Ploning

Please excuse my mondo geekiness. I… Remembered Algebra too acutely because it was horrific.

Moving
on, I would first like to say that I meant no offense to Ms. Santos at
all. But I do know that because she was positioned for the masa market in the Philippines, a lot of the feeling-intellectuals like me (but that was then, believe me, I am so jologs now. :p), didn’t really think too highly of her.

And
the Philippines. I love my country so intensely, though I do not take
part in rallies or oust-whomever movements; but a lot of people tend to
think that we are nothing but a bunch of squatters, rallyists and
foul-smelling Al-Qaeda affiliates. Some may even think we still wear
grass skirts and eat… Grass?

Ehe. Nevermind.

But the point is, Ploning the Movie just might prove to be similar to the "equation"..

You
see, I know that Juday is such a great actress that I am actually
looking forward to really getting ahold of a copy of a trailer that is
more comprehensive than the flash movie on that link. Better yet, I am
looking forward to watching the movie because I missed all of her best
movies because I’d rather buy music, books, and burn money in internet
cafes than watch movies in high school and college, and I am looking
forward to really watching scenes shot in a part of the Philippines
that is yet unspoiled.

Yes, those images on the flash teaser are for real. Those exist on earth.

Actually, the setting, Cuyo Islands, is part of the group of islands in the Philippines that is just so gorgeous that the Aman Resorts,
known for putting up some of the most luxurious (and private) of beach
resorts in the world, had bought an entire island in that area, and
made it into this paradise on earth… With an equally hefty price.

While promoting Amanpulo
is definitely my intention here, what I am trying to say is that the
Philippines is not that kind of crazy place that so many people think
(blame the media). And neither is Juday the two-bit actress that people
think she is.

That’s why I think Ploning the Movie
may well give the Philippines a degree of redemption. It may well be a
"two negatives equals a positive [thing]." For me, it’s not a must-see
just because it’s an indie film. It’s not a must-see because it’s a
love story. It’s a must-see because it’s a showcase of Filipino beauty,
talent, and the Philippines’ splendor.

If,
after you see this movie, and you leave the theater and say to
yourself, "the Philippines has a fighting chance after all," and you
return home and make a decision to not speak ill of your country and do
more to take care of it, like segregate the garbage and pray for your
country, then I think… It’s all worth your hundred and fifty pesos.

For
most of the Filipino culture vultures, "Art" includes stage theater,
concertos in full regalia, Miss Saigon, Fernando Amorsolo, even "Ang
Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros"… Why then, did it still surprise me
that for some people, Judy Ann Santos still hasn’t moved out of the shadow of her awkward,  jologs, past?

Maybe they didn’t realize that Judy Ann Santos was capable of acting in such films as Aishite Imasu (Mahal kita), Sabel, and even Magkapatid, alongside Sharon Cuneta.

Okay,
I have to admit that I wasn’t able to watch these movies, but I do know
that these were critically acclaimed. My only "proof" that Juday is a
superb actress, would be my experiences of watching her in telenovelas.
I can only recall having watched Mara Clara, and even then, as a green,
adolescent actress, she was able to excellently flesh out the role of
an oppressed heiress exchanged with the offspring of a crook.

For
most, they would say that it’s easy to play the role of the
downtrodden. For me, I believe that it takes talent to shed tears at
the drop of a hat.

So what does this all mean, related to Ploning the Movie?

Only
this: Because I know that Judy Ann Santos, Juday, is a VERY capable,
even excellent, actress, I personally am looking forward to watching it!

Panoramanila Pictures has their sights
for the right concept on the money to showcase worldwide. PLONING - A
love story plus an exotic location to boot makes a bad combination, in
this case my description of bad, is good. For years, the Philippines
has been projected as necessitous, poverty-stricken, in good films can
you imagine. Now we have a chance to refresh the international critics
memory and give them something positive about the Philippines.

Judy
Ann Santos, with her best friend Ga or Dante Garcia by her side, has
been tasked to lead in a Philippine Independent Film which could,
hopefully, make headways into the International scene. With enough
Filipino support abroad, can Juday thrust herself into the
international market and be the face of Philippine cinema?

Philippine Premiere Night
(Filipino Subtitles)
April 26, 2008

World Premiere Launch
(English Subtitles)
Manila, Philippines
May 10, 2008

Cuyo, Puerto Princesa, New York,
London, Dubai, Singapore
Schedules to follow
May 2008

by: Jocelyn Dimaculangan
pep.ph

Ploning
fever has hit the sleepy town of Cuyo, Palawan. There are two logos of
Ploning painted on stage of the town plaza. The oblong-shaped logo
bears the name Ploning, prompting tourists to wonder who or what is
Ploning.

It turns out that Ploning refers to the movie starring
Judy Ann Santos as the town beauty who is torn between keeping two
promises: to look for her first love Tomas or stay in Cuyo for the
young boy Rodrigo who relies heavily on her motherly care.

PEP
(Philippine Entertainment Portal) was able to visit the set of Ploning
in Cuyo, Palawan, to see Judy Ann, Mylene Dizon, Gina Pareño, Meryll
Soriano, Ces Quesada, Jojit Lorenzo, Joel Saracho, and Crispin Pineda
in action. Documenting the filming process was Judy Ann’s boyfriend
Ryan Agoncillo. PEP went behind the scenes for an inside peek into how
film outfit Panoramanila Pictures shot this period film in the hometown
of director Dante Garcia.

Direk Ga, as Dante is often called,
was born and lived in Cuyo until Grade 6. He transferred to Manila to
study high school and, eventually, he enrolled in Theater Arts in San
Sebastian College.

