In 2012, Khavn wrote an editorial for a retrospective of Filipino films titled “Philippine New Wave” that took place at the 65th Edinburgh International Film Festival. In this text, he mentions, “Now we come to this third peaking, the third coming of age of a cinema that defies easy categorization. After more than a decade of near silence, Philippine cinema is once again vibrant, plucky and so wildly diverse, that each filmmaker could be his or her own “new wave.”
On the one hand, there are the lengthy, minimalist, poetic films of Lav Diaz, and on the other, the ostensibly avant-garde and distinctly regional storytelling of young turks like Christopher Gozum. (…)
The icing on the cake is, of course, Brillante Mendoza's best director win at Cannes for “Kinatay.”
This period is unprecedented. There has never before been recognition of this magnitude and relentless consistency for Filipino filmmakers, and there has never been this much attention on so many films. Yes, there is a wave—it's big, it's audacious, and it has a name: Philippine New Wave.”
“Philippine No Wave: This Is Not a Film Movement” deals with the aforementioned concept through a number of interviews Khavn conducted with some of the most recognizable local filmmakers, including himself.
In this set of interviews, which are split according to the question asked, we listen to the likes of Lav Diaz, Brillante Mendoza, Adolfo Alix Jr, Raya Martin, John Torres, Roxlee and Ditsi Carolino talk about what filmmaking means for them, the effect digital technology had on filmmaking and them as artists, the meaning of independent cinemas, and many other topics. The opinions stated differ much, but the viewer can clearly see the passion, the thinking, and the very analytical opinions these filmmakers have about all aspects of cinema, a number of which could be described as “anarchic” and “punk”. Listening to Lav Dias mentioning that the notion of cinema being just a medium of entertainment is a fascist notion, for example, is indicatory of the phrases uttered here, although not all the filmmakers are as radical.
Of course, being a film by Khavn, “Philippine No Wave” is not exactly a “normal” documentary, since the Filipino director presents the interviewees in very small frames, and with the camera zooming on their faces extensively, while these sequences are juxtaposed with footage from the films of the directors, which are occasionally presented through a background of a theater. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most approachable movies in Khavn's vast filmography and a more than interesting documentary regarding the current situation of Filipino cinema.
