Still Life

It was my first Pinoy Indie Film.

It was one of those nights when you were getting eye strain because of too much reading and staring at the computer screen and the only viable alternative was to look for a nice TV program to while away the time before that much-needed sleep. Then I saw this film on Cinema One, a cable TV channel that shows Tagalog movies twenty-four hours a day.  Since we have recently upgraded our cable via two digiboxes  on our TV units, it is nice to catch up on programs on high-definition.  I was  intrigued when they were showing this Tagalog movie with English subtitle.

Still Life.

This was the first time that I’ve watched an Indie film, a novelty for me because it was a rewarding experience.  It was directed by Katski Flores, and it was his official entry to the Cinemalaya Film Festival 2007.  Come to think of it , I was not even familiar with the characters except for a brief appearance of John Lloyd Cruz at the start of the movie.  The name Ron Capinding and Glaiza de Castro didn’t even ring a bell. Hubby said that Glaiza de Castro is a mainstay of Channel 7.  I told you I seldom watch TV and the few times that I do, I am usually tuned at Lifestyle or Asian Food Channel. Still Life, is the title of the movie.

A Brief Summary.

Still Life is the story of James Masino (played by Ron Capinding)  a  gifted Filipino painter, who suffers from “ Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS). Faced with a destiny that he could no longer paint, he goes on a self-imposed exile to paint for the last time – one last masterpiece.  It was an ideal place for creating a work of art but he was not alone after all, along came Emma, a vibrant, mysterious lady who had her own story to tell. It was her courage amidst life’s trials and  bubbly optimism that convinced James that there is a life beyond his canvas.

So that’s how an Indie film is made, a minimum of two characters but still can convey an exceptional storyline that would make you think about life in general with all its angst and broken dreams. I don’t know where they shot this film but the scenery was a joy to behold and so was the music.  There are lots and lots of good dialogue  in the movie.  James has tried several times to take his own life but through their sharing and communication, confiding in each other about their own life stories, Emma brought home the fact that life is not a choice but a gift. I love that line, because it makes us realize that we are only here temporarily and that our given life is truly a gift from God. One finds courage in misfortunes and the defining moment becomes real once you realize that life is not a bed of roses but a series of surprises that sometimes tickle the heart and sometimes make you cry.

I wish I could find a DVD for this movie, because I want to watch it again. That’s how good the movie is. the ending was just unexpected.  Bravo to Filipino films.