For local film fans, the conversation regarding the preservation and restoration of classic Filipino films is often tinged with a degree of lamentation. So many of our cinematic treasures have been lost to time, war, circumstance, and even recklessness. But all is not lost. On Twitter, there’s a new film and media archive inviting more people to celebrate the gems that remain. Meet Sine Files.
For the anonymous admin of @sinefiles, it is imperative to look back on old Filipino films because they contain the ideals, dreams, and stories of a generation. We had a chat with them about falling in love with Filipino cinema, the charming Nida Blanca, and the local cinephile community.
Hey, Sine Files! First off, congratulations on hitting 7K followers. Can you tell us the story behind the creation of your account?
The account honestly came out of a whim. I followed other media archive accounts like @oldhllywoods, and I thought it would be fun if I did the same thing for Philippine cinema. I told my other cinephile friends about it on a Friday night; by Sunday, @sinefiles already had its first tweet. I made it a point to focus on movies made before the 2000s because it was what I was more interested in and because it’s a rich portion of our cinema that barely gets talked about. We’re so caught up with what’s new and what’s coming that we’ve barely taken stock of what came before us. Which is a shame.
I made @sinefiles late October and posted sporadically until November. Of course, I aimed for some of my posts to go viral; if I wanted to spread the word about Philippine cinema, I had to! [While] I expected for the posts to go big, I didn’t expect to have more than a thousand followers or anything. So much of this was a surprise.
Judging from the questions sent to your Curious Cat, a lot of people are eager to learn more about you despite your decision to stay anonymous. But what can you tell us about yourself?
I’m just a college student who likes spreading propaganda on Philippine cinema for fun. I’m neither a film student nor a film professional.
Did your love for films start with Filipino movies?
I’m ashamed to say that it didn’t. I grew up in a typical middle-class household where Filipino movies were implicitly considered inferior to Hollywood ones, so Hollywood was what got me into films. I only got obsessed with our local movies at the start of quarantine, when I impulsively got a week-long iWant subscription and binge-watched whatever caught my interest. I came into it completely blind.
Who do you consider your all-time favorite Filipino actor?
Sorry to sound like I was born in the 1930s, but Nida Blanca! She just has this irresistible charm that you can’t find elsewhere. I don’t think she’s the best Filipino actress by any means, but I came across her work when I was going through a difficult time. Her movies and shows quite literally gave me the will to live.
What is it about old Filipino films that appeals to you the most?
I’ve always been a huge fan of camp and melodrama: intense dialogue, over-the-top performances, and women’s stories. That’s what older Philippine cinema excelled at (among many others, of course). I remember watching “Hinugot sa Langit” (1985) and I was so struck by the realization that if this was set in any other country, I wouldn’t feel as close and moved by the story, at least not in the same way. The actors were performing so naturally, and their characters resembled people I really knew.
I also remember getting an epiphany moment when I was watching “Waray-Waray” (1954), this Nida-Nestor musical from the ’50s. It’s barely talked about these days, but it was one of the highest-grossing movies that decade. It contains the ideals, the hopes, the dreams, and the stories of my grandparents and their generation, and as time goes on, this is probably the only way this long-gone decade will truly come alive for those born later. Should we just let those be forgotten? Older Filipino films don’t feel like escapism to me; I feel like I’m learning about the people around me, the people who came before me.
“Older Filipino films don’t feel like escapism to me; I feel like I’m learning about the people around me, the people who came before me.”
After creating this account, what have you observed about the local cinephile community?
People are genuinely interested in learning about older Pinoy movies, so much more than you’d expect. It’s just that they’re not sure where to start or how to watch them. Film accessibility and preservation are such huge problems in the Philippines, and I think the people who like the @sinefiles account are proof that these issues shouldn’t just be swept under the rug.
What are your tips for getting into Philippine cinema?
Check the schedules of your local TV channels because they regularly screen rare classics. I also don’t think you have to necessarily follow the “canon.” Just follow your interest, and you’ll inevitably end up seeing the classics somewhere down the line anyway. Watch as much as you can, read as much as you can, and talk about these movies as much as you can. Let’s keep them alive!
Short and sweet, what is the Sine Files manifesto?
Pinoy cinema world domination 😡😡😡
Art by Pammy Orlina
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