“I CAN'T really say, man. That’s up to you.”
I felt like I knew the answer. I did and I was sticking to it—with or without his blessing.
I smiled, bid the director congratulations and goodbye, said goodbye to a few more friends in the local film scene, and left the place astonished at the work director Christian Linaban (also the film’s writer and editor) had pieced together for three years. It’s dangerous to up-sell a product, but everything makes sense once one has seen the film from start to finish.
***
A filmmaker posted a status on Facebook about screening a locally produced film in an accessible venue here in Cebu City. I missed the first screening about a month back as I had to prepare for friends’ weddings that both happened consecutively for two weekends, first in Manila, then here in Cebu. But finally, here was my chance to see the film.
“So, what is this film about? What’s the premise?” my brother asked me, who I invited to watch the film as well together with his girlfriend. He had no idea what the film was about as he had “accidentally”—however, with great effect—deleted his Facebook app on his mobile phone.
I couldn’t really answer him too, actually. The first time I saw the trailer for SuperPsychoCebu, the description posted along with the video really helped put together the random clips shown. “A young man is on a quest to find a mythical strain of cannabis called the SuperPsychoCebu. Along the way, he meets characters that appear to have lost their minds after trying it, one of them even possessed by the Devil, at which point he starts questioning whether he’s in for some good weed or just one hell of a bad trip.”
So I was there at Full Moon Recreation Center last Friday for the trip, and invited a few more to take it with me. Post-hearty dinner, shoes off, squat by the mat right in front of the high-definition projection, lights out—it’s showtime.
The film started slow, in a way that it chose not to rush painting a picture of the lead character’s mundane existence. High and alone in a day of the week when everything slows down—it felt more organic this way. The film then follows its lead as he goes through town for an entire day searching for the ultimate drug. The film picked up the pace, jabbing at social, political and spiritual issues, until it was a furious mix of the preposterous and profound. The patterns of dialogues then broke beautifully with a wonderful cinematic rendition of one’s moments of insanity. It’s a stoner film with heart; also a university/college film as Linaban puts it, describing the youthful spunk and the closeness felt by all of the characters shown in the film. The sound was crisp, loud when it needed to be, and the English subtitles ensured that the viewing experience went on without any speed bumps.
As the credits rolled, it was pretty safe to assume that watching the film was money well spent. The director held a little Q&A portion right after the movie and waited for everyone to vacate the room, while waiting for the second batch of viewers to come in.
It was also then when I learned that they, local filmmakers, are trying to push for more regular screenings in the weeks to come, similar to local bands and their bar gigs. This is definitely something people should look forward to and support. I left the screening satisfied, but couldn’t help but ask the director about how the film ended.
“I can’t really say, man. That’s up to you.”