No Copy

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
August 11, 2014

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Coco Martin earned his career in indies—Kinatay, Masahista, Serbis—before going mainstream. Dennis Trillo, Nova Villa, Vilma Santos, Judy Ann Santos, and Nora Aunor, among others, on the other hand, enjoyed the commercial limelight before starring in Cinemalaya independent films. What, wait, what’s happening? Could big actors dabbling in small-production indie movies mean they’re fed up with the default, happy-ever-after ending of our commercial flicks? Maybe. Maybe not. Could the extension of indie projects—Vilma Santos’ Ekstra had extra movie play dates—after the film fest mean that moviegoers are now ready for intellectual stimulation? Maybe. Maybe not.

Cinemalaya guest judge Bird Runningwater.
(Portrait by Tony Pionilla )

Cinemalaya’s 10th year birthday ended with a bang. People from all walks of life (but youngsters were the major captured audience) laughed, cried, smiled along with the fresh, yet again, concept of this year’s roster of films—from poverty to sex and drugs and gay relationships. Last night’s fresh crop of winners is a testament to how far Pinoy indie movies have come.

Outside Cinemalaya, indies enjoyed appreciation around the world: Bwakaw, Babagwa, Transit, Engkwentro, among many others, won in internationalfilm fests.

Cinemalaya’s goal is to express and give avenues for fresh filmmakers and audiences seeking unconventional stories. And it has been successful in this aspect. But then again, changing the movie preference of the entire nation—masses included—takes baby steps. Cinemalaya is willing to crawl.

MB Lifestyle sits down with one of its guest judges, Sundance Institute’s Native American and Indigenous Program director Bird Runningwater to talk about what else, movies.

What were your expectations in this year’s Cinemalaya entries?

I tried not to have any expectation but I knew the work of Cinemalaya for the past 10 years. I knew that I would get to see something distinct, diverse, and original. We played the Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros at Sundance and we played Halaw by Sheron Dayoc. They brought something personal and interesting on the screen. I haven’t watched any mainstream Filipino movie though.

How is Cinemalaya like Sundance?

Twelve thousand movie entries are submitted to us every year and we end up picking about 200 films. We look for something original, authentic, and untold. I can feel that Cinemalaya is very similar to this approach. I’m really impressed with the audiences here in Cinemalaya, with how young they are. In the States, they are much older.

What are the weaknesses of Pinoy indies?

I can’t really say. All the films are particularly accomplished. It’s hard to believe that some of these directors are directing for the first time. They exceeded other work that I’ve seen in fests around the world. It’s really inspiring to see how committed everybody is.

If you’re to give pointers though, what would they be?

I just think that because the selection of what’s been screened is so diverse, it’s a good representation of the breadth of the Filipino society. I think you would love to avoid trying to characterize the Filipino society as just one thing. There are films coming from Metro Manila, coming from the provinces, showing that diversity.

Based on what you’ve seen, how are Pinoy movies at par with Hollywood or Sundance?

It’s competitive. I don’t work and watch Hollywood films. I work in the independent side of the American film so I think that indie films in the Philippines are the same thing  as the independent films in America. We’re all fighting against commercial films. There’s an uphill struggle and I don’t think Filipino movies need to be like American blockbuster films.

But are you comfortable with Pinoy movies imitating Hollywood/American movies?

Many global movies do this, regardless. I don’t know why (Laughs). I don’t know why you try to mimic Hollywood.

What makes a movie bad and good?

Originality, of how well you can take me as an outsider, as a native American or an American, to a place I’ve never been before and to relate to a new world. I think a bad movie is trying to mimic a Hollywood film (Laughs).

What future awaits the indie movies?

I think people are getting fatigued with the typical blockbuster films that are constantly being turned out. People have more options on how they can watch a film nowadays. The advancement of technology is diversifying everything. Some filmmakers don’t even worry about getting their movie into a theater. They’ll just put it online. I think there’s a lot more hope for stories to be told just like the Cinemalaya.

