> > > > Below is Marilou Diaz-Abaya's position paper regarding her stand on > the > > > > latest controversy, Live Show. Read on and if you agree with her, > > please > > > > pass this on to your friends. It is about time to demand for more > > responsible > > > > and quality Filipino films. > > > > > > > > March 26, 2001 > > > > "SEX EVERY 10 MINUTES" > > > > A Position Paper > > > > By MARILOU DIAZ-ABAYA > > > > Director/Producer > > > > > > > > > > > > Today, March 26, 2001, a group which calls itself the Concerned > Artists > > of > > > > the Philippines is staging a rally to protest what they perceive to be > a > > > > "suppression of the right to Freedom of Speech", citing as cause the > > > > withdrawal from theatrical exhibition of the movie "LIVE SHOW", as > > ordered > > > > by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I just wonder why these > "artists" > > > > did nothing last year to protest the silent and total boycott of the > > > > Inquirer by movie producers. Armida Siguion-Reyna justified the > boycott > > > as > > > > the industry's gesture of support for ex-President Joseph Estrada who > > > > complained to his showbiz coterie against the Inquirer's unfavorable > > > > write-ups about him. Only GMA Netweork films refused to connive with > > the > > > > movie industry, and went ahead to place print ads for the film > > "MURO-AMI" > > > > in this newspaper. > > > > > > > > I wish every success for the CAP rally today. It would disprove their > > > > claims and demonstrate that, contrary to their complaint, Freedom of > > > > Expression IS enjoyed I this country today, particularly in the > > > > administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. I do not think > that > > > > she cares to operate like Erap's midnight mafia which was ruled not by > a > > > > Code of Ethics, but by a Code of Silence, a Code of Connivance, a kind > > of > > > > (in military parlance) CODE RED. > > > > > > > > The Concerned Artists claim that theirs is not a political rally to > > > > denounce the administration's party; nor is it a denunciation of the > > > > Church, of His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin and of Msgr. Soc Villegas. > > > > Rather, theirs is a rally to uphold ART. Whoever is serving as > > tactician > > > > for the CAP will be responsible for causing more harm than good for > the > > > > reputation of "LIVE SHOW". > > > > > > > > In an earlier statement, I diagnosed the Philippine movie industry to > be > > > > very, very sick. I called for self-examination and for reforms. So > > far, > > > I > > > > have received no response. It is time for me to divulge to the > public, > > > our > > > > audiences and concerned citizens, what usually transpires behind the > > > scenes > > > > of sex movies these days. > > > > > > > > First, I ask, do our filmmakers really believe that the erotic genre > has > > > no > > > > impact on our current community standards and sensibilities; that they > > are > > > > carrying out a mission to reveal only the truth about human nature and > > the > > > > oppressive social conditions in our country; thaqt their "art is > (just) > > a > > > > mirror of life"; that theirs is an expression of compassion for "the > > poor > > > > people" who are dehumanized by poverty? When a sex movie is planned, > do > > > > our producers and directors say: "We want to help the poor. Let's > save > > > > them from poverty by exposing social ills which dehumanize their > > > condition? > > > > OR do they plot: "Sex ang kumikita. We have no choice. Let's make a > > sex > > > > movie. O direk, bahal ka nang pagandahin and pelikula. Yung pang > > > > Festival, ha"? > > > > > > > > Regal Films Executive Producer Lily Monteverde herself has complained > to > > > me > > > > time and again, "Kung maging istrikto and MTRCB, mabuti na nga siguro, > > > aksi > > > > ayoko naman talaga ng sex movie. Babae din ako. Kaya lang, what can > I > > do > > > > kung yun and kumikita? I have to survive." > > > > > > > > I am disturbed not only about the kind and the quantity of sex-movies > > > > churned out in the last two years, but, more seriously, about the way > > > these > > > > sex-movies are made, the way they are marketed with titillating titles > > and > > > > publicity photos, the proliferation of pirated video copies of adult > > > movies > > > > (in Virra Mall and other tiangges, in Quezon Boulevard - peddled by > > > > children together with sampaguita garlands), and worst of all, the > > > > SUB-CULTURE which is created as a by-product of these sex movies. > > > > > > > > I do not accept some filmmakers' excuse that "Pelikula lang ito. > > > > Director/artista lang ako. Maganda naman ang shots ko, hindi > malaswa. > > > > May istorya pa. Pang adult ito. Restricted sa mga sinehan. Walang > > > > masama." In