Photo by Enrique Agcaoili.
The Colegio hosted a film showing on December 3, 2018, at the St. Thomas audiovisual room to start the Dominican Month for Peace 2018.
The film showing was spearheaded by the Dominicans for Justice, Peace and Care for Creation which was led by provincial promoter and Letran-Manila’s athletics moderator, Rev. Fr. Victor C. Calvo, O.P.
The film presented was “ML”, an entry from the 2018 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival back in August starring veteran actor Eddie Garcia with up and coming actor Tony Labrusca.
The film was directed by Benedict Mique, Jr., a Letran alumnus and communication arts graduate of the Colegio as well.
In the question and answer portion, The LANCE asked Mique how lead actor Eddie Garcia was able to share his experience and his life during martial law behind-the-scenes.
The director told that the actor was pro-Marcos and pro-martial law.
“You’ll be surprised because he’s actually pro-Marcos and pro-martial law,” he said.
The ML director added that Garcia’s standpoint did not hamper the filmmaking process, “Sa akin okay lang ‘yon because that’s perfect example.”
Mique emphasized that the film is a wakeup call for millennials who believe that martial law was a prosperous period in the country’s history, saying: “Kaya namin ginawa ‘to because this generation, sa dami ng distraction, sa sobrang gaan ng buhay, ng treatment sa Freedom, kailangan i-suntok sa mukha sa generation na ‘to, ‘Ito ‘yon!’”
Having been a writer for popular primetime shows in recent history, he wanted the audience to feel the truth.
“For the past four years, I’ve been doing the rom- coms ng ABS-CBN. Ako head writer ‘non, sa akin galing ang kuwento ‘non. This time I don’t want to make you feel light and free, I want you to feel the truth kaya ko ginawa ‘to,” he claimed.
Various students and visitors were present during the film showing shared their reflection from “ML”.
From a Dominican brother, Br. Reynor Munsayac, O.P. said that his reflection comes from Garcia’s character (Jose Dela Cruz) as he compared his physical trait to the current situation in which former first lady Imelda Marcos, despite a given verdict of seven counts of graft and lack of arrest.
“Naisip kong i-compare siya doon sa nangyayare ngayon sa sistema ng hustisya natin tulad kay Imelda Marcos na nagkaroon na nang kaso pero hindi pa rin hinuhuli,” he said.
For Kim Ruth Serrano, a Letran senior high school student expressed her realization that history should not repeat itself and the current generation should make use of everything they have righteously.
“History should not repeat itself, ngayon gamitin natin kung anong meron tayo to make change” she stated.
The film “ML” won two awards at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival for best actor, full-length film category by Eddie Garcia and best editing, full-length feature film category by Mikael Pestano, respectively.
(First published on The LANCE's Nov-Dec 2018 Issue)