25 Signs You're A Millennial

You know you’re a millennial if…

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
August 10, 2014

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Millennials hate it when  you call them, well, millennials. Whatevs. Technically speaking, you’re a Millennial if you were born between 1980 and 2000. But are you a true-blue member? If you’ve ticked more than five of the signs below, congrats, welcome to the hood!

1. You’re a #selfielord, #selfiewhore. No one knows your good angle like you do. What’s wrong with documenting your every move and sharing your pics with a phrase from the Bible? Hashtag, no filter.

2. #You #hashtag #everything

3. LOL is so last season. You can perfectly understand WDYMBT, TBH, BAE without difficulty. (Just in case an oldie *ehem* is reading this, millennials are generous with info: WDYMBT What do you mean by that?, TBH to be honest, BAE before anyone else. Now you know.)

4. You dig memes. Whoever invented memes is a genius—because memes feel your feels.

5. You have taken a #selfie while waiting for an LRT ride or anywhere with a full-length mirror. 1..2..3..*duckface* click and share.

6. You check Twitter for news. A 140-character headline is enough. Long article? TL; DR (too long; didn’t read)

7. Just as you barhop every effin’ night, you job hop every time the opportunity arises.  The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says Millennials are expected to stay in their job for two years. The boss is too bossy? Right, I’mma get my resignation letter ready. #YOLO

8. You have a lot to do—refreshing your IG and FB page is one of them.

9. You have IGed your sweet convo with your bf.

10. You dig mash-ups: Remixed songs, food fusions, mixed-up names (think Brangelina)…

11. Your motto is “I don’t care, I love it!” USA Today says Millenials are willing to shell out big bucks on coffee, booze, and fast food.

12. You love the O.C., Dawson’s Creek, Gossip Girl, Girls,Tabing Ilog, G-Mik, nothing beats good old romance series. We’re sure you’ve screencapped your fave kilig moment and #TBT it.

13.“You can’t sit with us.” “On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” “Beware of plastics.” You are a true Mean Girl if you know these lines by heart (and we’re sure you’ve used these in one of your friendly convos with the new girl in campus/office). Your movie player’s so fed up playing a Lindsay Lohan-movie on a Friday night.

14. You’ve rocked floral jeggings or John Lloyd-pants where you fold up your skinny jeans two inches. It cuts your height and makes you appear shorter, but who cares? It’s in the Millennial lookbook.

15. You love Buzzfeed, Reddit, 9Gag…CNN and TV Patrol are so for the oldies.

16. You know Taylor Swift’s songs by heart. And when we talk about Taylor, we talk about our exes, because you know, Millennials love sharing their feelings in public.

17. Wikipedia is your primary source of information.

18. Everyone knows where you spent your weekend, what you ate, what time you went to bed. #TMI

19. Forget about long, boring theater plays or music videos on YouTube. Cute, funny 30-second cat videos are way cooler. Millennials have short attention span like that of a five-year-old. Better get to the punch line quick.

20. You are scared of the “real” world—marriage, getting a stable job, starting a family.

21. Four letters: F-A-M-E. Thanks to YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,  and blogs, anyone can snatch a spotlight. Enjoy your 30 seconds!

22. You live a double life—online and offline. #Exciting.

23. U’ve nver spelld out a word in a txt. Abbrev is so cool.

24. The world is in your hands because really, there are apps for everything.

25. Shut up. It’s all about me, me, me!

Why do planes still fly even during a storm, and other great flight fears answered

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
August 3, 2014

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First, Malaysian Airlines MH 370 went MIA. MH17 was shot down. Taiwan TransAsia Airways followed suit. It crashed during landing attempt amid a raging storm. Scary. The series of unfortunate events made people think of crazy theories. Will aliens invade us? While women are more likely to suffer from aviaphobia or the fear of flying, everybody’s fair game when 36,000 feet above sea level.

So how can you beat your flying anxiety? Munch your worries away. Studies claim that in-flight meals (no matter how bland they may be) help break the monotony of flying. Eating also makes you sleepy and voila, you’ve safely landed just in time before you hit the snooze button. Still, here are five of your greatest flight fear questions, with answers straight from the air experts.

