Haven't watched Rosario yet? I highly suggest you should. And if you're having doubts, read my review article (click this link).
Okay, now... where do I start? I remember, the last time I got a lot of diverse reactions (positive and negative) via e-mail was when I wrote my styling experience (for a runway show) entry. I don't really know how to react when I attract certain attention, at times judgement based on what I write or say.
But you know, I don't dislike (or hate) anyone who would contradict me, my entry or my blog for that matter. I welcome everyone who has something to say whether it's nice or... not so nice, haha. Opinion is relative anyway and the reason why my Rosario's film review is full of kind words is because I believe in the film.
To those who e-mailed me and mentioned its flaws, yeah I agree, it is not a perfect film. I'm sure the feminists will have their own say while historians and fashion geeks of the 1920s era will eventually find some inaccuracies. Even I myself said that I didn't like the make-up, the hair, and clearly I noted that the production GAVE A GOOD ATTEMPT TO REMAIN CONSISTENT (didn't say it was exactly 1920s) with the period.
If you watch the film, despite imprecisions, most people would probably agree with me when I say that the feel of the period was definitely there. As a viewer, I'm sure you believed you were not in year 2010. That EFFORT from the film production, to take you to more or less 80 years back, is truly difficult to do. Imagine what the film crew had to go through for that movie? The task they faced was indeed incredibly challenging, complicated, demanding and tough.
People who have never been a part of a movie production will never understand the process and the LIMITATIONS that comes with making a film.
On my part, I can only wonder how much did they spent for the film (mahal talaga yan for sure!), who is the poor location manager who had to look for all their locations, the production design crew assigned to look or have 1920's inspired furniture customized, and so on and so forth. Mahirap talaga siya.
Example, I've been a production manager once for a short film (it was a regular one, present time, a drama about a daughter and a father) and no matter how hard I tried to budget our fund, we would always spend almost P100,000 per day! That is just for a short, "low budget" short indie. Sa lagay na yun, hindi pa bongga ang equipment at ilaw na ginamit. For Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio, we had to look for an old Spanish-era looking church and what the line producer found was worth P40,000/day. It was too high considering the budget so I heard we had to settle for something not as period-worthy but "can work as one" which cost only P10,000.
For instance, even if a historical film of today is shot in Intramuros, it will still be inconsistent because Intramuros has changed (a lot) since Spanish time, so the film can never be 100% faithful to history even though it wants to be. You see, every film done has different shortcomings and restrictions that the audiences have no idea about.
Sure, Rosario could have had consultants that could've helped them improve it but the story behind their inadequacies, though we have no knowledge of, we should learn to anticipate and understand.
Also, I think it is wrong for the Filipino audience (especially the "elite" moviegoers) to expect waaay too much. We've been used to watching foreign films so much that we tend to compare ours with theirs. And just in case you're forgetting, Hollywood cinema spends millions of dollars for their motion pictures (a huge disparity between millions of pesos) so you can really tell the quality.
I also respect the other entries kasi alam kong pinaghirapan din ang mga pelikulang iyon but if we use the metaphor of dressing up to making a film, isn't it easier and much cheaper to dress up for everyday than for bigger and special (at times, themed) occasions? Ganun din sa pelikula, the more unconventional it is, the level of difficulty in producing it escalates as well.
I wasn't a part of Rosario but I strongly sympathize (even I myself don't know why I'm that attached) with all its hard work. For me, it stands way above the rest of the festival entries not just because of it's story but its production values - a light of hope for the dying local movie industry.
We complain about the lack of good local films, and yet, now that there's something good (overall) that comes along, do we support it? Do we even make an effort to help it gain following and profit? Come on guys! ^___^
