Apr 10, 2008

Hugot: not your usual gay indie?

If you haven't heard of Hugot, that new Pinoy gay indie film that's having its premiere at the UP Diliman Film Center on April 23, then you must be living under a rock. (Or just stumbled onto this website, in which case, welcome!) To remind you, you can go to Migs' PR post (containing lots of publicity photos) or AJ's excellent paraphrasing of the original promotional synopsis. :-) So, I won't bother rehashing what the movie is all about (like the fact that it's a trilogy of short stories, like the various incarnations of the Shake, Rattle and Roll franchise).

Anyway, I got some inside scoop that some of the people behind the film are anxious that a few articles written about the film (such as in tabloids) have "mischaracterized" the nature of the movie. These production people are worried that viewers who have been moved to watch Hugot as a result of these articles might get mightily disappointed when they see the real thing. I've been given an idea by my source about what the "mischaracterization" is all about and while I can't divulge what it is, I can tell you that the content of the film apparently diverges from other recent indies like Sikil (read my review), Daybreak, and Ang Lihim ni Antonio. While I haven't actually seen the movie, it's probably safe to say that Hugot is not your usual Pinoy gay indie film.

Of course, it could all just be a PR stunt to generate more buzz for the film, but it certainly piqued my interest in watching the movie, though I'd have to wait for the regular screening instead of attending the premiere (blame it on work). And just for kicks, shown below is the trailer for the movie so that you read the cliché-ish line "one night will change their lives forever" again for the umpteenth time. So, do you plan on catching Hugot when it screens?

15 comments:

Anonymous wrote on April 11, 2008 at 4:13 AM:

to be very honest, i was mightily disappointed at the PR material that they sent out. So I had to paraphrase. I don't know if I had mischaracterized the story but I just felt like I really needed to paraphrase them. I don't wanna look like I wrot the promotional material now, do I? lol

 
Anonymous wrote on April 11, 2008 at 9:10 PM:

I think it is safe to say that I am interested to catch this when it show during its regular run (I'm a sucker for any gay indie film).
Of course, the usual suspects will watch it I suppose. AJ, Joel, Migs, Gibbs and Bakla Review (my usual partner in crime in watching indies)....its been sometimes since we caught an indie film together guys. Want to make a meetup of it? :P

 
Vince (Discreet Manila) wrote on April 12, 2008 at 1:10 PM:

AJ, well, I didn't think you mischaracterized it. I think that your version of the synopsis is actually better than the original. :)

Tony, so you guys usually go together? :)

 
. wrote on April 12, 2008 at 8:51 PM:

The last indie film that I saw was way back. Its subject is about masahistas who offer extra service. Forgot what the title of the movie is.

 
. wrote on April 12, 2008 at 9:18 PM:

Btw Vince, Queeriosity Palace is now open, maybe you would like to feature it in your blog. :)

 
Vince (Discreet Manila) wrote on April 12, 2008 at 11:18 PM:

Mugen, maybe the movie you're talking about is Masahista, which starred Coco Martin? As for Queeriosity Palace, yep, I plan to go there sometime in the future so that I can feature it in the blog. :-)

 
. wrote on April 13, 2008 at 11:30 PM:

Yes it was the movie masahista. Hehe. The film actually inspired me to check the scene myself. Ehehe.

I'd be looking forward to your entry about Queeriosity. :)p

 
Anonymous wrote on April 14, 2008 at 3:13 AM:

We hangout quite often (well not so often these days).... but I usually catch indie films (with or without gay themes) with Bakla Review. We both find that it adds more enjoyment of the film when you watch it with someone who both loves indies and all things gay. :P

Went to Queeriosity the other day to show my support for the owner... I must say that I am very interested to hear what you have to say about it. :D

 
Anonymous wrote on April 14, 2008 at 3:18 AM:

oo nga pala.... mugen, its a funny coincidence that you mentioned Queeriosity Palace on a post about Hugot. These two things have something in common that most people probably would not know. A bit of trivia actually. :P

 
Anonymous wrote on April 14, 2008 at 6:27 AM:

Watch it 2t the U.P Film Center this April 23. 7 pm. Tickets at 100 pesos only... See you there!

 
Anonymous wrote on April 14, 2008 at 4:38 PM:

lobster-tony,sorry for being so out of touch, but what is that something in common between the movie hugot and the bar queeriosity?

 
Vince (Discreet Manila) wrote on April 15, 2008 at 1:17 AM:

Tony, let me guess, a scene in Hugot takes place in QP? Or the director/producer of Hugot owns QP? :D

 
Anonymous wrote on April 27, 2008 at 3:11 PM:

it's really the unusual gay story ...i've watched it but i can say it's not worth watching for...you cannot play it to robinson's galleria...i told my friend jobben bello (who's the production designer/actor of the film)....you can't compare it to other indie films like roxxxane and sikil...non sense, mukhang tinipid...where can you find a film na aktibista sila pero wala ni isang part do'n that they were activists...i've read its script before but it's really not good.

 
Anonymous wrote on June 11, 2008 at 3:16 PM:

Hugot, showing on June 18 to 24 at Robinson's Galleria Indie Sine

The three-part movie Hugot stars sexy-actress and award-winner Ana
Capri. She acts opposite newcomers Jerome Ebreo, Christopher
Canizares, Cris Castillo, and Alvin Espinosa.

Written and directed by Jonison Fontanos, Hugot will have its first
public run on June 18 to 24 at the Robinson's Galleria Indie Sine
Cinema 8 owing to its successful premiere in UP Film Institute last
April 23, 2008.

Ana Capri, who sports short hair in this digital film, has been
named Best Actress twice in the Cinemanila International Film
Festival. Her first award was for Pila-Balde (1999); the second, for
Ala Verde, Ala Pobre (2005). She also received the Best Actress
award during the 2007 Golden Screen Awards, also for Ala Verde, Ala
Pobre, a film by Briccio Santos.

Trailer: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=9VxMKBnatzQ

HUGOT Movie Review

"Hugot is commendable for its witty dialogues, its attempt to
appropriate postmodern treatments of fragmentation and metafiction,
and its close simulation of urban social reality…

It can be viewed beyond the sex element and the title's phallic
overtone, for the blogger's voice-over at the onset of the story
rings truth: "Lahat ng kuwento, may paghuhugutan. "

Whether one becomes a victim or one becomes an exploiter of power,
one has a story to tell, drawn from the richness of experience, no
matter how dehumanizing the experience may be…"

Cesario B Minor, blogger

http://littlegapane se.blogspot. com/2008/ 04/drawing- social-realist-
experience-in. html

 
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