HOW CAN YOU ASSURE PASSENGERS THAT EVERY LUGGAGE HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY CHECKED FOR BOMBS AND EXPLOSIVES?

Remember when you had to take off your shoes and K9 dogs had to sniff your sweaty socks and body? It was a hassle, right? Nowadays, most, if not all local security check-ins do not bother to check the passenger’s shoes. Dubbed as the World’s Worst Airport by many websites, NAIA has a laxer approach when it comes to security. In the US, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), besides scanning the passengers and their luggage, mandates passengers to go through the Advanced Image Technology, where authorities can see any concealed items under clothes and even inside your body. “TSA does random checks for traces of explosives. The officers may swab your hands or your luggage to check for any presence of explosive residue,” says Ana Isabel Adona, a flight attendant from a major US carrier. “Sometimes, they will randomly open bags and search. If they do, they are required by law to leave a note inside your bag that it had been searched. Padlocks are not allowed on your bag,” she adds.

WHY DO PLANES STILL FLY—LIKE TAIWAN’S TRANSASIA AIRWAYS—EVEN WHEN THE WEATHER’S BAD?

“There is a go-signal from the tower that monitors the weather, so if they say it’s a go, we fly. If they assess it’s not safe, we wait until the weather clears out,” says a Cebu Pacific crew member, who asked not to be named. “Actually, an aircraft won’t fly if there’s a bad weather looming. We have PAGASA to decide if we should cancel flight schedules. Most or all plane crashes are caused by technical problems or terrorism,” says Michael Fronda of Kuwait Airways. Adds Ana Adona, “There are a few factors to consider whether the plane will fly through bad weather or not. The number one factor will be the flight route. Sometimes, the US Air Traffic Control can order the pilots to go around the weather area. In this case, they should consider how much fuel they are carrying. The more fuel they have, the more capacity they have to reroute and hold up or standstill in the air. The plane may also circle around an airport until it is safe to land. If the plane is already up in the air and there is a bad weather around, the planes that are ahead can radio in and warn the other planes taking the same route.”

“Flying through bad weather causes severe turbulence and often times causes aircraft to vibrate and jolt. In the case of the Taiwanese carrier, the flight plan looked as if the weather was out of the area. Storms sometimes do hover or take longer than projected to move out of the area,” says Nat Brandt, a crew member of a US airline.

IS THERE A DOCTOR ON BOARD IF I GET SICK OR HAVE AN ATTACK?

Flight attendants are trained for medical emergency, including childbirth. There is no doctor on board but flight attendants know how to perform first-aid treatment and CPR, among others. FAs undergo rigid trainings from grooming to customer service to security (some are trained in Aikido!) to aircraft structure and safety procedures. The flight may conduct an emergency landing in the nearest airport depending on the medical emergency.

WHAT ABOUT POLICEMEN? IS THERE A NEED FOR COPS?

Most of the airlines have air security forces called air marshals, who are dressed in plainclothes, says Michael of Kuwait Airways. The Philippines, however, does not have air marshals, a Cebu Pacific crew member adds. Instead, the FAs are trained to handle threats on board. In the United States and other first world countries, marshals are especially trained by the government to protect the flight deck. Only the flight crew knows their identities. “Nowadays, if something was to happen onboard, passengers usually jump in to help the crew. After the Sept. 11, 2001 (attack), people’s mindset has changed and will help to stop anyone trying to jeopardize the flight,” says Brandt.

WHAT ARE AIRLINE CREWS MOST AFRAID OF?

It’s a no brainer. Airline crews are mostly scared of plane crashes. “I am most afraid of ditching, when you make an emergency landing on water, because the chances of survival are very slim. The plane usually breaks in half and is damaged just like when you crash on a terrain,” says Ana Adona. Adds Chynn Tiu, who flies with a Middle Eastern airliner, “Since I’m pretty secure that our airline is safe, and that we’re trained to handle almost anything, I’m personally terrified of medical emergencies that I might not have enough experience to handle.”

