“The Slum and Its Victims”

The film “Insiang” starts by showing the occupation of Dado, one of the antagonist of this story.
It shows the brutality of his job and how it is inside the slaughter house which the next scene shows
the surroundings of the cramped house of Insiang and Tonya with her relatives, showing the
scenery that is full of garbage, signifies that they are in the slum of Tondo, Manila. It shows the
cramped inside of the house with every age from infants, children, adolescents, young adults,
mothers and even grandmothers. Forwarding to the scene where Men are outside of Ludy;
Insiang’s friend sari-sari store, drinking bottles of alcohol appearing to be tipsy and drunk. As
Ludy was closing up, fixing store for tomorrow and cleaning the outside of the store, Insiang’s
cousin and his friends appears to be planning something malicious that resulted into him grabbing
her breasts that made her scream for help from her father and brother. This resulted into Tonya
and her sister-in-law arguing about her family, how Tonya lives which resulted into kicking her
relatives out of her home due to trouble they have been causing. The spaced that was left in the
house was quickly replaced by Dado, Tonya’s lover. Throughout the Movie, Insiang has been
working continually to care for her needs together with taking care of the house. Dado has been
nothing but useless as he just sleeps around, eating, drinking inside the house which has been no
help to the condition of the family. He then rapes Insiang which pushes Insiang over the edge and
resulting into planning of eloping with her significant other, Bebot. She promises to give Bebot
anything he desires just to get away from her mother and Dado. As soon as Insiang has given
Bebot’s wants, she then wakes up in the motel alone. This made Insiang wished for revenge on
everyone who did her wrong that including her mother.

The film had everything, to the good to the absolute worst parts of the film. It showed Insiang’s
patience, understanding, persistent and persevering side. It showed Insiang’s patience on her
condition of living, her mother and her significant other, how she kept understanding the stability
of the family’s monthly income, the stress her mother goes through in the marketplace and Bebot’s
living condition. She was persistent and preserving as she was working for numerous people in
washing and delivering their laundry door to door to be able to fulfill and provide for her needs
and her future. The film showed the fierceness and fearless attitude of Insiang that she will do
anything to seek revenge from people who have done her wrong and she was willing to put her life
on the line.

The film also showed how the patriarchy and its sexist remarks, as the men are excused of their
wrongdoings because of their current condition and their excuse of getting seduced by woman,
with Dado saying he is a guy, he has needs. Women shouldn’t be blamed with how they act, how
they dress and how they carry themselves was and is the reason why they are allowed to be sexually
harassed and raped. Men like Dado are saying women wanted “it” are the men who have the tiniest
minds and full of ego. Women shouldn’t be blamed and especially like Insiang have to live in a
house with her rapist, living with fear and trauma. The way Insiang cried the next morning after
telling Tonya’s of what happened to her was painful to watch as she shows of unbearable pain and
how she cried when she realized Dado’s excuse and reasons on why he did that breaks my heart
as even her own mother couldn’t defend her and even believe her.

This film shows the other side of Tonya as she was so needy of companionship, affection and love
from men as she was willing to believe of her Dado’s allegations and reasons just to keep him. She
was willing to make a fool of herself just to have the space inside her filled by someone who she
knows doesn’t love her.

The film does not only show and portray character but it also shows different lighting and camera
angles to show the condition of each scene, as the scenes were changed to red lighting that could
signify lust, love, anger and revenge when a character is feeling emotions deep inside his/herself.
The film had the wide angle to show the setting and where the film is set in and they also used
close up shot to also a person’s emotion.

The symbolism of having the faucet on means that Dado and either Tonya or Insiang were doing
malicious things that could maybe block out the noise of their doings.

The way Dado was treating women most especially Insiang and Tonya was based on his
occupation as stated before, he is a butcher and therefore acts like a pig towards people. Dado also
treat Bebot and other males as if he is the highest person of this world shows that a man who has
no respect for others means he doesn’t have respect for himself.

Lastly, the film shows the real side of poverty in the Philippines by the trash surrounding the slums
and houses of the people, it showed the unemployment issues and how it affects everyone in the
film. It showed how everyone was willing to do everything to rise up against poverty. It showed
how horrible the living of a person in the slums and how every house is cramped full of people
that it shows pigs before getting slaughtered, having little to no personal space, having to fit
yourself inside a pig’s pen. It showed the slum and its victims who were willing to do anything to
get past the poverty they are facing.