Gay winners and a pride march

The lovely movie Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros recently opened in theaters. Written by Michiko Yamamoto (who wrote Magnifico) and directed by Aureaus Solito, the film won first prize at the First Films World Competition at the 29th Montreal Film Festival in Canada. For being the big winner, it was given the Golden Zenith Award. Ang Pagdadalaga comes from the efforts of UFO Films producer Raymond Lee.

It is a much-deserved award. It tells the story of a young gay boy named Maxi who lives in the slums of Manila with his father and two brothers who steal and sell cellular phones for a living. One day, he is saved from sexual harassment by a handsome policeman, and he falls in love with the older man.

Strong performances come from Nathan Lopez, who plays the pubescent gay man with such charm and artlessness. He can purse those lips, pay hommage to the karera ng daga impersonators, and give malagkit looks at the eye-candy of a cop that is Juancho Valentin – and you’re bowled over. Theater thespian Soliman Cruz plays the father who loves without question his gay son and his family of small-time criminals while Bodjie Pascua is the avenging angel of a policeman. Both deliver solid-gold performances.

Joey "Pepe" Smith does a bit role as an eccentric neighborhood piano player and does the soundtrack that wowed the guys at Montreal – one of the hippest, multicultural places in vast, winter-bound Canada.

Early reviews of the film were good, but I would like to pick nits with those who said it is not a gay film – as if a gay film needs to have go-go boys in skimpy briefs and knee-high faux-leather boots dancing to Guns N’ Roses all the time. This film is a coming-of-age story of a young gay man lucky enough to have a nest that is the family – a criminal family, yes, but one that is warm, open-minded, and loving to each other. It strikes a subtle spear point at those Filipino Catholic families who live in well-protected villages who deride, even disinherit, gay sons and brothers. Ang Pagdadalaga is a gay film in the finest tradition of filmmaking – a script without holes, a direction done with a steady hand, and a vision that is large enough to include love for those who are different.

By turns gritty (note the looban scenes in the slums) and lyrical (note the faces always shimmering with hope), this is one of the most moving films I have seen. As our good friend Aureaus said in his acceptance speech at Montreal, "We may be poor, but not in spirit."

Bravo!

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Freedom March Committee is now busy organizing the Pride March, or Freedom March, to be held on Dec. 10. Since Manila is giving us a difficult – and Kafkaesque – roundabout with its bureaucratic gobbledygook, we might hold the Freedom March in either Quezon City (Tomas Morato Ave.) or Makati City (Ayala Ave.). The Freedom March organizing committee is composed of the Task Force Pride, Lagablab, LeAP Inc., K2BGay, Ang Lunduyan, Rainbow for Change, Order of Saint Aelred and concerned individuals.

Quezon City councilor Janet "Babes" Malaya authored the landmark ordinance that now makes it punishable for companies to discriminate against LGBT people in the workplace. Moreover, the QC government has a Gender and Development (GAD) Office that takes care of official matters related to gender concerns. Makati naman is one of the few places in the metro where you can hold a friendly rally without cops thrusting their oily faces in your direction.

This is the 10th year of the Pride March, which brings together LGBT organizations and individuals, as well as our many friends and supporters from the non-LGBT communities. Our main agenda is to put in the forefront House Bill 634, or the Anti-Discrimination Bill against LGBT Filipinos filed in Congress by Akbayan Party-List Rep. Loretta Anne P. Rosales. We also want to stress the importance of the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution.

Last year, the Pride March involved more than 20 organizations and more than 2,000 people. It was covered live and reported nationwide in the tri-media of print, television, and radio. Even the foreign press organizations came in full force. More organizations and individuals will join us this year. The importance of the Pink Peso – the disposable income of middle – and upper-class LGBT Filipinos — has been recognized by the advertising and marketing industries. In fact, the financial clout of the LGBT community is one of the areas of growth in our blighted economic landscape.

With my begging bowl, I am now asking for help from companies, organizations, and individuals who could advertise in the souvenir program I am editing. You may also donate cash, goods, or services for this year’s Freedom March. For contact details, call Achieve Inc. at telefax 426-6147, or e-mail pinoylgbtmarch@gmail.com.

Like Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, this Freedom March is sure to be a winner.

* * *

Comments can be sent to danton.lodestar@gmail.com.