Oh well, what are the odds of plane crashes? Worldwide, there are about 90,000 commercial airline departures every day, says the International Civil Aviation Organization. When factoring in flights around the globe, Discovery.com says the odd of dying in a plane crash is one in 11 million. Who’s up for weekend travel?

#Represent

This domestic helper is an international photographer

Fresh from her international features in the New York Times and Vogue Italia, the buzzed-about Hong Kong domestic helper slash photographer Xyza Bacani revisits Manila to stage her first ever photography talk.

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
July 13, 2014

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“I seldom talk. I only talk when I have something important to say,” self-proclaimed wallflower Xyza Cruz Bacani says. In her introversion, she has devised a powerful mouthpiece that speaks volumes: photography. Now, the buzzed-about Hong Kong domestic helper, who photographs poetic, random shots, revisits Manila to talk about her penchant for photography.

“It helps me forget. Nothing else is important when I shoot. It’s just me, my camera, and the street. The joy of shooting one good photo for a day is priceless,” says Xyza, the 27-year-old helper to an ageing Chinese-Australian.

Xyza is back home for a one-day photography talk, dubbed “The X is Home,” in partnership with Fujifilm. She says she wants to share her skills with aspiring shutterbugs. “Just keep the passion burning. No matter what you feel, what you do, find time to grab your camera and shoot. The more you shoot, the luckier you get,” says Xyza, who despite the loads of international features and hectic schedule as a DH, still finds time to click her cam.

For her, photography is a “silent, wordless means of communication,” which protects her from discrimination and racism in Hong Kong, which can be remembered as the nation that published a textbook where Pinoy overseas workers are stereotyped as maids. And recently, though it was already removed from airtime, Hong Kong put up a commercial where a helper named Maria was painted as dumb and very dark.

Xyza adds passionately, “Photography is a universal language—the language of freedom and equality. In photography, there’s no gender, there’s no age, there’s no social status, color, or race. We speak one language, and nothing of those stereotypes.”

She says if she were to give advice to her fellow overseas workers, it would be to love oneself first. “Sometimes, OFWs give so much they don’t leave anything for themselves. I say, develop a sense of self love because nobody can take that away from you.”

EBONY AND IVORY Xyza Bacani says a photographer needs to be a ninja—fast and accurate—in order to freeze the moment and take a good photo. Photos from flickr/xyzabacani

Hers though is a lucky story and as a sort of giving back, she plans to help the plight of her kababayans. Her boss, the same businesswoman who employed her mother, Georgia, for the last two decades has been helping her family. Xyza says her boss asked her to work for her when she was still in her hometown in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. She flew to Hong Kong and followed her mom. “I grabbed the opportunity. It’s the smartest thing to do. I turned my life 180 degrees to help my family,” she says. It is also her boss whom she asked for a loan to sustain her luxurious hobby. Xyza bought a Nikon D90 from the borrowed money. And since then, hasn’t stopped from taking photographs.

“I love street photography because of the challenge of creating something that can never be repeated. I like finding the extra in the ordinary and immortalizing people in my photographs,” says Xyza, who’s into all kinds of art, but unfortunately, she hasn’t developed the same expertise in them as she had in photography.

“I tried studying and teaching myself painting, but I wasn’t blessed with Picasso’s talent. I tried music and playing the guitar, but they are not for me. I really wanted to do something that I could express myself clearly without the need to talk,” she elaborates. “And I also want to learn something new, and since photography is challenging, I got hooked.”

Her black and white candid shots of random places and faces have been featured in New York Times. Some of her photos are on Vogue Italia’s website. For three years now, she has also been a National Geographic magazine finalist in the Hong Kong best open documentary photo.

There is one requirement in street photography though. Besides the eyes for it, one has to be a wallflower or a ninja to take a powerful, candid photo. “Be a ninja. Blend with your surroundings and anticipate. Let the scene unfold and click. If they catch you, just smile and leave, but if they ask you to delete the photo, do so out of respect.” Xyza has deleted one too many random stolen shots.

