Lav Diaz: Biktima ng Isa na Namang Kabobohan ng MTRCB
Bakit kaya mahilig puntiryahin ng Bobong MTRCB ang mga pelikulang nagbibigay karangalan sa bansa? Kamakailan, na-X ang Serbis na pinapurihan sa Cannes Film Festival. Ngayon naman ay ang pelikula ni Lav Diaz na 'Death in the Land of the Encantos' na nanalo sa Venice International Film Festival. Basahin niyo ang post ng filmmaker na si JP Carpio, lalo na ang comment ni Kints Kintana na isa sa mga namamahala ng screenings sa IndieSine sa Robinsons Galleria, at maiiyak talaga kayo. Tinatawagan ko ang lahat ng ating mga mambabatas na sana buwagin na ang talagang walang kakuwenta-kuwentang ahensiya ng gobyerno na ito!
Labels: censorship, independentfilm, lavdiaz, mtrcb
posted by Dino @ 10/06/2008 08:37:00 AM
23 comments
23 Comments:
What is their problem? What is the content of the films that they find objectionable?
What else -- sex and nude scenes. Gasp! They didn't even bother to watch the entire movie, much less a tenth of it! 'Context' is an alien word to these morons.
you know what's even sad? It's the fact that a film has to win a foreign citation FIRST before people would actually care.
There's that, and sometimes what's sadder, is that even then, no one still cares..
'Caring' is an alien word to alot of people. :)
Anyway, I still believe we're on our way to fully appreciating our artists and their creations. Each of us has just to do his or her part. This is one of the reasons I created my site PinoyFilm.com. We also need to rail against stupidities such as this. Technology has made our task easier. Keep on creating, keep on caring, and keep on fighting! :)
Where is justice in this day and age?!
Someone call the police.. Oh wait, they're comrades with the enemy..
Who can help us now?!
Let's just help ourselves. Make as much noise as possible and struggle for change. Lav helping himself by standing his ground is a step in the right direction: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/126703/PEP-Encantos-rated-X-by-MTRCB-show-canceled
Lav Diaz: "I don't believe in censorship. The existence of the board of censors is very fascistic. Censorship is poison to the arts. Censorship is poison to culture. Censorship is a very feudal act...I will not change anything [in Encantos]. The real struggle is to make good films for our people."
Way to go, Lav !!! Mabuhay ang Pelikulang Pilipino !!!
Thanks for posting this link Dins. I'll add this to my post.
You're welcome, JP. :)
Oh I heard about Lav Diaz from Tito Umali! It's just sad when I hear stories about the suppression of any form of artistic expression. Censorship here is so overrated.
I believe films should only be rated and not censored. Why censor works for responsible adults?
I posted something similar at my site: http://pinoyfilm.com/lav-diaz-gives-the-mtrcb-the-finger
We should make a lot of noise! Filipino filmmakers and film lovers unite!
have to be honest but after Batang West Side, Death in the Land of Encantos is the only other Lav Diaz film i've seen. i hav nothing but praises for both films.
I believe that the MTRCB's very poor judgement in rating Mr.Diaz's film only demonstrates the fact that their organization is being run by complete idiots. Also, what the mtrcb has done just shows how incapable they are in doing their jobs. We have to accept the hard fact that we live in economically trying times, in a country constipated by catholicism and ravaged by corruption in all levels. I'm no critic but but I have to say that Mr.Diaz's film and the events surrounding it simply makes us look at these facts and makes us decide where to go from where we are now.
siguro in the next 20 or 30 years (kelangan lang tlga mamatay na isa isa yung mga tandercats na nasa pwesto) the mtrcb would be properly run.
its a relief though, to think that no matter what happens, people will still look back and look to Mr.Diaz's Death in the Land of Encantos.
all praises to the filmmaker and his film.
zozonic,
Have to admit too that BWS was the last Lav Diaz film I saw, although I've seen all of his other films, so I know Lav is not the kind of filmmaker to create pornography. But what is pornographic is the irrelevance of the MTRCB and the irresponsibility and stupidity of its reviewers. We can't wait however for all of them to die. We must act now, and take advantage of this battle yawp from Lav. Please continue to be vigilant and to spread the word. Something's a-brewing and the day of reckoning is at hand.
sa palagay ko, hindi naman dapat buwagin ang MTRCB. kailangan ng kahit anong society ang censorship. dapat lang, tama ang execution nito. kaso, yun nga ang problema. hindi rin naman sinasabi ni JP Carpio na talagang dapat wala nang MTRCB at tama siya: they should hire people who actually know what they're doing.
As an artist, the very notion of censorship is repulsive and unacceptable to me. But I am also a staunch advocate of freedom of expression, but most important, expression with responsibility.
