POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF HUMAN KINETICS

DEPARTMENT OF SERVICE PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Name: Allysa Mae C. Encomio Date: 12-17-22

Course & Section: BS Statistics 2-1

Activity 3. Film Review

Instruction: Watch “Eskrimador” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuYSuwAtuf4 by
Kerwin Go. It is a documentary film that discusses the history of Arnis in the Philippines
and in Cebu City. Submit a film review report using the format/template below. Submit
your work in a PDF file, using your surname as your file name followed by ARNIS
(camaradorARNIS)

1. Introduction
The Philippines views sports as a significant component of its culture. In
particular, Arnis is a sport based on native combat arts with origins in the
Philippines. As a tribute to the Philippine Martial Arts, Kerwin Go, a
cinematographer schooled in Los Angeles, wrote and filmed "Eskrimador," a 2010
documentary film about the Filipino martial art of Eskrima. The film primarily
focuses on Eskrima, also known as arnis in other parts of the Philippines, a type
of martial art that originated on the island of Cebu and is typically done with rattan
sticks and is thought to be one of the swiftest and most deadly Filipino martial arts.
It traces the development of Eskrima martial arts from tribal warfare in the
Philippines to its practice among international martial artists, allowing living
Eskrima legends to recount many historical facts in reenactments, some of which
are made up of fascinating videos and showcasing their moves in navigating rattan
sticks as actors of the documentary.

2. Plot Summary
Eskrimador is a documentary film about the dangerous and traditional
Filipino martial art of Eskrima/Kali/Arnis. Eskrimador delves into the history of the
fighting sport, from its origins in tribal conflict to its current status as a worldwide
sport practiced in over 30 countries. Cebu, the island where this fighting style
originated, served as the backdrop for the entire movie. It features living eskrima
legends such as grandmasters Ciriaco "Cacoy" Canete, Dionisio Canete, and
Undo Caburnay, as well as involvement from organizations such as Doce Pares,
Lapunti Arnis de Abanico, Teovel's Balintawak, Nickelstick Balintawak, and Liborio
Heyrosa Decuerdas. Eskrima embraces the destructive techniques used in the
eskrima forms, histories, and significance in our nation. The film should be able to
appeal to a global audience, as Go said that it is distinctively Cebuano.
Eskrimadors is more of a cautionary tale than a self-congratulatory one, particularly
 as the film's tone changes toward the end that it becomes apparent that Go is
lamenting the loss of a cultural treasure due to a confluence of globalization and a
lack of local interest.

3. Description
Eskrimador is a good documentary that explores a facet of Filipino culture.
Eskrima is one of the most revered martial arts traditions in the Philippines, and
this film provides a lot of background knowledge and historical context for this. It
shows the tremendous suffering and bloodshed required to preserve it. It features
an excellent blending of historical photos and videos, re-enactments, interview and
demo material, and footage. Ultimately, it serves dual purposes of pleasure and
education. As it focuses on tribal beginnings to modern civilizations, it serves as
an excellent introduction to the world of Eskrima/kali/arnis. It also honors our
Filipino martial artists and the sport itself, which has, unfortunately, been passed
down locally as an oddity while it has developed into a wonder internationally. In
reality, this movie paints a vivid picture of a thriving martial arts culture and
community that gives the living legends the strength they need to remain alive and
continue to contribute to Philippine history.

4. Analysis
Even though I am not into sports, this exercise allowed me to see and learn
about eskrima. In Eskrimador, Kerwin Go was able to create the illusion that we
were watching an actual eskrima match in Cebu while also teaching us about the
indigenous fighting style of the Filipino people known as eskrima, which is one of
the fastest and deadliest martial arts in the world. This made me realize that
Eskrima is more complicated than just stickfighting that requires proficiency with
both short and long-bladed weapons as well as empty-hand techniques. For
someone like me who is not more familiar with martial arts, this documentary's
narrative flow and visual flair are a big help to understand the concept despite the
financial limitations of local independent production. Go incorporates the fast-
paced eskrima beat into the movie rather than just disseminating facts based on a
study. The film's editor and production team deserve credit for its success; there
are smooth scene transitions and no needless special effects. I can also feel the
intensity. Eskrimadors is similar to an eskrima match in that it is exciting, quick-
moving, and never-ending fascinating.

5. Conclusion/Evaluation
Eskrimador is a really useful martial art, and I enjoyed watching and learning
about it. It is worthwhile to watch because it imparts knowledge about subject
matters other than just martial arts. Besides, It is trying to communicate to our
generation that it should receive greater attention from Filipinos as it is a significant
part of Filipino identity and culture. Future generations should keep learning this
so they can remember our culture and take use of its powerful self-defense
techniques. It is a way to practice self-control and discipline, which are crucial for
surviving every day, and that is what matters most. This movie opened my eyes to
the fact that eskrima, which began in the Philippines, is now far more well-known
abroad than it is within. They were trying to express their regret over the fact that
eskrima takes more pleasure in other nations to the point that we no longer care
for our martial art and have lost touch with our own culture. Throughout the video,
I was able to appreciate how hard our ancestors had worked to improve our society
in terms of martial arts while also seeing how much of a threat we are to our
national sport. It serves as a reminder that despite the inevitable societal change,
our culture must remain still. Indeed, the tale of the living legends must be told and
passed down to future generations.