BURDENED YET GLOWING

Actions are deceptive. Colors are symbolic.
Put them together; clashing ideas meet. As each approach the other, they blend to make a certain harmony that which paints several different meanings.

Burdened yet glowing–

That is what it is.

Travelling colors of yellow in brown burst out to give emphasis to the outline of the pieces of wood scattered around the floor.

Persuasive and very realistic–

Peeping just beneath the glass windows are driven desires the picture wishes to convey.

Dismay…  Passion…

- Zaira Leonor

Blown Away

There is a time in every one’s life when they encounter problems that they feel they have no way of solving. It was during the darkest days of my life when I felt so vulnerable. I felt like literally being blown away because I cannot cope up with the hardships that I was facing. I felt so lonely and alone.  In the end though, I found the light that brought me closer to Him and the way to cope up with the obstacles in life. 

- Zeera Galangue

7th Cinemalaya

         

                My first ever Cinemalaya. July 15, 2011 was the opening of Cinemalaya , we arrived around 5:00 in the afternoon. When we got there a lot of people were already there. The first thing that we do was to buy tickets for the movie that we are going to watch, sadly for some of my classmates who will watch “Ang babae sa septic tank” was already sold out and luckily for us who watched “Amok” it was not sold out. We waited for a long time for the program to start, if I can remember around 6:30pm to 7:00pm it started. I was star-struck not because of the actors but because of the directors and producers. I don’t know why maybe because these people are not known and they are always behind the camera and their names are always seen in the last or sometimes first part of the movies but it just plain names, unlike the actors who we see all time in televisions.

 

                At some point it’s frustrating because during the program we were on the 3^rd floor and we really cannot see anything. The venue was small, it was limited for those people who came early. It was organized though but they should have bigger and better place. They should know that a lot of people are now interested in indie films so they better have other options not because they don’t have budget that’s only an excuse my opinion only. For a fact that it has been there for seven years, there’s always room for improvements.

      

                      The only thing I like and appreciate in the opening was the opening movie of Cinemalaya the movie “Maskara” by Laurice Guillen. We had goose bumps and it was a jaw dropping movie. It took the frustration in us and we end up smiling because of the movie.

                         I never got the chance to watch the cinemalaya awards night as well as the closing night and closing movie the “Zombadings”. All in all it was an amazing  experience and definitely every year I will come back to watch indie films and support Cinemalaya.

Book Fair 2011

           

                     July 13, 2011 around 3:OO in the afternoon when we arrived at Mega Mall and to be honest it was tiring to go there from Vito Cruz to Mega Mall. We rode first LRT Vtiro Cruz to LRT EDSA then we supposedly ride MRT but because of many people we got scared that we cannot ride it. So we decided to walk to the other side of the street and we rode a bus that took I think an hour for us to get there. When we arrived we walked and walked, it’s really tiring and then we decided to rest for a while and eat.

We rode first LRT Vtiro Cruz to LRT EDSA then we supposedly ride MRT but because of many people we got scared that we cannot ride it. So we decided to walk to the other side of the street and we rode a bus that took I think an hour for us to get there. When we arrived we walked and walked, it’s really tiring and then we decided to rest for a while and eat.

             

             Its not the first time I’ve been in a book fair but I really don’t pay attention to the books because I am not a book lover except for photography and political books. Same thing I did in the book fair we took pictures we met some of the people like the sisters there publication is called “Paulines”. We also met some of the publishers of Bo Sanchez.

 

            We saw also the publications of Universities like UST and UP. Newspaper publications like Manila Bulletin. The people there were jolly and they don’t mind us taking pictures with them and with their books. It was fulfilling because of so many books in that little place can you imagine having bigger room with books like in the library. If you want to find books UST library is the best library ever.

