100 Years After the First Film on Rizal Comes “A mi Patria”

  

 

by Mirana Medina

The first film on Rizal was made in 1912. According to Vicente Salumbides’ Motion Pictures in the Philippines,  (c. 1952), a certain Mr. Yearsley who owned the Majestic Theater on Azcarrage St. near Bilibid, produced the silent movie, “Life of Dr. Jose Rizal / La Vida de Rizal.” Another American, E.M. Gross who operated the Zorilla Theater at Azcarraga [now Rizal Avenue] and Evangelista in Sta. Cruz, Manila also produced a film on Dr. Rizal’s life. Both films were simultaneously shown in Manila theaters.

One hundred (100 )years later, or this year [2012], A mi Patria [Inang-Bayan / To My Motherland] – a collection of selected Rizal’s poetry in film in four languages is  soon to be released. The Filipino Sign Language [FSL] version with a 10-min short biography of Rizal was finished last December 2011 while the spoken language versions: Spanish, English and Filipino – all with FSL interpretations — though all shot in 2011 were finished only in February 2012. Honorio Lopez acted as 1912; our versions have Aldrin Gabriel, Mark Steven Gaspar and Romalito Mallari as Rizal. All three of them are Deaf.

 

On June 19, 2012 in celebration of Dr. Jose Rizal’s 151th birthday, A mi Patria will launched at 3pm at the SDA Theater, DLS-CSB SDA Campus, P. Ocampo St., Manila.   Included in the launched will be an FSL version   and   all  the  versions.   

·        Sa Filipinas [Read in Filipino by Apolonio Chua, Interpreted in FSL by Aldrin Gabriel, Captioned in English]; 

 

·         To the Philippine Youth [Read in English by Roselle Pineda, Interpreted in FSL by Mark Gaspar, Captioned in Spanish]; 

·        Awit ni Maria Clara [Read in Filipino by Janette Pinzon, Interpreted in FSL by Jorelle Faytaren, Captioned in English]; 

·        A las Flores de Heidelberg [Read in Spanish by Beatriz Tardio-Alvarez, Interpreted in FSL, Captioned in English] and

·        Mi Ultimo Adios [Read in Filipino by Vim Nadera, Interpreted in FSL, Captioned in Spanish].

All poems were written by Dr. Jose Rizal.  

Originally entitled “Mga Natatanging Tula ni Rizal sa Wikang Senyas,” A mi Patria was produced by Miryad Visyon in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the DLS-CSB School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies. Direction and editing by Miranamedina.

A mi Patria will be launched on June 19, 2012, 3 pm at the SDA Theater,  5th floor DLS-CSB SDA Campus, P. Ocampo St, Manila. Tickets are priced at P150 and P100 for students with ID. For more inquiries, call: 5267441 loc 239, text: 0917-8698231 or email deaf.benildeans@benilde.edu.ph.

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Habitat for Humanity

A Hands-On Experience

By: Albert RJ O. Miranda

I have been wanting to do volunteer work for a long time, but it was only last May 12 that I was able to pursue it. I joined in the Habitat Youth Build 2012 project at Tanza, Navotas. What made this outreach activity more meaningful to me were the people I was with on that day: the Deaf-leader advocates and volunteers from the School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS). Our mission was to build houses for the families who lost their homes due to typhoon Pedring. 

The Deaf volunteers I was with range from faculty, students to personnel. Initially, I was anxious because my proficiency in signing can be compared to a nervous tourist visiting France, who stutters as he tries to say s'il vous plaît to a local. As any Filipino Sign Language (FSL) learner knows; it is one thing to sign during FSL class, it is another when you actually go out there and converse with the Deaf. Nonetheless, I think I did just fine, thanks to my Deaf team mates who were very accommodating. I even did a bit of interpreting as I relayed some instructions from Habitat for Humanity staff (oh, I am sure my FSL teachers would be proud of me).

So there I was, literally with my hands full, mixing cement, fetching water, stacking hollow blocks and signing in between. The need to lift heavy materials seemed a light task as everybody was working with a smile. Our bodies were scorched by the sun but we remained cool. We have sweated buckets but because of the camaraderie among us volunteers, it felt like a no sweat experience. 

I joined in the Habitat Youth Build 2012 to help others in need, but I was the one who gained a lot from the experience. The outreach program has given me a chance not only to build houses; it has also enabled me build my character as a person and fortified my relationship with the Deaf community.

ALBERT RJ O. MIRANDA works as a writer for the Center for Institutional Communications of DLS-CSB