About Peter Solis Nery’s “Dabadaba,” I am reminded of Thomas Mann’s “Death in Venice” novella. This film might as well be “Death in Dumangas.”

Mimesis aside, I was expecting some scorching love scenes since I would like to think that the title “Dabadaba” requires them, but I know Mr. Nery might have been pressed for time in further exploring the romantic (or even sexual, at that) relationships between Graydon and that beautiful boy; between that beautiful boy and his girl; and between that girl and macho Rigor, most probably to further articulate, and perhaps intensify, the motives behind the murder.

It is a very good and interesting start, but I’m very sure Mr. Nery has plans to expand, and extend, the reach of the film’s narrative in the future.

Brief as it is, it gives us a glimpse of both local color and aspects of the universal – the duality of the bucolic and the grotesque.

As another trailblazer, my kudos to Mr. Nery, and his cast including of course, Randy Graydon.

More to expect from Mr. Nery soon, for I know that as an artist, Mr. Nery’s passion for, and commitment to Art in all its genres – be it poetry, theater, and now, cinema/film – is unceasing.

Ars longa vita brevis.

 

© Felino S. Garcia, Jr. & Panay News Sunday: October 31, 2010

Peter Solis Nery presents “Dabadaba,” a five-minuter film shot in his hometown, Dumangas, Iloilo.

“Dabadaba,” which means flame in the Hiligaynon, tells of different human needs – flaming desires that are all interlinked to the four people in the story: One seeks for acceptance; another, for security; the third, personal satisfaction; and the fourth, only to be loved in return.

They undertake different circumstances to fulfill those needs so they can finally find what they have been looking for. The question is: If you were in their shoes, what would you do in exchange for something you really want? How willing are you to undertake the challenges to get the prize?

Not all gays are accepted, even in other countries. So, Graydon journeys to many different places in search of love, to fulfill his personal desires. He finds it with Jay, in his visit to the Philippines.

If a man doesn’t feel that he is important to a woman, he diverts his attention until he finds someone who makes him feel that he is important, that he is accepted. Graydon was the answer to Jay’s silent wishes.

If a woman is insecure of a man’s love for her, she opts to get his attention by taking out any threat that seemed to block her way. Liza was torn between jealousy, and insecurity.

And here comes another man, willing to do anything for love, even if it meant killing somebody to grant his lover’s wish. Rigor was there for Liza’s whims.

Who among them could have possibly finished their search to fulfill their needs?  Were the flames extinguished, or were they rekindled?

 

© Rogean Angelee Gullem& Panay News Sunday: October 31, 2010

Everyone is a critic. Kung mayroon mang bagong itinatanghal ang “Dabadaba” ni Peter Solis Nery, ito marahil ang pagsabay sa pag-usbong ng mga very short short film na madalas nating makita at tangkilikin sa internet. Pagpapatuloy lamang ang ginagawang ito ni Nery, isang mabigat na pagpapatuloy at mahirap higitan kung pag-uusapan ang talento at kasiningan.

Sabi nga ni Victor Ebert (film critique), “No great film is ‘depressing’. All bad films are.” At sa tingin ko, hindi kasama ang pelikulang ito ni Nery sa mga tinutukoy ni Ebert na bad films. Wala naman kasi talagang rules ang film. Tandaan lamang na isang malaking “no, no” sa paggawa ng pelikula ang ipamukha sa atin ang mga bagay na alam na natin noon pa man.

Ang muling pagpapadanas sa atin ni Nery ng isyu pangkabadingan ay di pa rin nalalayo sa mababaw na pagtingin natin sa buhay ng mga bading (di lamang sa Filipinas). Isang malaking hamon ang pelikulang ito sa umuusbong na Regional filmmaking sa Iloilo, na patuloy tayong bumuo ng isang eksperimento, at patuloy na tuklasin ang pinakamaganda sa pinakasimple. Nakapa na nga siguro ni Nery ang sinasabi kong pinakamaganda sa pinakasimple, at nagamit naman niya ito ng may kabuluhan at sensibilidad sa pelikulang ito.

 

© Noel de Leon& Panay News Sunday: October 31, 2010

Why a short film? I don’t have much money to spare for my art, but I want my filmmaking to get off the ground. It’s been a decade long dream for me to be my own scriptwriter, my own director, my own producer.

 

Why five minutes? I actually planned for a 13-minuter, but with the footage I got, I’m now convinced it should, at least, be 30 minutes long. I got bored and tired editing, watching the same scenes again and again. As a diversion, I made a shorter version. Five minutes! Can I tell the complete story in 5 minutes?

 

Why Dumangas? I want my first film shot in my hometown. As a way of paying my debts of gratitude. After that, I can shoot my future films anywhere in the world. But Dumangasanons’ support of my first film is overwhelming, so I won’t mind making more films about Dumangas. I have a captured audience. Hahaha.

 

Why “Dabadaba”? I want my first film to be called “Dumangas,” but this story is not most representative of my hometown, so I called it “Dumangas 2010.” However, that title is now reserved for the 30-minute version. For the 5-minute version, I played with the fire in the “confession” scenes, nagadabadaba, like burning desires! I swear, the longer version’s main element is water. That’s the farthest you can go from blazing fire! Hahaha.

 

Why YouTube? Because I’m ignorant. I don’t know where to go. I think I only wanted to share the film on my Facebook account. By accident, I stumbled upon YouTube, or are they partners? (I’m still ignorant. Hahaha.) What a fortunate and happy mistake it was. If viewers and YouTube keep me happy, I might release the 30-minuter as a 3-part series on YouTube.

 

Who are the actors? Jay Dolotina is an aspiring model in Manila, originally from Bohol. Liezel Demagajes and Rigor Decolongon are locals from Dumangas. Randy Graydon is my lawfully wedded American. So yes, I didn’t spend a million on casting. Only Jay turned out a little more expensive considering his travel, accommodations, and time off from his day job.

 

Is the story true to life? All I can say is, after the August 2010 Hong Kong hostage crisis, I considered the title tinaic, meaning “This Is Not An Isolated Case.” Wasn’t the noted Japanese harpist Tadao Hayashi killed in the Philippines around August 2001? While I was filming, a Briton was killed in Negros Occidental.

 

Worried about negative impact to tourism? No. It’s only a movie. Besides, we don’t kill tourists in Dumangas, we love them! In fact, Graydon’s house in Dumangas was inspired by the US Peace Corps volunteers we homestayed in the late ‘70s. The original script called for a hotel in the city. Funny, but some viewers only saw the benefit of my movie to eco-tourism for Dumangas, and the rural Philippines.

 

Next project?

Let me just finish the 30 minute version first. And let me bask in my glory of putting out a first film for a little bit. You can be sure that I will never run out of ideas. Especially since the warm reception to my film is so inspiring. Madamu gid nga salamat sa tanan nga nagtan-aw. Watch it again! Hahaha.

 

© Panay News Sunday: October 31, 2010