Batad: Sa Paang Palay (2006)

3:15pm. Batad: Sa Paang Palay is a wonderful film about dreams and tradition. We join Ag-ap, played with honesty and perfect comic timing by Alchis Algura, as he finds ways to buy a pair of shoes, and ultimately chase big city dreams. Brief synopsis from the cinemalaya website follows...

A 14-year old Batad Boy, a high school dropout, is forced to sell produce in the Banawe market to augment the family income while his father pursues the philantrophic mission of repairing the rice terraces of adjoining Ifugao villages. Exposed to Western modernization in Banawe, the boy obsesses with owning a pair of rubber shoes that he does not really need. In pursuit of his dream sneakers, he takes on all odd jobs imaginable and ultimately becomes a tour guide. During one of his tours, he barters his guide fee for a pair of shoes which are, however, too big for him. Upon possessing the long-desired rubber shoes, he attempts to leave his Ifugao roots and chase big city dreams.

What makes the film, probably the 2nd best among the entries, I have my eyes set on "Saan Nagtatago Si Happiness" as my favorite, more on that film later, is the marvelous portrayal of Alchris Galura as Ag-Ap, the Ifugao boy dreaming of a pair of shoes. The cinematography is also something to oggle upon. With the very crisp, sometimes smelly, cold air coming from the CCP airconditioning, together with high altitude, fog drenched images from Batad and the surrounding mountain province, i literally feel like i'm IN Batad. The film's strength lies in its simple, unclutted story telling and amazing visual. We see Ag-Ap's attempts in various odd jobs such as being a labamdero, kargador in the palengke, and other household chores, just to get paid a few measly one peso coins. Considering the pair of shoes costs more than 500pesos. Add to that his familial responsibilities, when ever his mother played by indie fav' Gina Alajar, asks for money to tie off family needs, he asks no questions, and hesistantly gives in. He finally gets a try in tour guiding wary local and foreign visitors around the area. One funny scene in the film, we see Ag-Ap dress up in native Ifugao attire and sets up by his side a sign inviting people "Picture with Ifugao - Pesos50" A bading tourist gladly says, "50 pesos lang?", as he molests and grope while having his picture taken with Ag-Ap, he even attempts to look under the 'uhm', don't take me wrong, it's all done in good taste. In one of the taken photos, we see the bading tourist, eyes wide while kissing Ag-Ap on the cheeks. It is so funny, even the nuns watching the film can't stop laughing.

Change may be the underlying theme of this film, it is evident in the people around Ag-Ap, his friend who's mother is in Japan. His school teacher once idealistic, now buys and makes money off the statues of the people from Batad (his eventually luck wears off, as he loses his job). These together with a dream of living a better life. The film does not end in a neat little package, we see his father (Nonie Buencamino) advise Ag-Ap, that go on and live your big city dreams but do not forget the place from which you came from. Will Ag-Ap eventually leave Batad? Now it's up to us to decide.