short, the message of the filmmaker is "I only make > movies. > > > I > > > > am not responsible for its effects outside the theater." > > > > > > > > As a founding member, President for four years, and member of the > > > Committee > > > > on ethics and Grievances of the Directors Guild of the Philippines, I > am > > I > > > > possession of testimonies and documented complaints from actors and > > > > actresses who were exploited and sexually harrassed by producers, > > > directors > > > > and talent managers (a number some of whom are even joining the rally > > > > today) in the production of sex movies ... > > > > > > > > > > > > A SAMPLE of the current MODUS OPERANDI: > > > > > > > > 1. Talent scouts hunt for sexy girls and boys, usually from bars and > > other > > > > night life establishments. "Exotic" (sexy) dancers are preferred. > They > > > > are already used to taking off their clothes in public. > > > > > > > > 2. The PROPOSITION: I will make you a big star. 'Datung' ito. > > > > Makakatulong ka sa pamilya mo. Mapapagaral mo ang mga kapatid mo. > > > > Basta't maghubad ka lang. Magaling si Direk. Maganda and istorya. > > Kaya > > > > lang, kailangan mong mag 'all-the-way'. Wag kang mag-alala. > > Pansamantala > > > > lang ito. In time, you will make the transition to serious acting. > > > > > > > > The fact of the matter is, that after one or two movies, the talent is > > > > considered laos, stale, and tossed back into the dustbin of anonimity. > > > > > > > > 3. AUDITIONS, on a "casting couch" for a "taste test" and "take home" > > by > > > > the producer and/or director. The talent's body is inspected, her > teeth > > > > checked. She may need "adjustments": lyposuction, breast-lift, and/or > > > > cosmetic dentures. The producer/director interviews the talent, > > promises > > > > to respect and take care of her. Talent is reluctant, but is reminded > > > that > > > > the Proposition is worth it. It's irresistible, too good to be true. > > > > She's very lucky. She is convinced that it's an honest job. It pays > > > much > > > > better than other jobs like being a waitress, bank teller, tour guide, > > > etc. > > > > It's only her body, not her person, which will be exhibited. She > > starts > > > > to believe that I have a beautiful body. I'm not ashamed to display > it. > > > > Inggit lang kayo. Trabaho lang ito. > > > > > > > > Sometimes, they test her for obedience and "willingness". If she > > obliges > > > > and passes and actual lovemaking test, she gets a downpayment for the > > > > movie. > > > > > > > > Of course, all transactions are presumed to be consummated by > > (officially) > > > > consenting adults. The reality, however, is quite another matter. > One > > of > > > > the many complaints about sexual harrassmnet received by the DGPI, > > handled > > > > by me, involved a 16-year old talent who threatened to sue a director > > for > > > > sexual molestation during a sensuality workshop, conducted in > > preparation > > > > for the minor's performance in a "wholesome" movie, starring Judy Ann > > > > Santos. After countless hearings and protracted investigation, the > girl > > > > and her parents withdrew their complaint, but only AFTER they took P > > > > 1,000,000.00 as "danyos" from the producer. Case closed, like all the > > > > others which I personally handled. > > > > > > > > The director was spared from lethal injection -- the penalty for > > statutory > > > > rape. > > > > > > > > Casting is a lucrative business. Anyone waiting in the sidelines for > an > > > > acting break is material for exploitation by casting directors, > > assistant > > > > directors, production managers, schedule masters and many other kinds > of > > > > predators. > > > > > > > > 4. SHOOTING. Sex scenes are shot clinically by a dozen staff and > crew. > > > > Bold star is cajoled/coerced to take it off, take it ALL off. If she > > > > hesitates, she is yelled at for being ma-arte, mahirap katrabaho, > > palitan > > > > na yan! > > > > > > > > I know of one shooting scene where a male talent got an erection while > > > > performing a sexy scene. The director called for a break. When the > > > > actor's erection had subsided, it was back to work, business as usual. > > > > > > > > Still photos are taken for publicity. Sex scenes are extended as a > > safety > > > > allowance, so that just in case the MTRCB rates it X, the exposures > can > > be > > > > shortened, but not deleted. Movie is rated R-18. Lulusot. Pag > dating > > sa > > > > probinsya, ibalik natin yung mga na-cut. > > > > > > > > I personally know that some producers, after previewing their sex > > movies, > > > > decide to re-shoot, or shoot additional sex scenes, if the first > batches > > > > are not "bold" enough. "Kulang pa. Bitin. Dagdagan natin." > > > > > > > > The