Centro Escolar Integrated School

in partnership with
Centro Escolar University Senior High School - Manila

Contemporary Philippine Art from the Regions 11

Movie Critique

Martin, Christine
STEM 5

September 2, 2016 (Friday)

APARISYON

During the regime of our former president Ferdinand Marcos,

Philippines was a chaotic country surrounded with morbid happenings all
over the country. There were lots of gore things happening either caused by
the military or some rebel groups even before the proclamation of the
martial law. The movie entitled Aparisyon is a mixture of thriller and drama
genre. With the context of the Martial Law which was implemented in the
1970s, the movie plot involves the story of 12 nuns in a convent hiding in
the mountains in Rizal. This movie was directed by Vincent Sandoval with
lead actors consisting of Mylene Dizon, Jodi Sta.Maria, Fides Uyugan-Asensio
and Raquel Villavicencio. Aparisyon was released on the 20th of March 2013.

The plot of the movie is very realistic and it can happen in real life. It is
thrilling and at the same time interesting in the eyes of the viewers. The
characters were given the enough amount of characterization through the
decisions they make throughout the film. Truly it is an impressive work from
the screenwriters and the director. The excitement felt throughout the movie
was very distinct and intense. It seems like you were in a roller coaster ride
of emotions while watching the movie. However, a plot diagram is not an
easy work to do. It is very complex and it is not clear if that certain part is
the climax or still in the rising action. Also, the pacing of scenes seems slow.
The movie took too long to get to the climax of the movie. Though, it also
helped the movie to express the intended feeling and mood.

The plot structure of this movie falls under the category of the Nonlinear plot structure. Flashbacks were used as a tool to reveal information
about the character and the story itself. In that way the plot had a greater
and sensible way of building the character which made the film deeper and

more insightful. The series of events also are well-arranged and it did not
cause any confusion to the audience.

The characters in the film had their own issues of fighting their inner
demons or the personal struggles they have in their minds. Every character
has their own identity and the actresses playing were able to withhold the
individuality and distinctiveness of each character. Sister Lourdes (Jodi
Sta.Maria) came from an innocent nun desiring only to serve the Lord until
she met Sister Remy (Mylene Dizon) and decided to be an extern joining
meetings together with Sister Remy. When the night came the newcomer
was raped by 3 men, the character suddenly turned into a nun expressing
the despair of a disrespected and violated nun. Sister Remy, a nun torn
between her vow as a server of the Lord and as a family relative of a
victimized professor, slowly felt the guilt and desperation to be forgiven by
Sister Lourdes. Other than them, there were also other dignifying characters
such as Sister Ruth (Fides Uyugan-Asensio) and Sister Vera (Raquel
Villavicencio) whom I believe have the major character development. At the
first part of the film, they were characterized as the strict nuns yet still with
the nature of a loving mother. However, as the film goes on, Sister Ruth and
Sister Vera slowly showed their vulnerable side which is because of the guilt
residing in their hearts and minds.

Aparisyon is a world that is full of dull and somber colors alongside the
large negative spaces. They made use of fantastic light and shadow
techniques, in every frame or scene marked with deep, meaningful contrast
that both build the feelings of loneliness inside the convent. The editing flow
smoothly from scene to scene. However, there were scenes that were too
long that it would be better if it was cut short. Although this may mean
something for the director, in the eyes of the viewers this may seem to be an
unnecessary prolonged scene did not make the viewers sympathize with
what the character was feeling and instead it made them bored and fed up.
In terms of the sound and music editing or direction, it was never annoying
and, interruptive; instead it helped build up the mood and adds fear, thrill
and intense feeling in the film.

The scriptwriters also did a great job with the films dialogue. Either it
is verbal or non-verbal dialogue, it was appropriately and effectively used. It

made the film more realistic and more bounded in the environment of a
monastery or a convent. It affected the clearness of the plot itself. The
dialogue helped the viewers to easily understand what is going on in the
film. Also, the lines of each character definitely gave an edge to what the
character is like. It contributed to the characterization to each personality in
the film and most especially the overall development of the story or plot. For
example, the dialogue of Sister Marcia (Rustica Carpio); at first she taught
that Sister Ruth is the Virgin Mary then later on the film she perceived Sister
Ruth as Satan. By that, she became the way to give an additional weight to
the story and also to the character development of the Sister Ruth. There
were also parts that maximized the usage of nonverbal dialogue. One part is
when Sister Lourdes and Sister Remy met again; through the nonverbal use
of dialogue, they were able to express and convey the silent conversation of
hatred and slowly dispensation between the nuns. Lastly, the most
interesting part with the script writing is that it gives a hint or a sneak peek
on what will happen in the next but it is not noticeable unless youre in that
certain part of the scene.

The director intended Aparisyon to be a dark film and they succeeded

in doing that. The scenes and actresses are also well-directed. The director
did a great job in choosing the cast members, production design, and the
creative aspects of filmmaking. It was also great the the nuns are all
protagonists and the antagonist in this film is the society. This just proves
that the protagonists do not always win because sometimes the antagonist
wins the game. With that we can say that the director has a distinct eye for
creativity and ideas.

Aparisyon is truly and certainly an original film from Vincent Sandoval.

