Cinemalaya 15 Visions of Asia: Siblings at war in Brother of the Year

Thai Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng (4th from left)
 CCP VP/Artisctic Director/Cinemalaya Festival Director Chris Millado (5th from left)
with officials from the Royal Thai Embassy

For the third year in a row, the Royal Embassy of Thailand participated at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival via the screening of the film Brother of the Year at the Cultural Center of the Philippines as part of the festival's Visions of Asia section.

Thai Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng

Prior to the screening, a reception presided by Thai Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng was held for the Embassy's guests that included members of the diplomatic corps, various personalities from the fields of business, politics, culture, and film industry, as well as members from the media. A trio of musicians from St. Scholastica's College serenaded the guests who went on to enjoy Thai gastronomic delights courtesy of Dusit Thani.

Thai Ambassador Vasin Ruangprateepsaeng
and CCP VP/Artistic Director/Cinemalaya Festival Director
Chris Millado

Brother of the Year

Directed by Witthaya Thongyooyong, Brother of the Year stars Sunny Suwanmethanon who plays the immature Chut, whose life as a wild, carefree bachelor was cut short upon the return of her overachieving, younger sister Jane, portrayed by Urassaya Sperbund in her film debut, returns from Japan. Long standing sibling rivalry resumes and things turn for the worse when Moji, played by Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul of KPop group 2PM, enters the picture as Jane's suitor.

The film features the quirkiness that has defined Thai comedies that has captured an audience here in the Philippines. But it also had a heart especially towards the end when Chut finally sees the light and matures which probably led a handful of moviegoers wiping their tears. Aside from showcasing the importance of family relations, the film also highlighted the importance of ties between different cultures as exemplified with the character of Moji who is half Japanese. 

This screening of Brother of the Year at the 15th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is a collaboration between the Royal Thai Embassy, Cultural Center of the Philippines, and Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. This is also part of the celebrations of the 70th Anniversary of Philippines-Thailand relations. Previous film events presented by the Royal Thai Embassy this year included screening of the documentary 2,215 at the FEU last March and the Thai Film Festival held in SM Davao last June.

Hungarian children's choir joins 11th Halina't Umawit

The Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Ave Maria Children's Choir Foundation, Inc., presents the 11th Halina't Umawit, a Philippine children's choir festival happening on August 18, 2019, 4:00 PM at the CCP's Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

For this year, the festival welcomes the Cantemus Children's Choir, conducted by Denes Szabo, from Nyiregyhaza, Hungary joining the Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir, conducted by Maria Theresa Vizconde-Roldan and Jude B. Roldan, and special guest choir, the Ateneo Chamber Singers, conducted by Jonathan Velasco for this one performance only choral event.

The 11th Halina't Umawit is in line with the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Hail Mary the Queen Children's Choir.

Cinemalaya 15 Visions of Asia: Taking a glimpse of Japanese family dynamics with Nojiri's Lying to Mom

This year's Eiga Sai offering for the 15th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, an allied festival since 2016, is Lying to Mom, the directorial debut of Katsumi Nojiri, who graced the Philippine premiere of his film during the festival.

Prior to the screening, Nojiri met with a few members of the press to gain more insight on the film, the director, and eventually on Japanese society and family dynamics.

Lying to Mom, written and directed by Nojiri tells about how a Japanese family deals with a suicide of one of their own, a situation very familiar to him as he also lost a brother to suicide.

Director Katsumi Nojiri

The film begins with the suicide of Koichi, the reclusive middle aged son of the Suzuki family. This suicide, along with an apparent suicide attempt of the mother Yuko, rocks the Suzuki's to the core. The father, Saicho, tries to seek solace and comfort with the most unimaginable person while the daughter Yuki, deals with her own grief by attending a grief group although she finds it hard to open up.

When Yuko regains consciousness with no memory of Koichi's suicide, Fumi concocts a lie, that Koichi finally got out of his room and is now working overseas, to protect her mother's fragile state. Soon after, the rest of the family, including Saicho's sister and Yuko's brother along with other accomplices elaborate upon the lie with various schemes to the delight of the mother. But lies unravel and soon enough, at the most inopportune time, the family has to face the truth and come into terms with everything no matter how it hurts.