producer's formula is: One sexy scene every ten minutes of film > > time. > > > > "Direk, you can do whatever you want, shoot it your style, deliver > your > > > > message, basta give me 6 to 8 sex scenes." > > > > > > > > 5. PROMOTIONS. Print, radio, TV, film and personal appearances to > > launch > > > > the career of a new bold star. She is coached to mouth all the > > > soundbites. > > > > Sana po suporta ninyo ako. Maganda po ang pelikula. Panoorin po > > ninyo. > > > > further, she/he is prodded to make controversial, sex-teasing > > innuendos: > > > > describe the steamy, bare-all sex scenes, her "modern" views about > sex, > > > her > > > > aspiration to be a serious actress someday, her nobility in providing > > for > > > > her family. She sings and dances, wearing skimpy costumes, in > noontime > > > > television programs. > > > > > > > > Best of all, if she can be manipulated by her manager to pick a public > > > > fight with an aging, "has-been" bold star whose throne the ingenue is > > > about > > > > to grab, the box-office receipts are guaranteed. > > > > > > > > Sexy, publicity photos are published in newspapers and tabloids. No > age > > > > restrictions for buyers/readers. > > > > > > > > New talent gains publicity mileage, gets noticed by rich > > > > businessman/politician, is paid from P5,000.00 - P10,000.00 for a > night > > of > > > > "tricks". Manager takes 10% - 35% commission. > > > > > > > > 6. THE PRODUCT. Next time we watch a sex drama movie, let's not > ignore > > > all > > > > the aspects OTHER than the story, direction, photography, etc., which > go > > > > into the making of the movie. > > > > > > > > I am reminded of a brand-name RUBBER SHOES, high-end, expensive, high > > > > quality, manufactured by thousands of tiny hands of child > > laborers/slaves > > > > in third-world, Southeast Asian sweatshops. I like the rubber shoes; > > it's > > > > high-tech and durable. BUT I PREFER THE CHILDREN, so I don't buy the > > > > shoes. > > > > > > > > 7. SHORT-TIME. A new, young bold actor/actress has a very limited > > > > professional life span. Producers have this idea that once a bold > star > > > has > > > > bared-all, there's nothing more to see. She is replaced by the next, > > new, > > > > young, bold star. > > > > > > > > I urge the Philippine movie industry, our audiences and concerned > > citizens > > > > to re-consider the impact of one, or two, or two hundred sex movies, > not > > > > only on adults 18 years old and above, but on all other sectors of > civil > > > > society, especially women and minors, whose choices in life are > > > compromised > > > > at the altar of what some filmmakers call "ART". I urge aspiring > movie > > > > stars to resist their explotation by moviemakers. There are many ways > > to > > > > pursue a movie career other than by taking off one's clothes. > > > > > > > > I have made my stand public. I know I shall be punished by the > > industry, > > > > but this will not be the first time I am challenging the showbiz > status > > > > quo, and posing a threat to the prevailing modus operandi for greedy > > > > profit. > > > > > > > > Censorship and "church intervention" should not be used as a alibis > for > > > bad > > > > movies, and the memories of Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal should not > be > > > > invoked to dignify the current controversy. Brocka and Bernal fought > > for > > > > something else. They fought for genuinely progressive ideas about the > > > > artist as citizen. They upheld their integrity even at the expense of > > > > their personal comforts. They died impoverished because the chose to > > > > remain poor and to go to jail, rather than to prostitute their art. > > > Sadly, > > > > we have not yet fully internalized their legacy. > > > > > > > > Genuine artists concern themselves with human beings and issues BIGGER > > > than > > > > themselves. No artist is entitled to a monopoly of human rights, of > > > > insights, or of Freedom of Expression. > > > > > > > > In closing, I re-iterate a call for reforms in the Philippine movie > > > > industry; for earning and deserving the privilege of self-regulation; > > > > making better and more kinds of movies; and for sharing space with our > > > > viewing public, in order that they, too, may empower themselves and > > > > exercise their right to uphold their faiths, their convictions, their > > > > sensibilities. > > > > > > > > LET US BEGIN TO REDEEM OURSELVES NOW! ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-~> Get great low international calling rates from Net2Phone! Click Here! http://us.click.yahoo.com/pOl7zD/kJXCAA/4ihDAA/izSVlB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: upgeop-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! 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