He used unique symbolisms in order to convey that it is about the Philippines
during the period of former president Ferdinand Marcos. The usage of
convent and nuns itself is a very original and creative way to emanate the
social issues back in the regime of former president Ferdinand Marcos. There
were also scenes wherein the film showed great skill in creativity. The visions
of Sister Lourdes, the nightmare of Sister Ruth was really an artistic way to
channel what the Sister Lourdes had seen in the secret meeting and what
Sister Ruth viewed about what will happen to the newcomer wherein Sister
Lourdes was in her vow attire as if she was getting married but not to the
Church. There were also symbolisms used such as the dirt in lower
extremities, blood in the hands, etc. which each have deeper meaning. Dirt

in the feet of Sister Vera signifies that she did something wrong. The washing
of the blood in the hands means that Sister Ruth is trying to wash out her
sins and guilt of not fighting for Sister Lourdes but in the end, what done is
done and they have to suffer dominos of problems.

Aparisyon is both a heartfelt and galvanic movie. Although there are

unnecessary prolonged scenes, the movie itself is entertaining and at the
same time educational. It is the kind of movie that makes you think before
and after you have watched it. Aparisyon makes you research more on the
context of the film and what the movie is trying to convey or tell. From the
start until the end, Aparisyon succeeded to make every inch of the film
interesting.
In general, I believe that this film is deserving to be part of the Cinemalaya
Film Festival and also for all the awards the film and the production staff
received. Truly this film is a something to be proud of and it showcases the
talent and skills Filipinos have. We need to have more movies like this in the
Filipino film industry.

Production companies: Autodidact Pictures, Cinemalaya Foundation

Cast: Mylene Dizon, Jodi Sta.Maria,
Villavicencio, Rustica Carpio, Star Orjaliza

Fides

Uyugan-Asensio,

Director: Vincent Sandoval

Screenwriters: Vincent Sandoval, Jerry Gracio
Producers: Jerome Kerkman, Darlene Malimas, Vincent Sandoval

Raquel

Executive producer: Jerome Kerkman

Director of photography: Jay Abello
Production designer: Roland Rubenecia
Editors: Jerrold Tarog, Vincent Sandoval
Music: Teresa Barrozo

The Old is Dying and the New Cannot be Born, in this Interregnum a
Great Variety of Morbid Symptoms Appear. Antonio Gramsci

The film started with this quote from Antonio Gramsci, an Italian
influenced with Marxism. As stated in the quote a great variety of morbid
symptoms appear; this pertains to the journey of Sister Lourdes as she
started to live in the convent with the nuns. A single mistake can cause great
variety of morbid chain reactions of problems and slowly can worsen the
situation and unfortunately Sister Lourdes became the victim of the series of
problems.

There are 12 nuns in a convent in the mountains of Rizal. It is said to

be their safe haven or a place where you are protected from danger and
trouble. In that certain place, they live following the Ora et Labora (Pray and

Work) motto. They all have their own responsibilities and duties as well as it
is a place to pray and serve the Lord. A newcomer named Sister Lourdes
found her was in and became an extern when she met Sister Remy. Sister
Remy, an emotionally bothered nun after she heard that her brother went
missing, wanted to take a rest from the convent and help her family find her
brother but the Mother Superior wont let her out and said the only thing she
can do for now is to pray. She started joining secret meetings bringing Sister
Lourdes with her. One night they meeting ended late and on their way to the
convent, 3 bandits showed up and raped Sister Lourdes while Sister Remy
running away leaving Sister Lourdes behind. Later in the film, they found out
Sister Lourdes is pregnant. This caused deep emotional scars and guilty
consciences to the rest of the nuns. Especially Sister Ruth and Sister Vera
because at the latter part of the film it was revealed that they have saw how
Sister Lourdes was sexually abused but they did nothing an instead left Sister
Lourdes in the woods.
After watching and researching about the movie, there were theories
formed and these are; the convent as the symbolism of the silence of
Filipinos and convent as a symbolism of what Philippines was like back then.
The first theory is that convent is symbolizing the silence of the
Filipinos during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos. They believe in the words
that to pray is the only thing they can do. Filipinos prefer to hide and not get
involve with the chaos inside the country because if somehow they got
associated in their so-called outside world problems will arise and spread
out like a plague. This is why they pretend to be blind and not seeing what
really is happening in our community
The second theory is that the convent is the symbolism of the
Philippines during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos. The convent is an
enclosed place bounded by so many rules just like the Philippines during the
1970s. Ferdinand Marcos is represented by Sister Ruth as if she controls
everything inside the convent. They keep insisting that the convent is a safe
place when in fact it is not because as said by the officers or investigators
that there are many elements lurking around their convent and it is better to
move out of the convent but they keep insisting that the convent is their
home and it is the only place where they can rest and not think of whats in
the outside. This is similar to Marcos New Society propaganda, he wanted to
show that Philippines is a safe and civilized country but it is not. Then here
goes Sister Remy, an extern sister aware of the outside happenings,
representing Ninoy Aquino. Sister Vera who punished herself and was asked
by Sister Ruth Why are you doing this?. This just mean that Sister Ruth is
not aware on whats on the mind of Sister Vera. By that, we can say Sister
Vera represents Marcos past allies who became a turncoat. Sister Marcia
seems to represent the Filipinos who at first perceived Marcos as greatest

one but at the end when things became more chaotic Filipinos viewed Marcos
as the devil. This is the same thing with Sister Marcia mistaking Ruth for the
Virgin Mary then when things did not go the way as planned Sister Ruth was
perceived as the evil one.

References:
http://jerkysans.blogspot.com/2013/03/in-review-aparisyon.html

http://k2.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/08/02/12/cinemalaya-review-sin-silenceaparisyon
https://yccfilmdesk.wordpress.com/tag/aparisyon-review/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/apparition-aparisyon-busanreview-376917