KUBRADOR Preview Article

KUBRADOR IS NOW SHOWING
By Reymundo Salao

Well, thank God that they’re showing this movie now here in Iloilo. KUBRADOR has opened here in Iloilo this week. I believe it is now shown in SM City Cinema. To those who are not familiar with KUBRADOR, it is the indie film directed by Jeffrey Jeturian and stars Gina Parreño as the lead role. This movie has won 4 international film awards; 2006 FIPRESCI Prize, 2006 Moscow International Film Festival Best Picture, Best Actress (Gina Pareno) and FIPRESCI Prize, and the 8th Osian-Cinefan International Film Festival (New Delhi, India).

This is a movie which focuses on the life of a KUBRADOR (Bet Collector) for the illegal gambling game Jueteng, and also the lives of the people around her. I watched the movie yesterday and it is very simple but very witty and profound, it is definitely filled with thought-provoking layers. Watch out for my full review on this movie tomorrow, but for now, let me urge you to please support and watch this movie. Let us strive to support filmmakers who really deserve to be supported.

The problem with the Film Industry in our country is that those who have the capability and the resources to promote their movies are those production companies who produce awful movies that seem to breed a culture of ignorance among the viewers. “White Lady” and “Sukob” and the rest of the romantic movies with titles taken out of promotional pop love songs have been so popular and so supported by the moviegoing masses because these production companies have the power to advertise their badly-made products, when in fact, their products are mere copycats of other movies, devoid of any manner of originality, and just a thrill idea of jumping on a current trend (such as the trend of Asian Horror Flicks as begun by Japan’s “Ring”).

Time and again, the great Filipino movies like “Crying Ladies” and “Magnifico” have been glorified in other countries which have given these movies prestigious movie awards. But these movies are not quite familiar with the masses because these have not been promoted well locally, they are usually overshadowed by the big local production companies which shove their corny projects unto the mesmerized consumer minds of the moviegoing masses. Some people would lack the motivation to go watch the good movies because all day their minds have been conditioned by the engrossing advertising power of the latest slapstick comedy garbage produced by the bigger companies.

This may sound a bit harsh, but I’m happy that Piracy has begun to do shake the temples of the local movie industry. So far those that are bothered by Piracy are the local filmmakers who see the movie industry as NOT an art form but a commercial machinery. Movies are ART. And those who strive to really make a good movie do it for the art and not the money. I am NOT saying that Piracy should totally be triumphant, but it did topple down the smaller production companies who made tacky “bold” movies. I mean, when was the last time you saw that a low-budget badly-made movie, like the bold movies starring unknown starlets and low-budget action movies starring some unknown newcomer? So far, the low-budget production companies that are still having their movies shown in cinemas are the indie projects and the small production company projects that make really good films.

KUBRADOR has won FOUR INTERNATIONAL AWARDS. THAT should motivate you to watch this movie. And I do urge you to watch this movie. This is the time to support a Pinoy product---WITH THIS MOVIE (NOT with those badly made movies named after pop love songs). Watch out for my full review on KUBRADOR tomorrow.