Since her feature in international papers, Xyza says there are offers for her to go professional, but she wants to focus on what she has started, including her documentaries about the plight of unfortunate OFWs. “I still shoot for my soul, although there are offers here and there.  I want to focus more on what I have started. I carefully pick what projects to do.”

It may seem as a no brainer. With international features and left and right offers, it is too easy to forget about her work as a domestic helper and start a career as a photographer, to stay here in Manila for good. But Xyza thinks otherwise. “When photography pays more than I earn now as a domestic helper, only then will I go pack my bags and start a new life. If not, it’s not the smartest thing to do. My priority is still my family,” says Xyza, who has invested in a house and lot and an apartment building in the Philippines.

FTWinhoffer

(For the win) Hoffer

Grind it, roll it, sweat it, shake it with Nicole Winhoffer, superstar dancer, celebrity fitness trainer, and fierce Pinay.

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
July 27, 2014

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Besides her legendary pop songs (“Like A Prayer,” “Vogue,” “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” “Material Girl”), there’s one more thing Madonna is known for—her insane, chiseled body. And she’s 55!  Through the years, Her Madgesty has maintained her svelte, sexy silhouette, especially her toned arms, which she flaunts in her music videos and Instagram page. Is she really in her 50s? We’re so dropping the honey-glazed donut right now. But this we know for sure: Madge wasn’t born that way, she worked hard for it.

Nicole Winhoffer showing her signature exercise moves; Iza Calzado and Rajo Laurel gamely join the group; Participants sweat it out for health and fitness; Fitness guru, artist (Images by Keith Dador)

So what goes on in her daily workout? Personal fitness trainer Filipino-German Nicole Winhoffer, who used to work with the queen of pop, shares the secret—among many other bust-your-butt moves—in a one-hour exercise routine presented by Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health magazines as part of her #BeFitForLove tour. Are you ready to die?

Clad in an all black ensemble, the New York-based dancer and fitness expert starts stretching. Nicole says she doesn’t like to focus on one part of the body, which she applies when training Madonna, whom she met four years ago during the “Sticky and Sweet” music tour. “I met Madonna in 2008 as a dancer and working with her reinforced me the idea of female empowerment.” Among her other clients are A-listers Rachel Weisz, Stella McCartney, and Steven Klein.

LET’S GET PHYSICAL Cosmopolitan’s Myrza Sison (middle) flanked by #BeFitForLove participants Rajo Laurel, Iza Calzado, Boom Sason, Lara Parpan, Mitzi Borromeo, and Toni Saret

What makes Nicole’s approach different? “I always challenge the body. I’m gonna make you sweat,” she warns. Nicole is known for creating strong workout methods intended for endurance and agility tests. She uses innovative designs and movement especially targeting one’s shoulders, waist, and butt. In 2012, Madonna and Nicole collaborated for the release of their four-disc DVD workout series called “Addicted to Sweat,” which combined innovative dance routines, toning, and cardio trainings.

Nicole Winhoffer is part Pinay and German. Her mom is a Filipino.

“Addicted to Sweat is the name of the workout created for the gym Hard Candy. It’s heavily dance- and music-based. People get to experience how to move their bodies in new ways. It’s very difficult. A lot of people don’t make it through,” Nicole says, laughing. Oh no.  After 10 minutes of “warm up and stretching” celebrity health buffs Tweetie de Leon, Iza Calzado, Rajo Laurel, fitness coach Toni Dimaguila-Saret, and the other participants who signed up for an intense training were looking like they just stepped out of a sauna bath. But there’s no turning back. The first half of the helluva routine was dedicated to warming up, stretching the thighs and buttocks and back. For another 30 minutes, Nicole leads the girls through a particularly fast tempo. She runs around the room. She sways. She rocks her body. She says anybody can do it. But she must be joking—“this is a torture,” one of the girls says.

