JOEY REYES AND HIS DREAMS FOR PHILIPPINE MOVIES

(SPOT.ph) Jose Javier Reyes has been a prominent figure in Filipino cinema for decades. He is famously the writer of the classic film Oro, Plata, Mata, and is writer-director of many blockbuster films like May Minamahal, Pare Ko, and Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo. Now he takes on another role – chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, putting him in a position to help steer the local film industry and influence the way Filipinos are given access to cinema. We spoke with Reyes the day after his oath-taking to discuss his plans for his term: bringing moviegoers back to the cinema, encouraging producers to be braver, and looking for money to fund production of good films and finance film archiving initiatives.  

When did you find out you were going to be chair? 

There were rumors that I was going to be appointed. When Tirso Cruz III (previous chair) resigned, part of his resignation letter was a recommendation that I take over his post. He asked me to write a letter of consent that I was willing to assume that role. But this is a political appointment, and there is no assurance that any recommendation will really matter. 

I didn’t want to believe it until it happened, until I got word that the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) signed my approval. But even then I didn’t believe it until I got it. It’s easy for someone to tell you that. So, it was after the press conference that I had with the FDCP about the Parangal ng Sining and the delegation that we’re sending to Cannes [that I finally believed it]. That was one reason Tirso asked me to take over. We wanted continuity from what he did, the initiatives that he already established before. 

Also read: Joey Reyes itinalagang kapalit ni Tirso Cruz III bilang FDCP chair 

What is your vision for your term as chairman of the FDCP? 

I was thinking about what is the best way to deal with the post-pandemic scenario of the Philippine film industry. We had a big MMFF where one of the movies made half a billion, maybe even close to a billion. But afterwards, it was downhill all the way. The number one thing that we have to work on is sustainability. How to sustain the industry so that Philippine cinema will not be relegated to ten days a year in December. We really need to create impetus in order for producers to continue producing.  

A lot of our producers are no longer looking at cinema as a platform for their release of content. Everybody’s into Netflix and the like, because it’s more sure. We have to encourage producers to think differently.  

Secondly is for us to think beyond the borders. In a world that is highly globalized, you have to think of cinema not only limited to your territory but cinema with the world as a market. We have to give incentives to producers who are brave enough to think beyond formulas and are able to capture a global market. 

Thirdly, you know, I realized…mahal to go to these [international] film festivals. FDCP has been very active in going to film festivals but you have to ask: How can you go to these film festivals if you have nothing to show? We need to have a variety of films that we can show the world. And a corollary to that is that you have to support the filmmakers going to those festivals. And support is not limited to giving them a travel grant. You have to give them more than that and encourage them to keep on doing it, and improve the networking. Liza Diño [FDCP chair from 2016-2022] opened the doors for that, but now we have to go beyond that, and look at it in the context of the post-pandemic world.  

And then you have to ask: How do you bring Filipino audiences back to the movies? The whole biometrics of the Filipino moviegoing audience has changed, because it has been so expensive to watch movies. At 400 bucks a ticket, the masa can’t afford that anymore. If you’re earning 600 bucks a day on minimum wage, you’re not going to spend that on a movie ticket. We are talking to CEAP, the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines, and trying to find ways with them to bring the Filipino moviegoer back to the cinema with various programs. 

Also, hindi na proud ang Filipino sa kanilang pinapanood na Filipino movies. And why? That’s also our fault. With the pandemic, lumawak ang paningin ng Filipino, with all the streaming that they were watching. K-dramas, K-movies. Their sense of taste has been elevated, and we can’t keep going back to the same old formula. It is important to retain popular audiences but we have to move further, and I think this is where FDCP is going to move: to encourage producers to be a little brave, and not only be limited to the Filipino audience. 

And regional cinema. Admittedly in the past year and a half, napabayaan namin yung regional cinema. I’m a staunch fighter for the idea that Manila is not Philippine cinema. We cannot have a Manila-centric cinema because we are made up of 7000 islands, and there are even more stories from these 7000 islands in 70 languages. That will constitute the diversity and the unity of Philippine cinema and we want to explore that. 

Going hand in hand with that is education. I’m a big fighter for film education – not only for future film students but also for film teachers. More than that, educating the audience. One thing that FDCP is really gung-ho about is this program to bring the Filipino classics back to Filipino audiences. Even film students haven’t watched a Gerry de Leon movie. Some of them aren’t even familiar with Lino Brocka, my God! They haven’t seen an Ishmael Bernal or a Marilou Diaz-Abaya. Or an Elwood Perez or Joey Gosiengfiao, which are as much a part of the history of cinema. We want to bring that to audiences for them to realize that without the foundations of the past we cannot maneuver the present and much less, find direction for the future. 

Another thing we’re trying to raise money for is film archiving. I for one am a victim. Would you believe that 40 percent of my movies are gone? They’ve been diminished to torotots! We need to really preserve all these, and we’re working hard to raise more money for the Philippine film archive.   

When you talk about providing incentives for producers "able to capture a global market," what does that entail? 

Would you believe that we’re working on budgets of 8 million pesos per film? You shoot in what, six days? Seven days? That becomes the branding of Filipino movies. I’m not saying that for a movie to be really exceptional it has to have a Marvel sort of budget. But then, what is important is that you come up with more original ideas which are Filipino and at the same time universal.  

