Si Ellen At Ang Mga Pusang Gala

I finally bought a copy of ICON. ICON's got me a complimentary copy but I have to get in Makati. I don't have time to go there yet. I'm feeling so ecstatic about my very first printed article (and hopefully not the last!) so I bought one. Good thing that only few words and phrases were changed. Mostly, my original writing was intact. But what's so great about it was Direk Ellen's compliments. She loved the article! She felt that I have written all the important details that other writers have missed. She even encouraged me to continue writing. Hay... I do hope so.

Anyway, here's the original article that I wrote. If you want to see the changes, grab yourself a copy! Hehehe...

Si Ellen at ang Mga Pusang Gala
By Jheck David

“Love is genderless! So is sex,” were Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil’s powerful words when I met with her for a coffee and a little chat somewhere in Tomas Morato. This is her statement when it comes to making movies that seem to be breaking the standards of Philippine cinema. For one thing, her latest project called Mga Pusang Gala is a story of parallel lives between a woman and a gay man: both single, aging, and longing for a commitment from the men they love. Second, this is her take on the bold genre which usually is men’s territory. “Most of the time, the women became objects in the movie and it’s the men enjoying the sex. I want to show that women enjoy sex as healthy as men do,” she says.

Direk Ellen had her humble beginnings in theater since college from the time she entered show business via PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association). From then on, she had worked for Star Cinema as supervising producer and most recently, was the program manager for GMA Television Network’s News and Public Affairs division handling several shows like I-Witness and Debate among others. From time to time, she was given directorial projects for several shows like Maaalala Mo Kaya, Pira-Pirasong Pangarap, and GMA Telesine which fortunately received awards and recognitions from both local and international television award-giving bodies. Her last television effort called Walang Bakas for GMA 7 in 2004 was awarded Best Drama by the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) and was a runner-up in the Asian Television Awards. Perhaps, this directing ingenuity came from the fact that she was trained under the helms of film auteur such as Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon, Joel Lamangan, and the likes.

Despite her success, she had an on and off romance with directing. She would give it up whenever a different project would come along. But after her first venture into her own movie directing, she knew that the love affair was here to stay. She made her mark via the critically-acclaimed digital movie called Angels under Star Cinema. Even though the film failed to be received nationwide because of limited distribution, Direk Ellen saw the possibilities in digital technology. Thus, she founded Erasto Productions. “My vision is to go ahead with alternative film making,” she explains. “I want to learn digital technology and push it mainstream. I want to go against to what is the kalakaran: not be dependent on the stars.” For her, the story should always be the first priority followed by good actors. Aside from that, having her own company would mean that she get to own her work.

So, in cooperation with Atty. Joji Antonio of MLR Films, she produced and directed its initial offering, Mga Pusang Gala. “This is my offering to so-called dying industry. I refuse to say that it’s dying,” she relates. However, she adds, “Maganda rin ang merong death. Pag me dying, may growth.”

Mga Pusang Gala is an adaptation of the Palanca award-winning play entitled Mga Estranghero at ang Gabi. The screenplay was written by the playwright himself, Jun Lana, along with Rody Vera.

While venturing on the project in another film company, Direk Ellen was initially asked to tone down the gay character and focus the story more on the woman. She refused to do it. She felt that “magkapatid kasi ang issue ng gays at women. There are differences but then they are also very close.” She further elaborates, “My statement always will be love is genderless. I respect women, men and gays. I believe that this is just the body. It is the souls that love each other.”

With that, she also tried to break stereotypes with her characters. “Dati, couturier si Boyet. But we made him a romance novelist. Also, Jun initially thinks that with Marta’s relationship, sex is enough. I disagreed because a woman always looks for the emotional commitment.”

Mga Pusang Gala served as the opening film for the recently concluded Pink Festival. It has deservedly garnered numerous praises from critics and ordinary audience alike. However, Direk Ellen may have tried her darned best to uplift the social concept of her characters but there are still who thinks otherwise. “I don’t expect to please everybody,” she says. Besides, for her, what is at fault is the whole social conditioning. “You might think that my characters are laughable and stupid. They’re crazy and love addicts. But women were raised with a fairy tale: waiting for a man to kiss her so she’ll wake up. They were taught to believe that the biggest event in their lives is getting married. So how could you be otherwise? How could you not be a love addict waiting for somebody to marry you? It was an imposition, actually. Her being so-called crazy was an expression. And an exaggeration at that! But believe me, there are women like that.” In addition, she explains, “Where do the gays come in? Gays were supposed to be liberated kasi they go against the society, di ba? But in trying to be women, they embrace the whole concept and serve the men even better than a woman.” Not that she agrees with gays being subservient to men. “Dapat kasi stronger ka ‘cause by virtue of being gay, nag-be-break ka na ng social norms. Unfortunately, that’s not exactly true.”

Direk Ellen has high hopes for this film which earliest title was Libog at Kabilugan ng Buwan. “I really feel that my movie will appeal easily. It may be quite intellectual in some aspects but I have so many themes that are so-ordinary life. It is basically about human relationships that even the most intelligent people could relate to because, one way or the other, they had become crazy when they fell in love!” Because her production outfit does not have much means and machinery to promote the film, they are relying on the word-of-mouth. And, I could say that she indeed had chosen the best mouths to spread the word: that of the gays. “Sabi nga sa akin, pag nakuha ko ang pulso ng mga bading, tiyak na dadalhin nila ang mga kaibigan nilang babae para panoorin ang pelikula!” That is not to say, though, that she is using the gay community for her own benefits. In fact, she feels fortunate to have them as friends and colleagues in the business describing them as her angels in life. “I’m even closer to them than with my women or male friends,” she proudly admits.

When asked for a message to the gay and lesbian community who seemed to be benefiting well to her latest venture, she ends, “I hope that this film empowers gays and lesbians even more!”

I know that it will, Direk!