 As defined by law, cultural heritage refers to the totality of cultural property preserved and developed through time and passed on to posterity. Cultural property refers to all products of human creativity by which a people in a nation reveal their identity. These include churches, mosques, and other places of worship, schools, and natural history specimens and sites, whether public or privately owned, movable or immovable, and tangible or intangible. In the series of lectures, esteemed educators from our National University lend pertinent discussions thus open academic discourses on Philippine cultural heritage relating to their respective fields of discipline and expertise. These can and may be used as resource materials for further learning and study. Philippine cinema guru Edgar Bagnott underscores the vital role of Filipino films as effective media to depict our culture and identity as a nation and as a people. He showcases the forming elements of culture which are symbols, language, values, and norms. He shares with us his insights on one of the most well-loved Filipino films of all time and his personal favorite, Biaia Nanlupa. And hopefully, after this session, you yourself will see that it is a fine film and will have interest to be able to talk about what he is saying about our being Philippine. So usually, I want to ask my students about their favorite films and, you know, most of the time, they would give me a list of answers. But if I were to ask the video, it would be harder for me as I was just a kid and I would just love the film. But if I answered it, and I gave you my top 10, this would be my top films. So you can see that he came from all over the world, not only European, not only Filipino, not only Shabago, not only Gdumak, but he is a friend and he can talk about top 10 films without talking about my favorite film of all time, Biaia Nanlupa. So these are just a few questions. What do these films have in common, especially the last film I talked about? Well, each one is a well-crafted work that's cinematically amazing and driven by the vision of a filmmaker. So you can see the story, the story, and the vision that I want to say of a filmmaker controlled by people all over the world. So each of them, you know, would be something that all film students should be watching. So what's your favorite Filipino film of all time? When Lino Broca was alive and Ishmael Bernal was where alive, if they asked this question, they would not answer with these films. They would not mention any of their films. Okay? They would always, in unison, say it's, of course, a film we're discussing today. Biaia Nanlupa is special on so many networks. Okay? And for so many reasons. Let's just talk about some of the items I think is very important. This was made in an era that in 1959, all of the films there were genre films, either romantic comedies, horror, action, or adventure films. That's number one. And number two. There are so many films that are called lead names in those films. And number three. The stories are very simple. It's a poor girl who gets married to an older guy, et cetera, et cetera, all of that. And the storyline, unfortunately, is very predictable. But Biaia Nanlupa seemed to have exceeded all of that. This was made at a time that, you know, it was a big risk for LDM Pictures. It was not meant really to make money. But I think the people behind the film wanted to show this, wanted to create this film that the Philippines can make its own heritage film. Number two. The Biaia Nanlupa were not the big name stars. They were not even the mestizos or mestizos of the era. They were actually character actors. And the funny part is Rosa Rusal, who plays the most important role in the film, started as a contrabita. She was the other woman. She was the bitch. All of the films previous to her roles. But it seems like Rosa Rusal found her niche in Philippine history as the one who portrays all the important LDM roles in its classic films. And then, of course, we'll show you a lot of clips. Now, story-wise, this was a very strange movie. Because her contrabita, and I'm talking about Bruno, is not a typical contrabita, you know, black or black and white. Bruno is presented as somebody who has all the tones of gray. And then, of course, finally, technically, Biaia Nanlupa is amazing. But maybe I should just shut up and show you what I'm talking about. Biaia Nanlupa was made in 1959. And today, around 50 years after, it still does not fail to impress or surprise people, as I'll show you in this next scene. In this next scene, I've shown this film all over the Philippines. I've shown this in different countries. And everywhere that I've shown it, audiences clap when they watch this scene. And I'm talking about something that happens in the very beginning of the film where Maria and Jose, they just got married, they're about to go to town and look what happens to that caravan. So you saw that scene. It's something that still surprises young people even in this day and age, that there's a caravan that's actually yoked himself. So Biaia Nanlupa is full of all of these surprises. And I'd like to show you another scene that highlights the technical expertise of the filmmaker. The filmmaker is none other than Manuel Zilos. He's not just like Gerry Deleon or Lamberto Abelliana or the other national artists for film. But Manuel Zilos was known as the technical craftsman of all the filmmakers. And if you watch the film, you'll fall in love with cinematography. You would see that he is an expert when it comes to framing, lighting, and camera movement. I'd like to share with you one scene which I, again, found very surprising. This is the part when Jose and Maria were born. But instead of showing us that Jose was born in Rosal, and that they had children, he does, he shows us a visual that's so creative, that talks about the growth of a small family. So let's look at this shot and talk to you about it. This is Miguel Sabayan. Arturo! Arturo! Don't make fun of children. You're going to get hurt, Arturo. Arturo! Jose and Maria's family. And it's done. You say visual language. What's amazing there also is that we saw that it wasn't all bad. When Carmen was born, you would hear the lullaby on the background. And, by the way, the music composed by the