The problem of course is that a lot of folks forget the "responsibility" part hence for example a lot of mainstream producers cashing in on softcore porn films passed off as art in the 1990s upwards to the early part of this new century. And just look at a lot of the commercials on television
I want and am hoping for a major overhaul and a better regulation system which allows for context and fairness, and a more intelligent reading of films on a case-to-case basis because it is a very subjective process to determine whether or not a film is "indecent". I am hoping for this and not just a blanket one-size-fits-all censorship.
And misconstruing the nude scenes in DEATH IN THE LAND OF ENCANTOS with scenes from something like DEEP THROAT or anything by JENNA JAMESON is just completely ridiculous and idiotic.
Sex and nudity is only one aspect of course. I also criticize the MTRCB for censoring political films that are critical of the current administration. Bu that's another essay altogether ...
Let's just go back to the facts, the MTRCB were paid their P8,000 fee to review the film (which is double the regular P4,000 fee since the film is much longer than a film with regular length) and they did not even do the job which we, the taxpayers, pay them to do.
agree ako rito. ang problema lang kasi, kahit ano pang galing ng defense mo para sa nudity at sex sa pelikula mong totoo namang art, kung walang institusyon na magreregulate nyan, kahit bigyan mo ng R-rating ang pelikulang 'yan, makakarating 'yan sa mga maliliit na sinehan o palabasan sa mga probinsya kung saan ang mga nagpapalakad ng movie establishments ay wala namang pakialam kahit limang taong gulang ang nanonood ng eksenang hindi pa dapat naiintroduce sa kanila sa edad nilang 'yon. yung audience mo, hindi lahat 'yan may tamang background para ma-distinguish kung ano ang art sa hindi. kung makakita sila ng hubaran sa pelikula, walang kaso kung sining pa ito o hindi. sa kanila, hubad na katawan 'yon at meron syempreng hindi maiiwasang katambal na reaksyong sekswal doon.
alangan namang ipakita lang ang art films sa mga nakaka-appreciate ng art. hindi mo naman puwedeng piliin ang manonood mo parati.
kaya tama ka, kailangan natin ng better regulation system para solusyunan 'to pero yun nga, ke alagad ka ng sining o hinde, dapat maging conscious ka sa nagiging epekto ng mga produkto mo hindi lamang sa mga alam mong makakaintindi nito kundi dun na rin sa makakakita nito sa paraang maaaring hindi kanais-nais. kaya 'yon, naniniwala pa rin akong censorship is a... necessary evil, so to speak.
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree then.
Your points are appreciated, but for me there is a big difference between what is called "censorship" and what is "regulation".
Censorship involves either not allowing the film to be shown altogether or actually altering the film to suit someone else's moral standards which to me as an artist is completely wrong and fascist.
Banning films and forcing the artist to alter the work is just plain wrong.
Regulation involves making sure that if films with artistic merits do have scenes not suitable for children and minors that the films should not made available to them through different means. And that's where independent bodies of regulation must do their jobs properly in cooperation with the screening venues, theater owners, distributors, etc. It is not the fault of the artist if some theater owners are not responsible enough to police their own premises. It is not the fault of the artist if regulation bodies are not responsible enough to do their jobs properly.
In the case of Encantos, it was scheduled to be shown in only one theater for one day. This theater is the Indie Sine theater at Robinson's Galleria. A theater which shows films which otherwise will almost always not be shown nationwide in commercial theaters. When one enters Indie Sine, one should be aware that one will most likely watch films that may disagree with certain societal standards or will watch film with adult themes. And by adult themes, I don't mean sex or nudity or violence, I mean films that will hopefully give you mature, adult experiences just as you also experience them in your own personal life.
The MTRCB fee is P4000 for standard full length films for a two week screening permit. It is P4000 regardless if you show your film for the two weeks or for only one day. Encantos paid P8000 to show for only one day. The MTRCB did not watch the entire film before slapping down the X-rating.
And if it is a question of black and white rules, then fine, I accept the X-rating for Encantos and will fight for a revision and/or amendment to these outdated and close minded rules.
If it is a question following the rules to the letter (and not selective censorship or possible political persecution), how come as faithlessphil posted at my multiply post on Encantos,
"They didn't give an X-rating to "Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story" for the full exposure of a penis (which I'm pretty sure is still considered "genitals"). Neither they did give "Knocked Up" an X-rating for the crowning vagina."
So Hollywood genitals (screened nationwide for at least two weeks) are okay and Filipino genitals (screened in one theater for one day) are not okay to be shown?
And I did explain that I am an advocate for freedom of expression with responsibility as I hope most true artists are also. This responsibility extends to the audience and your work's impact on them. And this responsibility to your audience also involves being really truthful to yourself and to what you want to express in your work. Self censorship is one of the deaths of art.
The artist ceases to exist and helps no one by censoring his or her own work.
malandingbiik,
Nasabi na ni JP ang karamihan ng gusto kong sabihin kaya't dadagdagan ko na lang.
