Even though rebelling against regimes or hierarchies which have proven to be unjust is a fact of our lives as history has shown time and time again, these systems will prevail, albeit with slight changes in their design. Developments such as globalization and the current pandemic confirm these hierarchies; in fact, one might say, they help emphasizing them even further, which, again, is not a conspiracy, but a mere fact. While those depending on the system to provide food and shelter have to deal with the pandemic, those who can afford it stay in their safe bubbles, whose rules mirror those on the outside, just less subtle, perhaps. In his short feature “Filipiñana”, Rafal Manuel explores the lives and rules in such a “safe bubble”, the country club of more affluent parts of Filipino society, and thereby exposes the unjust mechanisms within said hierarchies and how they help marginalize people.
“Filipiñana” is screening at Filmschoolfest Munich
Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto) has been working at the golf course and country club run by manager Susan (Sunshine Teodoro) only for a few months, but she is already well-accustomed to the set of rules and codes of her new work environment. Each day follows the same ritual of assisting the rich clients of the club, while being unseen or next to invisible for them, especially on the golf course, which they are not allowed to trespass. Time and time again Isabel dreams of a life outside the country club, one without these restrictions and hidden codes, and where she can become visible again.
Given the semi-hermetic nature of the course where Isabel works, Manuel's film utilizes the at times surreal quality of this environment. Discords or mistakes are not allowed in the lily-white facade, or rather the juicy green grass which is perfectly mowed and taken care of, adding to the dream-like nature of the setting. “Today is a perfect day for another perfect day” is one of the slogan you might notice on a wall in the karaoke club, the only source of entertainment for Isabel and her colleagues, which sums up quite nicely not just the amount of perfection invested in this facade, but also Isabel's task of maintaining it, which means to remain unseen colleagues.
Essentially, the country club becomes a metaphor for the system at place in society. Happiness and carelessness remains character traits of the affluent, while the problems of the disenfranchised stay hidden or are labeled unwelcome in this specific environment. Similar to Alice who takes her first tentative steps into Wonderland, Isabel discovers this place, whose restrictions, boundaries and rules become visible rather quickly, highlighting that she may glimpse at a place like this, but can never be part of it fully.
“Filipiñana” is a visually surreal short feature dealing with unjust social systems, exploitation and marginalization. Rafael Manuel manages to create a narrative filled with ambivalent images, a mirror to our society and how class, whether visible or invisible, is still a fact of life.
