Protected: Bombita is a bad play
European film as an honest reflection of life
Ever since I enrolled in a European Film class at the start of the semester, I have lost my taste in Hollywood films. I’ve seen Amelie, City of God, and Y Tu Mama Tambien before I took this class, but the other films I’ve seen have definitely increased my appreciation for European film. I thought I’d post some of the things I’ve learned.
Characters and plot
There are no contrived plots, superficial characters, shallow conflicts, and unrealistic resolutions. The characters leed seemingly unglamorous lives, but what made them unforgettable are how the small quirks everybody has but nobody really notices is emphasized. The reason why a lot of people do not appreciate European film is because they are not made to entertain people. They are the stories of tragedies and ecstasies of common people, and this is not what the masses want to see; they want their buff action heroes and cars exploding after every ten frames. Nothing truly exciting or sensational happens in most European films, but this does not stop them from being worth watching.
One unique aspect of European film is how the filmmaker shows the story behind each and every character before moving on to the plot itself. Through this, the audience feel closer to the characters, the way you is in a conversation where the other is revealing to you his or her life. This knowledge of the characters’ roots does not only evoke empathy from the viewer; one can also get a better grasp of the plot through seeing the circumstances that brought the characters together, and why they behave the way they do.
Symbolism
Another reason why a lot of people don’t like European film is because the pace is slower than that of Hollywood movies, with lots of seemingly unneccessary scenes. But every object that the camera lingers on is usually a symbolism for something. I personally don’t like guessing what message a filmmaker is trying to convey through symbolism, but this is usually what my papers are about, so I just make up a lot of crap about what it might mean to the character.
Music
The background music makes use of stringed instruments such as the piano and violin, and wind instruments like the flute. I find that pop and rock music in movies are distracting; I prefer instrumentals because they enhance the mood subtlely but effectively.
Sex scenes
Both European and Hollywood films use frontal nudity. But what makes the sex scenes in European films respectable in spite of the nudity is that unlike Hollywood films and Tagalog bold flicks, they have a purpose - to show the effect of a certain event. They are not inserted merely to entertain the viewers by romanticizing a moment with candles and sexy music, nor are they meant to arouse the audience by having the characters behave lasciviously.
It all goes down to main reason why I enjoy European film: it’s life, unexaggerated, unromanticized, and beautiful even without the razzle dazzle of special effects.
Filed under Shopping | Comments (14)Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature
The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature was established in 1950. The heirs of Don Carlos Palanca, Sr. thought it fitting that his memory be commemorated in an endeavor that would help enrich the country’s cultural heritage.
The aims of the awards have been
1. To help develop Philippine Literature by providing incentives for writers to craft their most outstanding literary work.
2. To be a treasury of the Philippines’ literary gems from our gifted writers and to assist in its eventual dissemination to our people, particularly the students.
The awards started with the Short Story Category in English and Filipino.
Through the years, as the awards elicited overwhelming response, new categories were added: One-act Play in 1953, Poetry in 1963, Full-length Play in 1975, Essay in 1979, Novel in 1980, Short Story for Children in 1989, Teleplay in 1990 and Screenplay in 1994. In 1997, three new divisions in the Short Story category were opened. These are the Iluko, Cebuano and Hiligaynon divisions, three of the Philippines’ local dialects. To encourage writing by our youth, the special Kabataan Division for high school students, made up of the essay category in English and Filipino, was opened in 1998. And in 2000 a new category was added - Futuristic Fiction, a separate, genre of the short story that involves a looking beyond into the future to transcend the boundaries of the present.
Aside from printing award-winning works into books, the Carlos Palanca Foundation began conducting in 1996 Creative Writing Workshops in the Foundation Seminar Room as well as in the provincial areas. Dramatic Readings of award-winning works have also been conducted in colleges and universities.
The writings are available in the Foundation Library and in schools all over the country. These works stand out in literary form, style and message. Students researching Palanca Awards winners as part of their class requirements learn not only the correct forms of writing but also, glean from these works the moods and aspirations of our country and our people.
The Hall of Fame Award was established in 1995 and is awarded to a Palanca awardee who has achieved the distinction of winning five first prizes in the regular categories. The Kabataan Award of Distinction gives recognition to a high school Palanca awardee who wins four first prizes in this division.
Citations and recognitions conferred on the Palanca Awards:
• “Tanging Parangal” in the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, 1992
• “Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas” by the Unyon ng Manunulat sa Pilipinas, in 1993
• The UNESCO, in the celebration of its 50th year in 1995, included the Palanca Family and the Palanca Awards in the UNESCO List of Living Human Treasures of Artists, Writers and Artisans
• CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts, 1999
• “Gawad Tanglaw ng Lahi” by the Ateneo de Manila University, 2001
• Special Citation for the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards Anthologies by the Manila Critics Circle, 2001
• Appreciation to the Carlos Palanca Foundation for its Scholarship Grant in Creative Writing by the University of the Philippines, 2002’
Born from the simple dream made 52 years ago to develop literature, the foundation holds steadfast to the mission of providing nourishment for the growth of Philippine letters.
The 55th Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature writing contest organizers announced last Sept 1, 2005 this year’s winners. Click here
Carlos Palanca Trivia
Number of winning works - 62
Number of winning authors - 57
Five multiple winners:
- Glenn Sevilla Mas
- Ma. Clarissa N. Estuar
- Agustin Pagusara, Jr.
- Eugene Y. Evasco
- Lakambini A. Sitoy
Number of new winners - 26 (45.6%)
Number of former winners - 31 (54.4%)
Two Hall of Fame Awardees:
- Luis P. Gatmaitan
- Manuel R. Buising
For more information:
CARLOS PALANCA FOUNDATION, INC.
Ground Floor, CPJ Building
105 C. Palanca Jr. St.
Legaspi Village
Makati City 1229
Tel. no. 818-36-81 to 85 locals 31 and 24
Fax no. 817-40-45
E-mail: cpawards@info.com.ph
or palancaawards@yahoo.com