lullaby is none other than our National Artist for Music, Ledi Silerio. So while you were singing, Roscoe Rosa, Meme Nabunso, did last thing, you, and all of a sudden, beside the name of Carmen, you see a cross. That's an excellent example. As a symbol, that second daughter was not delivered successful. And then finally, Meme Nabunso, what's amazing about Viaya Nalupa's invention is not just what it does, what it tells us about the family, but it shows us the growth of the village of Santa Monica. Santa Monica is not any real place in Los Olvisas or Minta now. It's a fictional place that can be anywhere. But what's amazing about the film, aside from telling us about the life of a family and their relationship to the land, it talks about the importance of society. And Viaya Nalupa saw that society would have its good side and a bad side. I want to show you a series of shots that talk about how Philippine society was depicted in this film. Let me show you first the good side. When Jose and Maria first get married, it's the whole village who celebrates the marriage. As we shall see in this video. Well, in Santa Monica, after the celebratory opening of Viaya Nalupa, traumatic and traumatic things happen to the family of Jose and Maria. In this scene, we see that something happened to them and not to them. In fact, throughout the film, you will see that they are not alone. The community comes to their aid in so many ways. In this scene, Bruno who has become a force of evil has stalked the family too much. And in this scene, in the story of Teniente Del Barrio, all of you will be yet, just in case, the culisans and Bruno come by to the village. Very much focused. Very collective thinking, right? Everybody seems to be drowning in their own Facebook. And you can see everybody here takes the situation seriously. And near the end of the film, all of Jose and Maria are not together or I'm not going to spoil the film for you. Comes around. And when we started with the celebration of the wedding, we have now the celebration of the harvest. After 20 plus years, the family of Maria who said, finally read the success of their planting. But I want to show you this next scene which is so progressive for 1929. So this is the scene in the film. The family of Rosa Rosal will eat Bruno. But in this scene, all the men will see that the world is closing to look for the culisans. So all the men will look for the world. Pay attention to what's going to happen next. So all the men come up to the very end and they're trying to find their Bruno lights. We cut to the family again so it's just the mother, the daughter, and Bruno. Guess what happens? All of a sudden, we see Bruno attacking Maria. Remember, all the men are in the mountains. So what happens is here, right kid as he is runs out of the house while he's being chased by one of the men of Bruno. And Bruno wants to get rid of what he wants to see on the other side. And this shot is actually stolen from horror Dracula. Dracula approaches Lucy and we can see close up of Lucy and when he waves his hand to watch this she faints. But this is done as a tribute. So here you can see Bruno's daughter. And as he's about to escape from the house with a daughter guess what happens? All of a sudden you hear the sounds of women screaming or running so the men are in the mountains but all the women come to the aid of Maria and the family. Remember, this is 1959. Years before the idea of feminism ever entered the minds of people. That's how progressive Viola Lupo was. But Viola Lupo was not just progressive but it came to the feminist issues. The eldest son, as we shall see in this scene, is a special child. So the film, despite the fact that it was made in 1959, gave us a very, very nice look at how people looked at people in their sexuality. So Miguel was born but he didn't have a child. So the people looked at him and asked him why he didn't have a child. And the people are saying because Miguel is naturally a young man turns out, and you will see the next scene, that he is especially able to differentiate. So a few years later the four siblings and in the sequence one early morning we see the dynamics between the three young sons and here we find out that Miguel did not speak of Candido. And the second son Arturo, tells the mother why did Miguel turn out to be a spoiled son and the mother expected you to look at him. So you see that the way they treated people with especially abled abilities was very very enlightened. But at the same time he didn't show Miguel in fact a lot of the most heartening scenes of the island were centered upon the relationship between the two brothers. So here they play with the calato but when Miguel plays with the calato he can't hear a thing. Manuel Silos was an amazing director especially in the sea where the three then the father Miguel and Arturo set off to the mountains to look for Bruno. What's amazing in this sea is what you can see is Arturo. You can hear the jungle, you can hear the insects, you can hear the wind, you can hear the birds. But when it cuts to Miguel pay attention. So here we can see the the clouds, the clouds but when it cuts to the especially abled sun when it cuts to Miguel we can't hear any. Manuel Silos was a creative master not just a visual language but a huge sound design. Bruno! What are you doing here? Who are you? In this other instance, we will see the timeliness of the island. Of course, they don't have a father. The eldest son who is especially able of Arturo is left to take care of the fields. Here in this scene, he thought of the story of a Santa Monica who made it big for him. All of us thought that his life would be beautiful if it went to the big set. So despite the fact that it's 1959, the island still echoes a lot of the things that's still happening to the Philippines nowadays. The idea that you will see here in the island is that you need to leave your simple life in the future. In this scene, Arturo tells his mother that he wants to go to Manila to see his father. I want to go to Manila to see other places. It's just a joke. It's not a joke. It's true. You're the only one I hope to see here in Manila. It's just a joke. Why didn't you help me? Again, for me, when it comes to the film, The Aya ng Lupa is the way it treats its characters. As I mentioned