Filipino films’ cinematic brilliance illuminates New York Asian Film Festival
From left: “When This Is All Over” director Kevin Mayuga, “Lola Magdalena” writer Dennis Evangelista, “A Karaoke Space Odyssey” director Achim Mendoza and “Hot Seat” director Johmar Damiles. The photo was taken at the premiere of “Lola Magdalena” at the New York Asian Film Festival. Photo by Porsha Seechung
NEW YORK – The 2024 New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), a beacon for the best and boldest in Asian cinema, showcased two Filipino feature-length films that captivated audiences.
“Lola Magdalena,” penned by industry veteran Dennis C. Evangelista, was helmed by distinguished director Joel Lamangan and featured an impressive cast led by former Miss Universe and acclaimed actress Gloria Diaz.
This powerful narrative, slated to be an exhibition film at the 2024 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in the Philippines in August, stood alongside up-and-coming director Kevin Mayuga’s “When This Is All Over,” a multi-award-winning film from 2023 Cinemalaya that made its 2024 international debut at Italy’s prestigious Udine Far East Film Festival earlier in the year.
Both films, with their compelling stories and standout performances, epitomize the rich composition of Philippine cinema celebrated at NYAFF.
‘Lola Magdalena’: A tale of love, sacrifice and resilience
“Lola Magdalena (Granny Prostitutes),” tugs at your heartstrings. This moving story is a blend of real-life events and creative storytelling, taking audiences on an emotional roller coaster. Audiences shed a tear one moment and laugh the next. It’s a heartfelt narrative that urges you to see beyond the surface, to understand and empathize with those living on the fringes of society.
Evangelista’s passion for this project is palpable. “We wanted to create something new, something different from the formulaic films (we often see),” he said. The inspiration behind “Lola Magdalena” stems from riveting news reported many years ago on elderly prostitutes in Bocaue, Philippines.
Those women, aged 50 to 65, were dubbed “Lola Magdalena,” and became a symbol of resilience and hope, embodying the strength to endure and aspire for a better future despite their harsh circumstances.
Living just a town away from Bocaue at the time, Evangelista traveled there to conduct research and interview the women, gaining a better understanding of their lives.
The film combines their real stories embellished with imaginative elements, creating a unique narrative that sensitively balances comedy with profound emotional depth due the characters’ real pain and suffering.
“When I interviewed them, hindi na sila nagdradrama [they don’t dramatize themselves anymore]. They were very jolly and happy, yet you could feel their pain. That’s why my treatment of the film is comedic. It’s more powerful kapag hindi mo pinapaiyak ung character mo, kundi yung audience mo ung umiiyak [The story is more powerful when it’s not the characters who cry; but the audience is crying],” Evangelista shares.
“Lola Magdalena” writer Dennis C. Evangelista at the New York Asian Film Festival. Photo by Porsha Seechung
At its core, the film is about the strong bonds of friendship and camaraderie formed over years of shared hardships. It portrays the characters’ love for their families driving them to make immense sacrifices, the bittersweet reality of true love lost, the search for silver linings in the chaos of life and the eventual realization that self-love is the key to happiness and contentment. These themes are universal, allowing viewers to identify and relate with the characters and reflect on their own lives.
Reflecting on the creative process, Evangelista shared that it was the lauded award-winning Director Joel Lamangan who persisted and encouraged him to write again so they could work together on a movie. “I hadn’t written for a long time as I was working as a producer… It’s very exciting din sakin kasi napabalik niya ako sa pagsusulat for this (movie) [It’s very exciting for me because he got me writing once again for this (movie)].” The encouragement received reignited his creative spark, leading him to finish the script in a few short weeks. Their collaborative effort resulted in a film that stayed true to Evangelista’s vision while enhancing its narrative depth at Lamangan’s direction.
Aspiring writers would do well to take Evangelista’s advice to heart: Pursue your passion and keep writing. Don’t just write for the sake of making a living, but strive to create something that brings you a sense of pride and fulfillment. Even if the subject matter is straightforward, focus on crafting a story that is well-written and meaningful. As a writer, there’s no greater reward than knowing you’ve created something worthwhile.
‘When This Is All Over’: A psychedelic comedy with a sharp social commentary
Kevin Mayuga’s “When This Is All Over” offers a wild and wacky comedy that doubles as a raw, biting social commentary on the landscape during the Philippines’ COVID-19 lockdown. Through the eyes of “The Guy,” a young drug dealer in a swanky condo trying to escape his reality, the film spirals into a rebellious fever dream, packed with psychedelic camerawork and mind-bending twists.
In his inaugural film, Mayuga drew inspiration from his own experiences during the pandemic, capturing the collective struggle and guilt of privilege and inequality.
Despite its comedic surface, “When This Is All Over” looks deep into the class divide, privilege and the cruel hand of fate. The film’s antihero finds solace in a kind-hearted condo staffer, raising questions about love and survival in a world teetering on the brink.
“It’s really about a guy trying to find his way in a microcosm of Philippine society within a condo space,” Mayuga elaborated. “There are stark class divides -upper class, middle class and lower class; and the main takeaway is that we’re all born into different situations, but we have the choice in how we treat each other. It’s a commentary on luck and privilege.”
His keen observation into societal structures and his ability to weave these themes into a youth party-drug film make for a thought-provoking and entertaining ride, as he explores the codependent relationships between classes and the ways privilege is used and abused.
Reflecting on the film’s acceptance at the New York Asian Film Festival, Mayuga expressed immense gratitude. “I feel incredibly happy to be here. I wanted to come here (to New York) to be a film student…and it is crazy to be here with an actual film that I made,” he said.
“After Cinemalaya, it went to a film festival in Italy, and now it’s here, and now it’s on a journey to find its audiences and I never could have imagined watching my film with a foreign audience. The emotions, jokes and story translate well, and I’m so grateful for the positive reception.”
A shared journey of empathy and reflection
“Lola Magdalena” and “When This Is All Over” share a common thread of empathy and reflection. The characters’ stories of love, sacrifice and resilience serve as a mirror to our own lives, reflecting our deepest hopes, fears and desires.
They invite audiences to look beyond the surface, understanding the lives of those facing societal and personal challenges. Through these films, we gain a powerful introspection of ourselves and the world around us, prompting us to examine our own values, beliefs and relationships.
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