Buwagin man ang MTRCB o amyendahan ang batas na nagtatag nito, ganito ang gusto kong mangyari:
Una, kailangang paghiwalayin ang pag-regulate sa mga pelikula at telebisyon. Sa telebisyon kailangan talaga natin ng magbabantay sapagkat kahit sino ay puwedeng makapanood nito. Ngunit pagdating sa pelikula ibang usapan na yan, sapagkat mayroon naman talaga tayong magagawa kung sino ang maaaring makapanood ng isang pelikula.
Kaya't ang panukala ko ay magkaroon na lang tayo ng classification board o agency pagdating na sa pelikula. Kailangan tayong magtalaga ng mga kategorya ng pelikula at kung sinu-sino ang maaaring makapanood nito. At pag sinabi kong classification, classification lang talaga at walang censorship.
Maaari nating gayahin ang sistema na ginagamit sa U.S. -- ang Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system.
Merong NC-17, o puwede ring NC-18 o NC-21. Basta kung ano ang maituturing nating isang adult na (sa aking palagay tama na ang 18 taong gulang. Kung puwede ka nang bumoto, maaari ka na ring manood ng mga pelikulang may mga mature na tema. Hindi lang ba tama yun sa isang taong tinuturing nating may responsibilidad na?). Hindi maaaring papasukin sa sinehan ang bababa sa edad na ito.
Merong R or restricted, ibig sabihin maaaring magpapasok ng bababa sa legal na edad (18 sa ating halimbawa) ngunit kailangang may kasamang matanda para gabayan ang manonood.
Pagkatapos ay susunod na dito ang PG-13, PG, at G.
Sa sistemang ito, nasa producer na o filmmaker kung ano ang gusto niyang ilagay sa pelikula. Kung halimbawa ayaw niya talagang magtanggal ng mga eksena dahil sa kaniyang paninindigan o kung anuman ang kaniyang intensiyon, di pagtiyagaan niya ang NC rating kung saan mas konti ang makakapanood ng kaniyang pelikula.
Ngayon pagdating naman sa mga sinehan na nagpapasok ng mga bata sa mga pelikulang pang-matanda, ay nasa larangan na iyan ng pamamalakad ng gobyerno. Hindi kailangang pagdusahin ang mga alagad ng sining dahil sa kapalpakan ng gobyerno. Kung kaya ng pamahalaan na maningil ng buwis o maningil ng fee sa pag-classify, responsibilidad rin ng gobyerno at ng mga taong bumubuo nito na ipatupad kung ano ang nasasaad sa batas. Huwag tatamad-tamad ang mga nasa pamahalaan sapagkat mga tao ang nagbabayad ng kanilang suweldo. At tayo ring mga tao, kailangan ring responsable tayo. Kung may nakikita tayong gumagawa ng bawal, ng mga sinehang nagpapapasok ng wala sa tamang gulang ay atin silang isumbong. At kapag nakikita nating hindi ginagawa ng mga tauhan sa pamahalaan ang kanilang tungkuling magbantay, atin rin silang isumbong o ireklamo.
Samakatuwid, ang responsibilidad ay nasa sa ating lahat. Huwag nating pagdusahin ang sining -- na isang napakahalagang bagay sa isang lipunan gaya ng sinabi ko sa post na ito -- dahil sa iresponsbilidad ng ilan or karamihan. Sa ganitong paraan lang tayo uunlad bilang isang lipunan, kung bawat tao ay ginagawa ang kaniyang tungkulin.
ang hirap talaga humanap ng compromise sa pagitan ng sining at social responsibility pero siyempre, alam nating lahat na hindi ito imposible. kung nagawa ni brocka, ibig sabihin, may paraan at may paraan kung gusto natin. freedom of expression with responsibility, sobrang tama 'yan!
good luck sa mga proyekto mo, kung ano man sila. kahit ano pa ang medium, naniniwala ako sa sinasabi mong kailangang maging responsable tayo. to think otherwise is to say that art has no bearing in society. :)
napakagandang punto nito at sana nga maayos ang pamamalakad ng LAHAT ng institusyon dito sa bansa natin para hindi nagkakaroon ng mga ganitong isyu. artists shouldn't have to choose between honesty or integrity and the approval of an institution like MTRCB. siguro, sa akin lang, habang hindi pa nga naaayos ang mga bagay na ito, dun muna 'ko sa pro-censorship hindi dahil ito ang ideal at dapat kundi dahil sa ngayon, wala pa akong tiwala sa mga awtoridad na may kapangyarihang magpalabas ng mga pelikula sa iba't ibang klaseng audience.
sa suggestion mo, siyempre, full support ako at sa oras na may kakayahan akong iudyok ang gobyerno't lipunan tungo sa gusto mo at nating lahat na mangyari, makakaasa kang makikiisa ako sa anti-censorship movements.
Thank you malandingbiik.
I really do appreciate this discussion we started and I respect your views and stand on the matter.
I wish you nothing but the best as well in your own personal journeys and learnings. =)
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