earlier, the antagonist Bruno is not drawn in black and white. In fact, the story art of Bruno is beautiful. If there's anything that The Aya ng Lupa has taught me, it's always to make all your characters believable by giving them as many sides as possible. I think we are first introduced to Bruno. Bruno wants to make Choleng paint by a very young Mira Santos. In this scene, Bruno is known. He will make Choleng who is an ordinary village last, but she is so terrified because of the rumors that Bruno cost the dead his wife. In this scene, Bruno and Arturo and they tell Choleng not to be unfair and that Bruno they just feel the same way. So you will see the ex-senator, the people despite the fact that they believe some people are evil, some of them are really dead. And who are you talking to? I don't think it's true. It's not true. They are evil. So the same is Bruno talking to his wife while they are drinking at the Salli Salli store and while they are talking he will tell his wife why all the women in Santa Monica are afraid of him. But nobody wants to tell him that it's because they think he died because of his wife. Again, we are shown a nature of the village which is the opposite of the nurturing support in building the village. What could be the source of tension and stress and as we see the tragedy of the whole village. So here we can see the turning point in Bruno's story one day when Choling goes off to make her laundry this is what happens. Resolucing Choling Bruno unfortunately Choling falls to her death This is all an accident but a witness the whole situation another villager who was doing her her laundry interprets this as otherwise. So let's just look at the scene. Bruno is devastated he died or fell in love with his wife. The onlooker instead of helping out runs to the village and starts telling the community that she's so Bruno she's the girl of all. And in the next scene we see her running to the family of Choling but this time her words are Bruno's it's a very nice example of how the room can actually devastate and I think it's also very tiny especially in this day and age of fake news bots alternative bots when it comes to mask media and rumor is a mask media which is also affected by all this. In this scene Bruno has run to the mountains after he's been run out by the village but the beautiful thing about the story of Bruno is that he's not a person at the time Bruno cares for his men he is like a father and mother to the people who run after him and here this is a very important scene where in Bruno here's the reports from his men that the people in Santa Monica gave him a hug Choling etc. etc. and listen to what Bruno tells he will be taken to the city to show his love to the nation to show his love the country and show his love to the people in Santa Monica from here they are countries and we love the people of Santa Monica I'll show you the movie because I mentioned, maybe evil is the eyes of the villagers, but Manuel Sinos shows us a lot of these scenes, and you imagine, the murderer of the village is the nurturer of his pets. So, as you can see, in the movie, there is a very fair treatment in the narrative about its characters. There's nobody who's completely black, there's nobody who's completely white. The Aya Nanupa is all this and more. An amazing story at the heart of an excellently crafted film. As we end this talk today, I will show you some of the shots that typically by how Manuel Sinos wanted to show and share with us his idea of a Filipino family, living in close relationship with the land. It's almost as if these were shots taken from an Amosol family. But what's important with this scene is, as we see them preparing for a very nice lunch, and as the music of Sinos, and as they share the rebander of how the days work came about, when they start to eat, the music becomes religious. And for a few seconds, we are deep into their prayer. The Aya Nanupa is an amazing film because it encapsulates a lot of what we call Filipino values that seem to have transpired, though it does not exist in our modern dreams. All throughout the film, you will see scenes of religion, family, and the relationship with the land. Religion plays a very important part in the telling of the story of Jose Maria. And if you watch the film, again using visual language, you will see that each of the major scenes are framed so that you have a religious icon behind most of the characters as they go about the drama of their lives. I hope you enjoyed today's adventure into a classic film, Aya Nanupa. The beauty about film is that it's not just a documentary of the past, but it's a constant reminder of the values that we have to continue to instill in our contemporary lives. The Aya Nanupa is still relevant. It's a very timeless piece that talks to audiences all ages, all walks of life, and from different points of view or even political situations. The relationship of Maria and Jose to the land is as valuable to us now as it was in the late 50s. The idea of community and how a community can be our salvation, and as in the case of Bruno, Kupapano community can also lead you down the dark side. It's still very much alive. And then the idea of Miguel as a specially-involved person who is still valuable and can still be valued was shown in the Aya Nanupa. And again, for Tati Sahe, how they treated Bruno, and how they show that every individual, no matter how dark these intensities are, can still be an important person worth at this point in time. Film as a source of cultural heritage is a very important tool, and it's not only an important tool, I think it's the tool that young people the most are easily embracing. I mean it's harder for me to invite a person to let's say watch an opera show or maybe even attend a Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra performance. But when I ask people, usually the answer is 100%. That is the value of film. It does not only entertain you, but at the same time it reminds of who we are and what's crucial about the Aya Nanupa and all the other Filipino films done by Brocas and the Bernal is that they gave us a slice of what we call a Filipino experience. And you as a future filmmaker, I'm going to say to you how will your film complete this idea of the Filipino experience. Thank you very much.