  

Cinemalaya 7

Excitement, discontent, enthusiasm, disappointment, and relief…

This transition of feelings is the theme of my first experience in Cinemalaya. It was, indeed, a night ample of different feelings. Perhaps, it is the longest day I have had so far. Cold long day…

START:

Have you ever had those days when nothing seems to go right, that everything you have planned for just doesn’t work? Well, I have. Apparently, July 15, 2011 was one of those days. After waking up at around 4:30 in the morning, taking a not-so-good breakfast AND lunch, and having two out of my three classes cancelled, I was not having the day I was expecting to have; and the only day-saver I had left is the opening of Cinemalaya 7.

Cinemalaya has been the talk of College students, especially those who are in the Mass Communication course, since the day I stepped on St. Scholastica’s College, Manila. Yes, this prestigious festival has always been an interesting topic for almost everyone who knows it, not to mention even those who have not experienced it. And for the first time, we will, finally, experience Cinemalaya. That thought keyed us up.

We left school at around 4:45 in the afternoon. On our way there, we could barely explain the feelings we had. We were thrilled! As we were approaching CCP, and caught sight of the word “Cinemalaya”, our eyes brightened and our smiles were already verbal. That was it! We were a step closer to the talk of the town.

Because the program was yet to start in about two and a half hours, we decided to roam around CCP and have a look at the museums first. There, we started to take out our cameras. We were able to capture moments of our friends, moments of ourselves, but most importantly… We were able to capture our moment with the overflowing ideas of rich-minded people who have managed to create not just entertainment for all of us to see, but also transformative works for all of us to ponder with. The museum tour was a success and I am proud to have been one of the crowds who have witnessed true beauty and art.

As 6 o’clock quickly drew near, people started to swarm around the place. Directors, producers, artists, and a lot more personalities graced the evening. It was a star-studded night for all of us. With that, we were very anxious to find good seats where we can have a good look of the program proper. Unfortunately, there were no seats provided for us. There were the stairs, and the second or third floor. There we found ourselves tiptoeing behind every person there was in the third floor. I was not able to see anything. The televisions didn’t make it better. That made me very disappointed. I was not expecting something as disorganized as that. There were good live performances of different exhibitions and talks from renowned people; but I didn’t get to see them. That was not how I expected things to be. I guess, extreme hopes really does bring extreme miseries.

After the program, we were already allowed to get in the theater to watch Cinemalaya 7’s opening film, “Maskara.” That was when I felt relieved. The film was very inspiring. It was about lost love and everything that happens after it – the longing, the mourning, and the acceptance. Anyone can easily relate to it. Thus, it extremely chronicles the human heart. Every scene was powerfully written and naturally done. It is a must-see movie and it was worth the wait.

END: (HOME: 12:10 am)

          At the end of the day, I have realized that everything was still very fruitful. Yes, there were moments of disappointment and discontent; but, I guess, I have to consider a lot of things before I judge a particular situation. Somehow, I have understood that Cinemalaya has yet to improve – that more people will still be encouraged to invest more in this festival. Truly, we are already very lucky to have experienced that event, which is not perfect, but is still blooming throughout time. I am hoping that in the future, it will be our generation’s turn to uplift the Filipino film industry.

Book Fair

July 13, 2011, Wednesday: Day of the Book Fair

          It was not my first time to go in a book fair. However, I was still very excited as we were on our way to Mega Trade Hall in SM Mega Mall where the book fair that our professor told us was being held. As we arrived, we registered our names in the counter near the entrance. There was no fee needed. Immediately, we entered the hall. We were a group of five but we started to separate from each other because we had different preferences when it comes to books. As for me, I looked for books that were related to Philosophy, Law, Religion, and English Communication. There were lots and I enjoyed looking at them. There were a number of publishing companies that were there. Each was very organized in presenting the books that they were selling. Most of the books that we saw were academic books. I was expecting more fiction books but there was just one stall for that. I was not able to buy, still. The prices were high although most of the stalls gave discounts and promos for their products. There were also some publishing companies who gave free items to the customers. Each item was not only a form of entertainment but also a form of advertising. We were able to take pictures of ourselves, the books, and the people who made the book fair possible. It was an unforgettable and experience and I wish to attend more fairs like that.