An upbeat, “sick” music playlist—think Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyonce, Missy Eliott, and Jay-Z—always plays loud in Nicole’s dance floor. In Nicole’s signature exercise routines, she uses props (balls, towels, chairs) and does high repetition moves. “For all my clients in general, I do full body workout, targeting the muscles we don’t use every day, like our triceps, because everything we do is forward. We hug forward. We high five forward. We neglect our back, that’s why we get love handles,” Nicole explains. So what makes someone sexy? “A girl who doesn’t give a f*ck,” says Nicole without batting an eyelash.

Your home, Hollywood style

by Nickky Faustine De Guzman
July 20, 2014

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Dreaming of a dwelling inspired by Hollywood movies and TV series? Pottery Barn brings glamour and a slice of Americana to Filipino houses.

Hollywood movies give Filipino fans a plethora of things to love and be inspired about—themes, plots, OSTs, and even house interior décors.

If you’ve seen romcom movies You’ve Got Mail by Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks and Life as We Know It starring Josh Duhamel and Katherine Heigl, perhaps you’ve been inspired by Meg Ryan’s New York apartment or Josh and Katherine’s colonial house.

Images by Pinggot Zulueta

They look like something straight from a Pottery Barn catalogue, all thanks to their classic, iconic American interior design: lampshade in the corner, huge paintings, chunky upholstered couch and loveseats, center table with candles and magazine piles, and family frames on a wooden table.

“People who are not from North America usually know our aesthetic, because they see us on movies or on a TV series like Friends,” says Pottery Barn vice president for public relations and marketing communications Leigh Oshirak, who was in Manila early this week to launch the iconic American brand. Pottery Barn, an American home (indoor and outdoor) furnishing retailer originally founded in 1949 in New York City, finds its first store in Southeast Asia, thanks to its partnership with Stores Specialists Inc. The first local flagship store is at Central Square mall in Bonifacio Global City.

WELCOME HOME Pottery Barn offers home essentials and kid accessories.

Unfortunately, Leigh says the iconic apothecary table featured on Friends, which is one of the more well-known designs, has long been discontinued. “We update collections every season—that episode was like 14 or 15 years ago,” laughs Leigh. “The apothecary table is not something we call our core item, but perhaps there will be a demand here. We’ll see!”  (Or perhaps some beddings and pillows as seen on ABC’s Modern Family?)

Pottery Barn also carries leather goods, like a chunky Manhattan chair upholstered in fine leather or a treasure box that transforms into a mini cabinet or a tabletop.

“Our design is universal. There’s something here for everyone,” adds Pottery Barn vice president for global merchandising Michelle Hummel. “That’s house pride, you know, when people walk in your house and you have a good interior design.”

Their artisans based in San Francisco travel and curate designs and materials. Pottery Barn’s cotton is from Turkey, rugs from India, ceramics from Portugal, Vietnam, and China. But not everything is imported. Among racks of handmade rugs and sofas and faux coral reef and flowers are some familiar items on display, like handmade rattan baskets.

“When you talk about baskets, I think the Philippines is the best in the trade. We know that the Philippine culture loves to entertain, loves a good, homey ambiance. And it’s quite ironic that it’s only now that we open a store here when we’ve been doing business together for a long time,” says Leigh. Pottery Barn general manager Neil Gazmen adds that the rattan baskets and some sea bass ottomans are handwoven by 40 vendors locally sourced from Pampanga, Cebu, and Metro Manila. “They are well-loved in the US,” he says.

Pottery Barn also takes pride in its free consultation services. They have two in-house design studio specialists. (One is for the kids section. Pottery Barn Kids offer baby beds, bags, and light fixtures, among others.) “It’s one of our signature services. We always get phone calls like, ‘Hey, I’m having a dinner party, can you come to my home?’ We don’t just drop the items on your front door and wish you good luck,” says Leigh. She adds that they’ve done bachelor pads, college dorm makeovers, and “getting married and unmarried” services.

“We have everything, from small to all. We have different blueprints for multiple lifestyles and home solutions for all kinds of spaces,” adds Leigh.

The collections change every six weeks. Currently on display are the summer sets. Next month, the fall collection is set to be launched. Expect a color palette of indigo blue, yellow, and deep red. And as soon as the “ber” months roll in, the holiday collection will take the spotlight. We can’t wait!