Katsumi Nojiri

The film gave a glimpse on Japanese family dynamics, on how they are not demonstrative of their feelings even though underneath it all, it is undeniable that they truly love each other. It also shed light on the hikikomori, a reclusive Japanese male who locks himself in his room and shuns interaction with the rest of society. Based on a Japanese government census in 2016, the number of hikikomori has reached 540,000 although actual figures could be higher since the stigma with this condition has forced others to remain hidden. The Suzuki family gave insight on the strict, competitive, and homogenous Japanese society that drive these men (like Koichi), who feel that they are failures, to become hikikomori and also why it is particularly hard for them to get out of this condition.

Translator Yumi Calderon and Katsumi Nojiri

Just like what Nojiri said during the interview, he is not a professor nor a politician who offers solution on how to solve these problems. He is a filmmaker who just shows a family as it is while entertaining people with his directorial debut.

Japan Foundation, Manila Director Hiroaki Uesugi
and Katsumi Nojiri at the Cinemalaya 15 Opening

Lastly, what Nojiri wants people to take away from his film is to realize the value of one's own family. Prior to his brother's death, he viewed his family as "air" which is simply just there. But when this tragedy struck, he came to value his family, along with the good and bad that comes with it.

More than just music to the ears in Odin Rathnam, Mariel Ilusorio concert

Violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio

While heavy rain poured over Metro Manila, I found myself delighted by the music performed by violinist Odin Rathnam and pianist Mariel Ilusorio at a benefit concert that was held recently at the St. Cecilia's Hall in St. Scholastica's College, Manila. 

The concert, billed as Music & Healing, served as a fund raiser for the World Surgical Foundation Philippines whose founder, Domingo Alvear, happens to be friends with Odin for around two decades already. During his opening remarks, Alvear revealed his surprise upon learning that Odin has already performed here a few times in in here including a couple of guests stints with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. This meant that having Odin back in the country once again all for a good cause was a no-brainer.

Violinist Odin Rathnam

Annotations from both Mariel and Odin provided superb introductions to each piece which was of great use for those who aren't familiar with the music. As for those who knew their music, the information provided not just context but added layer to the music and the performance.

This was why while listening to the performance of Jean-Marie Leclair's Violin Sonata in D major, Op. 9 No. 3 "Tombeau", a piece from the Baroque era, made me imagine how it was back then being a court musician playing for the enjoyment of royalty. The following piece, Claude Debussy's Violin Sonata in G minor L. 140, which was quite a departure from the Leclair, fascinated me knowing each note was written by a man who knew that his end was near. Those who know me can attest to my unusual interest in last compositions especially those written with the knowledge that this was going to be their final work before dying.

There was a sense of reverence when Odin performed Eugène Ysaÿe's Violin Sonata in D minor, Op 27 No. 3 "Ballade", a fiendishly difficult piece that Odin considers himself to be a grandson of some sort since one of his former teachers, Josef Gringold, premiered this work.

The marital life of Richard Strauss got me curious with his Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18, especially the 2nd movement that expressed his feelings towards Pauline de Anna who would later one become his wife. I also appreciated knowing that this was his last chamber work before composing solely larger, orchestral works afterwards. The contrasts between the intimate, tender moments with the heroic ones made up for a stimulating listening experience. And this was made possible by the wonderful annotations by Mariel that complemented Odin's extensive program notes.

Pianist Mariel Ilusorio

To the delight of the audience, the duo performed two encores, Nicanor Abelardo's Cavatina and Debussy's Claire de lune. I wondered how much awareness did Mariel have while accompanying Odin with the Debussy encore. With the violin taking on the melody, I would've struggled having to accompany on the piano a stripped version of a popular piece.

A nice bit of trivia is that this concert saw the Asian debut of the "Lady Caren" violin, a bench copy of a 1755 Calvarola crafted by master American luthier Scott W. Hershey.

The concert was indeed a night filled not just with music to the ears, but also information that enriched my brain as well. Most importantly, the event raised funds for the World Surgical Foundation Philippines benefitting the needy who couldn't afford surgical procedures that can vastly improve and even save their lives.