          Upon seeing the books, the magazines, and the other items, I came to realize that there are plenty of unsung names in different fields of study. There are more people who deserves recognition and fame for their works. In fact, they might even be better than those who are well-known in the industry today. A single book is a fruit of overflowing ideas and principles that contribute to the comprised facts that we all accept and understand in our society. Unfortunately, less people appreciate the value of all those; especially, now that we live in a mediated world. Thus, I hope that more people will be able to patronize all these things and still pass print media from our present generation to the future generations to come.

By: Zaira Patricia Leonor

Book Fair Experience

My classmates and I decided to go to the book fair in SM Megamall on a Thursday morning. We used the public transportation specifically the Light Rail Transit (LRT) on our way there. Upon arrival, we decided to take our breakfast before visiting the fair. While we were eating, we were informed by our class representative that we would not be having a class in our Principles of Mass Communication subject so we agreed to watch the movie “Harry Potter” instead. After watching the movie we headed straight to the fair.  As a matter of fact, it was my first time to visit a book fair. 

We explored the kind of books available inside. It was not as crowded as I expected it to be. I saw familiar books that were utilized in my former school when I used to take up nursing as well as books like chemistry, biology, algebra and other minor subject books. Aside from these, I also saw engineering and interior designing books. It caught my attention because I am interested in these kinds of books especially the interior designing books. I remembered that we would have a few lessons in photography so I also checked if there are any photography books available. Having seen the book, I did not bother to buy one since it was too expensive. We also looked for the novel “Like water for chocolate” that our professor in literature wanted for us to read; however, we were not able to find one available in the fair. I noticed that most of the booksellers were from prestigious colleges like University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, and so forth. The books sold were mostly academic books but there are also few leisure and religious books available. In my opinion, we were required to visit the fair not just for the experience of attending a book fair but also to practice our journalism skills that we would need in our succeeding years as Mass Communication students. 

- Zeera Galangue

Cinemalaya Experience

It was a rainy Friday afternoon and I was getting ready to go to the Cultural Center of the Philippines coming from my dorm. As usual, I was in a hurry because it was already five o’clock in the afternoon and I was not yet dressed up. I tried my best to move as fast as I can because I was afraid I would miss the start of the opening. I was really excited to see it for the first time since I expected it to be extravagantly good.  

The Cultural Center of the Philippines was crowded by spectators specifically students from various colleges, professionals, and media people.  It was hard to find some of my classmates from the crowd but good thing I was able to spot few of my friends. The opening was about to start so we headed upstairs to find a good location where we could watch the opening show. I was surprised to know that we were to watch it standing from above in the third floor where we could hardly see it below because the seats downstairs were only intended for V.I.P. guests, and directors. I was really disappointed and I did not expect it to be so disorganized. I was running out of patience especially when some media people asked us to step aside since we were obstructing their way from capturing a good view of the show. Out of anger and disappointment I decided to sit in the corner near the stairs with some of my classmates who also cannot find a way to take even a glimpse of what was happening downstairs. 

After the show was finished we were directed towards the movie theater to watch the opening film “Maskara”. I think that this film was the only good thing that happened in the Cinemalaya opening. Even though I was infuriated for a moment, watching the film sort of made the waiting worthwhile. 

The beginning of the film gave me quite a headache because of the movements of the camera. I was getting dizzy with all the random motion of the camera but in the end though I understood why it was shown that way. It was like a documentary and the emotions felt were realistic. It was indeed a sad story but on the other hand it gave a strong feeling of coping up from the loss. It was a breathtaking life story where people could relate it to their own lives. I was really inspired from the movie especially when Tirso Cruz III playing the role of Johnny Delgado mentioned in the last scene that “. . . .  in reality we are all alone and the only one that is with us is God”. It made me realize the truth and all the more strengthened my faith in God. The film ended around nine thirty in the evening and we were starving so we decided to have our late dinner in harbour square before going home.

            

- Zeera Galangue