Ricky Lee hopes more Filipinos return to cinemas and support local films
National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee wished that more Filipinos will return to the cinemas and watch local films. He also urged the government to give more assistance to the film and entertainment industry in the same way the Korean entertainment industry has received strong support from its government.
“May mga nanonood na sa atin, pero ‘pag pumasok ka sa sinehan, sometimes there are only two, three or four people inside the theaters, so nakakalungkot na isipin na ganun,” Lee said during the Pandesal Forum held recently at the Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City. He was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII).
“Abroad actually andami ng nanonood, andaming pumapasok. I think (streaming) will not go away because it has become a habit of the people to watch content via streaming. But I think eventually andami ng manonood sa sinehan kasi iba pa rin yung experience when you watch inside a movie house, when you look at the big screen and then you surrender yourself totally to the big screen,” he told The STAR.
“When you watch a film on streaming devices, you control eh. You can edit it, you can post it… so you’re in control. The experience of watching a movie (in theaters), when you just let go, when you just lose control and let the story envelop you and bring you where it wants to go, it’s a very rare experience that you cannot experience while you are watching on streaming platforms. So, I hope that we really, really get back to watching films in movie houses,” he furthered.
Moreover, Lee shared the opinion of film industry executives that holding film festivals, such as the Metro Manila Film Festival, QCinema International Film Festival and Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, will also facilitate in encouraging people to return to theaters.
“Yung Cinemalaya, punong-puno yung mga sinehan lalo na sa CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) maski na pandemic pa rin. So people are really eager to go inside the theater. Pero yung mapuno ang theater ngayon, it may take time because mahirap ang mga tao. Andaming pagkakagastusan. Ang mahal-mahal ng price ng ticket. So, I suppose the government should help.”
He also stated the Philippines should learn from the Korean wave or Hallyu which includes K-pop and K-dramas. “I think there’s nothing wrong with watching foreign films, especially K-dramas where we can learn so much. But we also have to support our local content.”
“The thing with K-dramas kasi malinaw yung the Korean pride,” he observed. “’Pag nanood ka kitang-kita mo yung pride nila na Korean sila. From the food, to the music, hanggang sa damit (all the way to their fashion). The Korean pride is there. (It’s) very, very strong. I think that’s one thing that we can learn. I think we have Filipino pride pero kulang pa. I think pwede pa nating i-push yung pagiging Filipino. Because we tend to… nakatingin tayo sa labas. Medyo na-colonized yung mind (natin).”
The renowned screenwriter likewise noted how the Korean government strongly supported its entertainment business, which he believes is what the local industry people “badly need.”
He asserted, “I think we need more support from the government and not only from the private entities. Yung Korean content, it worked, na-a-appreciate siya all over the world because it comes as a wave. You have K-pop, K-drama, Korean food, Korean costume, so sabay-sabay sila. It’s like a wave that’s being supported by the government. Umagos sa buong mundo ng tulong-tulong.”
“Hindi sila hiwa-hiwalay which I think sa atin dapat ganun din. Tulong-tulong ang Pinoy music, Pinoy TV, Pinoy movies, Pinoy food, lahat yan supported by the government at lahat ng kailangan pa para sumuporta. We go as a wave dala-dala natin ang Pinoy pride over Filipino content.”
Meanwhile, Lee said that the FFCCCII award is “very important” to him because it “brings me back to my Filipino-Chinese roots.”
“Hindi na ako masyadong marunong mag-Chinese. I stopped studying Chinese when I was in Grade 5, when my father died. But I can understand a little Chinese. I just can’t speak it and I still know my Chinese name.”
The first screenplay he co-wrote was Dragnet in 1973. The film starred Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada as an undercover police officer, who investigates a drug syndicate.
“That was my first film and it portrayed the Chinese in a very good light. Usually ang Chinese, when they are portrayed in Philippine movies, mga chekwa, mga katatawanan stereotype. (But in Dragnet) I think that’s one of the first portrayal of Chinese that’s positive. Dun ako nagsimula,” he said of the film that gave him his break.
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