Cover Photo: Facebook / ArtFairPH
Photo: Facebook / ArtFairPH
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Alternative Cinema's finally getting the recognition it deserves
From his early years in filmmaking in UP to his underground adventures across the Philippines, Nick Deocampo tells his story on the development and evolution of Alternative Cinema in the Philippines. Film students and cinephiles were treated to a lecture based on his similarly-titled and recently-published book. Attendees were left intrigued by alternative cinema's rich history and unique cinematic form. If you missed it, don't worry. Here's a quick recap to help you get up to speed.
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What they stand for
Above Alternative Cinema
(Photo: Art Fair PH)
Alternative Cinema (Photo: Art Fair PH)
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As the art of filmmaking originated abroad, Philippine cinema's history can be traced back to its colonisers. Ever since the Americans and Japanese came to our shores, they have fed us films as entertainment and propaganda, in short, documentary form or feature-length narrative format. And that has been the norm for decades, flourishing into Filipino production houses whose films follow suit with Western trends and standards. Nick Deocampo and his contemporaries opposed this systemic problem with their medium in the '70s and '80s.
Alternative Cinema is a vessel to criticise normalcy and to tip the balance, to tell the truth when the truth has lost all meaning. Nick Deocampo opens his story during the Martial Law regime in the '70s. When he and his friends would go around the Philippines to show their short films that address the socio-political situation at the time. Deocampo states that they operated under the radar because getting caught would lead to arrest.
In his lecture, he compares alternative cinema to a rhizome. Something so small and underground, overshadowed by the big tree that is the commercialised cinema—an industry that is hierarchical as a tree.
For generations, alternative cinema has been marginalised. It is often suppressed or ignored. But now, times are changing, and they are finally getting recognised locally and internationally.
The makings of Alternative Cinema
Above Photo: Facebook / ArtFairPH
Photo: Facebook / ArtFairPH
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Alternative cinema is less formalistic than narrative. Instead of telling a story through dialogue and events, they paint a picture through visual and auditory cues. Deocampo passionately explains how one could dissect alternative cinema through these cues and what meaning could be found when you dig deeper.
Nick also goes over the characteristics that separate alternative cinema from the mainstream. Though he points out that there are no set "rules" when creating short films, the whole point of alternative cinema is to prevent being controlled. The most obvious difference is its length. These films could range from a few minutes to more than an hour, depending on the message the maker wishes to convey to the viewers. Modes of production were also very experimental, often venturing into uncharted territory to bring something new to the table. Its aesthetics are meant to represent the film as an art form while also as a medium to deal with social reality.
Read more: What Does It Mean To Be Original? Filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik Shares His Thoughts
The future of Alternative Cinema
Above Photo: Facebook / ArtFairPH
Photo: Facebook / ArtFairPH
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Nick Deocampo leaves us with a thought to contemplate. We’re in the era of streaming. We have the medium to do what they couldn’t. Now the challenge is to find this generation's meaning of alternative cinema and defy today's status quo. Are TikTok and Instagram Reels the future of alternative cinema?
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
