name

that have garnered awards. Having Kinatay earn the top award in Cannes shows

that he is not a one-hit wonder. It shows that he is a filmmaker to be expectant

about in the future. The film highlights his skill. However, the film does not help his

image of a director that creates movies out of the horrible. I don’t think that he

cares for that. I think that he’s perfectly ok being known as the person who exposes

what is ugly in our society.

I think that his films need to be more accessible to the mainstream viewer

before he can revive the local film industry. He holds a lot of potential in bringing

awareness to the viewing public. His films can show the Filipino audience that

there’s more to films than just chick flicks that are formed from formula plots and

love teams. However, his present material flies over the heads of his audience. He

needs to be able to connect to them little by little. He needs to draw his audience
from the small cinematic hole that they live in and slowly introduce them to a big

world of possibilities.

I think it’s imperative that the audience is engaged in the revival of the film

industry because the entrenched powers-that-be are comfortable in maintaining the

status quo. They are happily earning the money that they want and thus there is no

motivation to change. If the audience’s palate has acquired a new taste for movies,

filmmakers and producers will follow where that taste leads. Unless filmmakers and

film outfits are given a reason to change the kind of films produced now, it won’t

happen.

I believe that Brillante Mendozo can be that catalyst. His courageous films

can show his audience that the world outside their hole is a better cinematic

experience. However, it doesn’t help his case if his audience can’t connect to his

films now. I am not suggesting that he go to mainstream. Far from it. I maintain that

he should keep making the independent films that he is very good at. However, he

should bring it down to a level that is easily digestible to the common tao. When he

does that, only then will the common Filipino know what quality filmmaking is. In

essence this will raise the bar of Philippine films.

Presently, I think that Brillante Mendoza is making an impact in Philippine

society. However, he is making a small dent, when his potential is to make ripples

and waves in transforming Philippine filmmaking and Philippine culture. Right now,

he is proving to the world that a Filipino filmmaker can product quality films. Right

now, he is something that a Filipino can be proud of. However, his potential is to

lead the change in Philippine filmmaking. His potential is to make a Filipino proud of
ALL the movies produced in the country. Unless he is able to level himself to the

lowest filmgoer, he will be hardpressed to achieve that.