He based this movie on certain people from
Cuyo and his childhood haunts became the setting of this full-length
film that is expected to open in theaters nationwide on April 30. Dikek
Ga co-wrote the screenplay with Benjamin Lingan and it is estimated
that 40 percent of the movie will be spoken in the Cuyonon language.

There
is an unfinished pier on the island of Cuyo that serves as the waiting
place of Ploning (Juday). Intigban beach is where Ploning and Rodrigo
(played by first-time actor Cedric Amit) walk hand in hand.

The
basketball court of Igabas served as the place where Rodrigo and
Celeste (played by Mylene Dizon instead of Iza Calzado) meet for the
first time. The esposada (bridal shower) of one of the characters is
set in Emilod and took three nights to shoot.

The producers
built a cemetery from scratch in a part of the town called Republic of
Cuyo to serve as the setting for a key scene in the movie. They even
decided to keep the cemetery intact so that tourists can visit the
place and locals can narrate how Judy Ann Santos once shot her scenes
there.

Even though Panoramanila Pictures Co. is still a
fledgling company (it was established only in 2007), it took great
pains to ensure the authenticity of this period film set in Cuyo during
the 1980s. Unique practices of Cuyo will also be shown in the movie
Ploning. The female characters of the movie will be demonstrating the
process of making cashew nut brittle, a delicacy of the province. Judy
Ann and Gina will also be harvesting salt from an asinan. Ati-atihan
groups will also perform in celebration of the town fiesta, which is
held annually on August 27.

Ploning, played by Judy Ann, is the
town beauty who waits patiently for the return of her beloved Tomas
(whose identity remains a secret). He went to Manila to work but ten
years later, Ploning still holds on to his promise that he will return
for her. At 29 years old, she is already considered an old maid by
rural standards but she still holds on the memory of her great love.

Aside
from being the dream project of Direk Ga and Judy Ann, Ploning also
allows four great comediennes to establish themselves in the drama
genre. Gina Pareño, Eugene Domingo, Ces Quesada, and Tessie Tomas will
make viewers cry as they showcase the various kinds of women who live
in Cuyo.

As Tessie puts it: "Hindi ba weird na lahat kami
komedyante tapos drama ang pelikula?" To this, Direk Ga answered,
"Weird pero bago. Hindi ba nakaka-excite to see Juday na nasa gitna ng
mga komedyanteng lumuluha samatalang siya pinipigilan niya ang luha
niya."

Ploning is scheduled to open in theaters nationwide on April 30.

See here The Official Ploning Pitch Video

See here the Ploning Teaser

PANORAMANILA
A New Vision of Pinoy Cinema

We are a young breed of Filipino filmmakers who are passionate
in producing films that will help promote a new and inspired age
of Philippine Cinema. 

We believe in a time of excellence, creativity, and profitability
in independent Filipino filmmaking that will inspire and entertain
Filipino viewers.

We hope to do this by marrying the creative spirit of
independent filmmaking and the sound business structure of
commercial cinema, producing prolific and wholistic dynamics
suitable for sustainable development in the local film industry
likewise promoting the Philippines in the international film
industry.

VALUES

Respect
To respect the filmmakers.
To respect the art and business of filmmaking.

Faith
To believe in great and glorious achievements
for the company and the industry.

Excellence
To strive for excellence in process and product.

The Island

Ploning is the story of one woman’s promise, her hope and  love
from the point of view of a young boy.

Present time. Having lived aboard an illegal Taiwanese fishing
vessel for as long as he can remember, 30-plus year old Filipino
Muo Sei (meaning "Moses", son taken out of the  water), grew
up to be a man of brokenness, unpredictable  temper and solitary
loneliness. Until one morning his boat docks into the shores of
Cuyo, Palawan. His adoptive Taiwanese father risks being caught
and summons him to find "Ploning" before the sun sets, in the
hopes of dealing with his past and changing his ways. No one
knows who or what "Ploning" is to Muo Sei and no one has ever
dared to ask…And so his search begins…

Muo Sei tours the island, observes the people and place as  an
outsider, and finally revisits  his memories, baring how  much
he has been part of Cuyo and the life of a woman named Ploning.

1980’s. The past comes to life and 30-year old Ploning is revealed
as the island’s enigmatic belle who cared for  7-year old Digo -
short for Rodrigo, Muo Sei’s real name - as her own. She is a
woman who the town knows as keeping  true to the promise of
waiting for her beau, the young town hero who left for Manila
more than a decade ago. This set her as both exemplary and
rumor magnet. But one thing is common, everyone wants to
marry her off. And Digo discovers Ploning’s plan to leave for
Manila. Thus threatened by the sudden prospect of losing
Ploning, Digo devices ways to keep her from leaving and gets
her to make a promise.

Did Ploning choose closure with the man she has been waiting
for half her life or the future of young boy whose life is not her
own?

Old pains of rejection and unanswered questions are relived,
as backdropped by an ironically beautiful milieu and a community
of townspeople who are enamored and affected by the life and
love of Ploning.

In Digo’s eyes, Ploning is likewise revealed as a dutiful daughter
to patriarch Susing, a committed supporter to grieving Intang,
an honorary sister to extended family Nieves and Toting a wise
ally to simpleton Alma, a co-mother to half-paralyzed Juaning,
a dear friend to ailing nurse Celeste, an object of desire to
young lad Siloy and a foe to Digo’s older brother Veling.

In the end, a secret is revealed to Rodrigo that awakens him
into a love he has forsaken and misunderstood. Thus the healing
that comes from forgiveness springs forth into his hardened
heart.

Will Rodrigo finally choose to accept love or continue to walk
in hate?