When my sisters asked me to
buy two passes for Vilma Santos’ first indie film Ekstra, I thought to myself,
'Cinemalaya has made a mark on my siblings.' They are no longer contented to wait for commercial
runs of Cinemalaya films. They also know what films to watch on their initial day-long
Cinemalaya experience at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
Their feedback on Ekstra was positive. They had a blast laughing and one sibling thought it the best of
the three feature length films they saw that day, 27 July. The two other films
were Instant Mommy (their choice because it’s a Eugene Domingo starrer) and
Debosyon, which was my blind recommendation to them. It is worthwhile to note
that Ekstra and Instant Mommy were box-office hits, which suggest that most
Cinemalaya viewers still prefer films with big names.
The next day, I watched
Ekstra (aka The Bit Player) during its star-studded gala premiere. Sure enough, there was boisterous
laughter all over the fully-packed Main Theater at CCP. But, how come I barely find
anything funny with the film? After much rumination, I recalled producer Joji
Alonso’s request to people who dislike the film to be fair. She usually is
upbeat and confident with her Cinemalaya films, most of which are award winners and
audience favorites. So when Alonso made the unusual plea, I thought it was a
red flag.
On the last day of
Cinemalaya 2013, I reluctantly gave the box-office champ Ekstra a second chance.
I’m glad I did because it was a much better film experience for me. I’d zoned out
on the clunky jokes and focused on the story. Boy, the film’s satiric barbs
really, really stings. I laud the film's courageous, no-holds-barred depiction of ruthlessness in the telenovela industry.
Ekstra does a decent job of
showing the hardships faced by an extra like Loida Malabanan (Vilma Santos). The life of a bit
player is not a bed of roses. Movie and television extras are subjected to
various types of abuse. They belong to the lowest stratum in the hostile
showbiz jungle. Loida and her colleagues were shooed away by various groups
while in search of a place to rest and put their things.
The film's scriptwriters, Jeturian, Zig Dulay, and Antoinette Jadaone, won an award for their poignant take on those unheralded heroes of the film and TV industry.
Jadaone, however, has written and directed a better, funnier film on a lowly bit player. Feeling sorry for Loida at the end of Ekstra? The film Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay has a more poignant scene. Horror film fixture Lilia Cuntapay, along with her neighbors and friends, huddle in front of the television waiting for her interview by the TV Patrol news program. She waits and waits...
Bit players yearn for a place on the screen, big or small. Loida dreams of breaking out from being a mere part of a crowd. Lilia prepares a speech in case she nabs the best supporting actress award. They patiently wait for their big break. In case they fall, they will wait for their next booking.
As Lilia bluntly observes, 'patience is a must for bit players. Otherwise, they ought to kill themselves.'
The film's scriptwriters, Jeturian, Zig Dulay, and Antoinette Jadaone, won an award for their poignant take on those unheralded heroes of the film and TV industry.
Jadaone, however, has written and directed a better, funnier film on a lowly bit player. Feeling sorry for Loida at the end of Ekstra? The film Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay has a more poignant scene. Horror film fixture Lilia Cuntapay, along with her neighbors and friends, huddle in front of the television waiting for her interview by the TV Patrol news program. She waits and waits...
Bit players yearn for a place on the screen, big or small. Loida dreams of breaking out from being a mere part of a crowd. Lilia prepares a speech in case she nabs the best supporting actress award. They patiently wait for their big break. In case they fall, they will wait for their next booking.
As Lilia bluntly observes, 'patience is a must for bit players. Otherwise, they ought to kill themselves.'
i dont know but ekstra is good entertainment. that is all. not outstanding or not mediocre either.
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