Understanding Democracy Through Filipino Cinema

Jason Tan Liwag had this story in Rappler. Here is an exerpt:

Democracy is rather difficult to pin down. From its supposed Greek origins to our present day, our understanding of democracy has evolved throughout history. Our historical struggle for independence and emancipation continues even in the physical absence of these colonial powers.

For the longest time, cinema has been used to explore the concept and experience of democracy in the Philippines. From the period of Martial Law when film was used to subvert censorship, to today when political turmoil is encoded in stories, cinema has been used as a democratic tool primarily because it is driven by freedom and togetherness.

The act of creating film requires collaboration and the product can be seen as a collective reconstitution of a perspective. Even the act of watching a film requires this form of independence, even in community.

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