L-R: vivian talambiras-cruz, lilibeth zandueta, linden martinez, annabel guevara, zelda tangonan, gigi jacinto-jones, vina francisco, grace tumang, ninez arreglado, rissa hidalgo. not in photo: ching ojeda legarda, ariane recto and gina boncan
Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, Director of BOSES
During our board meeting in September, we came up with ideas for projects we wanted to work on this year. One of these ideas was to create an event that would engage you and encourage your participation. We felt we could accomplish this by creating an event that is new and different yet fun and exciting, entertaining, meets our goals and thus meaningful too. Another idea was to find a medium in which we could highlight alumnae members who were doing something interesting in their respective fields as our way of increasing our network, learning from each other, supporting their work and expressing our pride in our own. The first idea to gain momentum was to sponsor a Filipino film event/reception in New York.
To give you some background...In the last four years, the independent film industry in the Philippines has come into its own. This was driven by two things: the rising cost of producing main stream Filipino movies, and the rising crop of new film makers who were willing to take risks, willing to explore other venues and options for film making, and willing to accept that profit margins were going to be small, if there was even money to be made at all.
So what makes a film an independent film? Independent films are not produced by the large movie production houses in the Philippines, they usually do not have mainstream actors in them, (although that is quickly changing), they are shot on digital film which is the more cost effective method, do not have large promotional and marketing budgets, and do not have long commercial runs in the Philippines precisely because of the costs involved in doing that. These films, however, tend to do very well in international film festivals as their subject matter and film making approach appeal to a global audience. I discovered these Filipino independent films as they started to screen and win in film festivals in the US and abroad. I found the films to be more interesting, insightful, intelligent. I gravitated towards those that show the Philippines and the Filipino in real light and deal with the social issues that are important to me. However viewing them from here is a challenge unless they are circulated on DVD.
As we began to explore the possibilities of bringing a film to New York, we heard and read about the film BOSES ...and then we learned about the genius behind BOSES...
To get us started we got in touch with Ricky Davao, the lead actor of the film, who put us in touch with the Director, Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil.
This is how our initial conversation went:
Vina: Ellen we heard about your film BOSES and we would like to bring the film to New York. How do we go about doing that?
Ellen: What are you trying to achieve? Why do you want to do this?
Vina: My alumnae group is trying to create an event that is both fun and meaningful and can raise some money to support our projects. Very few groups venture into a project like this but we want to explore it.
Ellen: What group are you with?
Vina: I'm the Public Relations Officer for the Assumption Alumnae in New York.
Ellen: Assumption? Really? I'm also from Assumption.
Vina: WHAT? Are you kidding me??!! Why didn't Ricky tell me that? Are you sure?
Ellen: Of course I'm sure! I'm batch '77 high school!
Vina: Oh my God...Oh my God!!!! I can't believe it! waaaaaaaaah! That's great!!!!
Little did we know that the opportunity to address both goals would come so soon! It was starting to have that "it is meant to be" feeling. Today BOSES in New York is a reality!
So here we are...novices all in this type of event planning..but we are working it! Under the leadership of Linden, the event and production expertise of Ching, the creative genius who is Bridget Jones, the logical mathematical mind of Rissa,the connections of Vivian, the budgeting skills of Zelda, the marketing ideas of Grace, Ninez, and Arianne, the sales skills of Lilibeth and Anabelle and the detailed notes of our ex-Secretary Gina, we are making progress and promise to give you THE Assumption event of the year!
You'll be able to read more about the film, Ellen, the cast, the reviews and watch a trailer video in our future blog postings. For now, please see the "Press Release" posting. It is featured in the latest issue of the Filipino Times and will be featured in other publications as well.
So as you read our blog, we hope that you will be part of this event, get excited with us, post your comments, and help us in whatever way you can. Proceeds from our event will be shared with various advocacies in the Philippines working to stop violence againt children, Daang-Sine--the creative group behind BOSES whose mission is to educate and create awareness of social issues through their films and our Assumption Alumnae NY chapter.
If I was asked to describe the essence of this film, there is only thought that comes to mind for me..."...to allow the good in every person to break through the rock that imprisons it and bring it to the light where it can blossom and shed its radiance" because that is BOSES.
(quote is from Saint Marie Eugenie)
