BAYANING 3RD WORLD
(Third World Hero)
The film starts with a sneak peek before the camera starts grinding, as we see snippets of behind-the-scenes. The narrator introduces two character, the filmmakers, obsessed with the life of Jose Rizal. When the director starts talking to the camera, at once the set-up is established, it is a film within a film.
The director, together with his writer, embarks on a probe in an attempt to capture Dr. Jose Rizal's "cinematic moments" in an investigative story of the Philippines' national hero. As we see the "film-in-progress," the director and writer not only focus on Jose Rizal's life, but his pervading influence in contemporary Philippine society. In a series of visual flashes, it is how rizal has been immortalized by countless filmmakers, historians and writers. His works have been endorsed by the government but censored by the Catholic Church. His heroism elevated him to a demigod by Rizal fanatics, at the same time downplayed by his permanence on the one peso coin. As the director continues to scrutinize Jose Rizal's controversial life, he is faced with too many unanswered questions. The director decides to stop production to re-focus his movie and probe deeper into Rizal's still contestable retraction document. The document contains the hero's statement that revokes all his works and writings, and renounces his affiliation to the Masonry to be able to go back to the Catholic fold. The director finds this unacceptable, knowing that a character like Rizal - who believed himself to be a born hero - would sign a document that takes back everything he stands for.
The director and the writer recreate Rizal's past as they go through the hero's letters and other historical accounts. Jose Rizal's lover, Josephine Bracken, is a controversial character who claims to be the legitimate wife of the hero. The strong-willed Doņa Teodora, who demonstrates unflinching support for her son's perilous acts even if her maternal instincts dictate otherwise. Narcisa, takes in Josephine with open arms. The other sister, Trining, who outlives the rest of the Rizal family and takes after her mother's astuteness. Paciano, the older brother, who plays an important influence in Pepe's love for country. Padre Balaguer, a dubious character who claims to be a key witness of Rizal's retraction.
As the past unfolds, the director and the writer dig up more of the gray areas of Rizal's life. Both of them set out on their journeys to the past only to find themselves having a hard time reconciling their personal beliefs with "recorded history." Their probe is about to end, but the retraction document controversy remains unsettled. Finally, they give up their search for the one true Rizal account. Both conclude that in the end, it is each Rizal to his own; and that Dr. Jose Rizal - for all his great heroism - is not cinematic enough.
Bayaning Third World has been Rated A by the Film Ratings Board, the first to get such a rating since its revival during the Ramos administration.
© UP Film Center