#Tuhog Symposium (DLSU Manila)

In my entire stay at CSB during my college years, I can count the number of times that I have visited our sister school, DLSU. Now that’s not exactly a good thing because that only means that the reason why I can count the number of times I’ve been there is because I haven’t visited that much at all!

To count, and from what I remember, I visited four times during college. First was to pickup my ticket for Graphika Manila 2007, second was during their Animo Jumpstart event because Up Dharma Down was part of the bands who were going to play, third was to accompany a friend to watch Silent Sanctuary, and lastly when I had to report a student there (thanks AC for hooking us up, haha!) for a project in one of my classes.

Would you believe that every DLSU visit, I always, always seem to get lost around that school?! LOL I guess I’ll never get used to big schools. I’m perfectly fine just being confined in one building, thank you very much. Just imagine if things turned the other way around, I’d be studying there.. I would probably end up being late all the time.

Anyway.. my DLSU frustrations aside, I would like to share my experience in going back to that school 5 years later. (Sorry for the very long ‘intro’, lol)

Last Tuesday became the 5th time I paid a visit to DLSU. This time I was not a student anymore. I have no business to do there, so why the visit? Well…

The non fangirl-y version of it: Tuhog, a maindie film by Star Cinema and Skylight Films, had its symposium in the school. They’ve been going around schools around the metro since last week (I think), and this is the school that’s closest to me that I could go to if I wanted to watch and get some insight from the people behind this film.

Fangirl version: This guy. YUP.

As usual, the same with all my previous visits to this school.. I got lost before I found my way to the place where the talk was going to be held. Ugh. Mave accompanied me as much as she could. Funny, she’s actually not from DLSU and she was more familiar with the place.. haha!

The room was starting to be full when I entered. Apparently, I was already late.. but it’s okay because it hasn’t started yet. Glad we got seats near the front too! 

And when they finally arrived, the celebrity especially, you could just feel that most of the people were holding back from screaming and stuff. Lol calm yo tits guise. Enchong was particularly proud of his alma mater, btw. Lol. Special treatment~

(L-R: Jinky Laurel (writer), Direk Ronnie Velasco, Enchong Dee)

He sat just infront of us, yet he didn’t see us until the time that my friend stood up and asked a question. Me? He only noticed when I was literally standing in front of him, and the people at the back were pushing to get to him. People were too busy, ahead of themselves, to get to him, while I am trying to get away from him so to make room for them. LOLOL.

For the discussion proper, here’s a compilation of the questions asked by the audience and their answers. Unfortunately, these are only the highlights(?) and related to the movie. They also talked about other non-related to Tuhog stuff, hehe.

I’m not sure if it’s included in the video but sir Mac (@macmerla) discussed the meaning behind the term “maindie” which may not be a familiar term to many mainstream movie goers. Simply put, as I’ve understood from his explanation, “maindie” means that the promotion aspect of the movie is done through mainstream means (like seeing it all over TV, as opposed to indie movies where it’s promoted by other non-conventional ways), while the concept and story of the movie remains indie/independent (to me, it sticks by the standards of Cinemalaya, something like that).

Last few photos.. here are the members of DLSU’s Team Comm organization presenting awards to the guests, and their group photo.

His smile in the middle pic (below).. IS IT JUST ME OR HE’S SMILING LIKE MICHAEL FASSBENDER?!?! WAH. *____*

Ssslightly going a little offtopic here to say that I’M SO HAPPY TO FINALLY MEET ONE OF MY ONLINE FRIENDS, Mary! 😊 Here’s my photos with diff people that day.. haha.

(L-R, Bottom: w/ @mave_nice (hello, Atenean! haha), @maryballesteros, Ms. Jinky Laurel and Direk Ronnie Velasco and @mave_nice (photo from Mave))

Excuse my face, prz. Haggard to the nth level. Sad.

Based from the tweets and feedback from people who have seen the movie, it’s good. A small group of people keep saying it’s copied from an episode of a certain Med TV series. I don’t really care.. lol. Everything is either a copy, rip off, or put in nicer terms “inspired by” something nowadays. I’m not saying that it is, because I’ve yet to watch it TBH! But I’m confident that it isn’t.

I’m just glad that hE didn’t think twice of accepting this project and just went with it. Gut instinct that it will be good for his career, maybe? I’ve always wanted to see him in other roles besides the typical characters guys his age in this industry portray. Finally, his real break has come. 😛 Do I hear a possible indie movie for him in a few years time? Hopefully. Hahahaha.

Keep pushing the envelope of ideas, Star Cinema. Four Sisters.. movie was actually good, too. And I’m not just being biased. It had the right blend of comedy and Filipino family values without being too OA and forced. And the pacing of the movie felt like it was really thoroughly planned. Unlike other local films I have watched in the past that went straight of “made for the sake of releasing a movie this year”.

You’re finally listening to the people, good for you! Kudos.

I refuse to say please because it sounds like I’m begging BUT…. if and when you can, TRY to or DO watch Tuhog!!! 😛 I’m not promising anything, but I am sure that it is different from the usual local mainstream movie we all know and probably don’t prefer to watch when put against an international film. 😛 I’m not gonna sugarcoat it with BS philosophy like what they say in the commercials that it will make you appreciate life, but instead.. if you want a smart movie for a change, try this one.

Special thanks to @mave_nice (Mave), and her friend from Team Comm, Harold, for letting us in despite not being current students (hehehe) and watch the symposium. 😀