We’re trying to raise money to provide producers with [matching grants]. You’re going to put in five million, we’re also putting in five million, as long as that film is worth 10 million. We’re still working on the mechanics, but this is my baby. I really believe we need to find money to fund worthy films. 

We’re also talking with the Department of Trade and Industry about how we can create a better business model for producers in order to make these films, and how to make it more recuperable. We’re trying to find various ways and means of creating new content, and making sure that the content ends up with producers.  

Along that line, I’m happy with what Cinemalaya does. Some of the better films we had last year are from Cinemalaya, and they didn’t cost an arm and a leg. They’re worth around eight million, too, but they’re really worth the eight million you spend. We hope to really push that, and to open conversations not just with producers but also cinema exhibitors. We’re all working for the same purpose of being able to create movies that are palatable to the audience but at the same time will cross borders and be appreciated all over the world.  

Co-production is only one aspect. Local production is what is important because this is what will sustain the industry. Globalization is very important but we need to also establish the sustainability of the local industry. 

How does the FDCP plan to address rising cinema prices? 

We have a program called "Sine Singkwenta." For 50 pesos, you can watch a classic film. We’re meeting with [cinema exhibitors] so that hopefully there will be a Sine Singkwenta every week. We’ll show Filipino classics and maybe some of the foreign films that the FDCP is licensing.  

Cinemalaya is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The MMFF is celebrating its 50th anniversary. We’re trying to bring it to Sine Singkwenta. That’s one way of getting people to watch relatively significant films. If we can convince them to at least do it on the weak days of cinema viewing, then perhaps we can attract people to watch important films, just because it’s fifty bucks. 

Are you keeping your post in Cinemalaya? 

I’m going to resign. By the end of August, when Cinemalaya 2024 ends, I will step down as monitoring and competition head. I just want to finish this year since we’re in the home stretch, and it’s going to be difficult for somebody to come in at this point.  

What is your outlook regarding film preservation? 

You know, we have a major problem. Eddie Romero is having his centennial this year. We can’t find any of his movies. Wala na yung Kamakalawa. The only best work that we can find is Aguila, and may certain part ng Aguila na malabo dahil Betamax lang yung pinagkuhanan. It makes you feel so bad. Where is Kamakalawa? Where is Passionate Strangers? Wala na. They don’t exist anymore. That is the impetus that Tirso and I had that we need to invest more money in the Philippine Film Archives. 

Our priority right now is to save as many Bernals, Brockas and Abayas that we can find.  

What does the FDCP want to do in terms of education? 

We want to maximize the Cinematheques. But Cinematheques only cater to a niche audience. We want to tap CEAP (Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines) so that we can have nationwide distribution of important films.  

One thing we established with Tirso’s term is the Academic Film Society of the FDCP. This is composed of all the member schools who teach MassCom, Communication Arts and Film. We had an initial meeting last week, and we’re going to have a very big convention in September. 

 We also want to teach teachers how to teach film. Even at the level of senior high school. There’s no official film curriculum at the DepEd. They don’t know how to teach film! So I raised the point that the FDCP, with the aid of teachers from various film schools, can create the curriculum for high school. So, Junior and Senior high pa lang, tinuturuan na sila how to appreciate these films.  

I’m really gung-ho about film scholarship and film research. We’re already giving seed money now to outstanding capstone films. A student can apply with his film, and it’s selected by the panel, we give you 50 thousand bucks. Now I’m pushing that we extend that to film research and doctoral dissertations, as long as it’s about Philippine film. 

We have another research project that was started by Tirso. This is an extensive study on the film-going habits of Filipinos, and what happened – what are the reasons behind the decline of film patronage of cinema. This was requested by CEAP, but at the same time, we’re doing more extensive research that we will make available to the public. 

What movies have you seen lately that you really liked? 

Zone of Interest, because of the wonderful use of cinema as sound. We don’t give a lot of importance to sound since it’s not as flashy as cinematography or editing. But Zone of Interest is a perfect example of cinema in which the narrative is the sound.  

Who are the young local filmmakers that you have an eye on? 

It shames me to think that we have so many students here in CSB that have – how shall I put it? —done better work than me. Somebody gave a thesis film, his first work alone, and everybody was floored. And this is a kid. I’m working with kids. His name is Vincent Evangelista and I’m sure he’s going to be a major filmmaker. There’s also Vahn Pascual – very promising. 

 Among the established ones, the one that really got me was Carl Papa. I love the idea of animation being a tool for something which is much more than what it is deemed to be. I also loved Gitling from Jopy Arnaldo. I loved Gitling so much because of its quietness. It’s so anti what we think of drama. And again from Cinemalaya - Kevin Mayuga, who is insane. He’s the new conyo filmmaker. 

What upcoming Filipino films are you excited about? 

One is Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine, which has Maris Racal and is about a gymnast. I saw portions of it because I applied for a grant in FDCP for post-production and it’s really promising. One thing that I’m really curious about na hindi nakalusot sa Metro Manila Film Fest is Joel Ferrer’s Fruitcake. I’m really interested in seeing what Joel Ferrer is bringing there. 

2024-04-19T04:04:02Z dg43tfdfdgfd