LGBT film Rainbow’s Sunset may have been the biggest winner at this year’s MMFF, bagging 11 awards at the Gabi ng Parangal. But that doesn’t mean our local film industry is as progressive as it seems.
Joel Lamangan makes the case as he accepted his Best Director award for the film. He used his time on the floor to call for a change in the system and ask for less popular features to be given a chance. “Huwag lamang natin patabain ang bulsa ng lahat ng may-ari ng sinehan, patabain natin ang kaluluwa ng ating bayan,” (Let’s not just increase the sales of cinema owners, let’s increase our country’s values too) he said.
“Masakit na sa harap mo ay tinatanggal ang sinehan ng pelikula mo,” (It hurts to see your movie taken down from cinemas in front of you) he lamented.
It’s truly sad and painful knowing there are actually a lot of progressive minds in our country who would like to start a conversation on things that matter, like LGBT issues, yet are not given the opportunity or the platform to do so.
We also hope more of our countrymen would open their minds and take a chance on films such as Rainbow’s Sunset.
[GMA News and ABS CBN News]
Photo courtesy of CinemAsia Film Festival‘s Instagram account
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