Italian Nanlaban in SELFIE

Posted on April 30, 2019

from right: Alessandro Antonelli & Pietro Orlando are just typical teenagers dealing with the loss of their friend. SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

Written by

Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

Years ago about 2012, I could still remember the day when FDCP Chairman Briccio Santos thanked Cine Europa organizers namely the Italian, French, Spanish, German embassies and so on for ‘generously providing’ their films for Filipinos to view and experience for free. Namely because these films he said provided ‘a window to these cultures’ that can benefit us in so many ways. As much as I understood and appreciated what he said about the ‘window’ it wasn’t as clear to me how it could benefit us Filipinos at least directly or quickly.

Pietro shoots a video of a ‘harana’, a father hires a professional singer to serenade his daughter on her birthday. SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

But after watching SELFIE by director Agostino Ferente as part of the Italian Movie Mov at the FDCP Cinemathque, I began to have a better idea of what Santos was saying. With this movie it wasn’t just a window but a mirror. It became a point of comparison that gives us Filipinos an invaluable insight to our own culture and what’s currently happening to our country today. This film coming from the other side of the world is particularly relevant for us.

from left: Agostino Ferrente and Mario Sesti; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. Photo by Jude Bautista

It’s the first movie I’ve watched that is almost completely shot with a cellphone. I was pleasantly surprised with the image quality considering we were viewing it in a cinema. Edited in between are footage from CCTV, only minimally just as establishing shot to show exteriors. No less than Steven Soderbergh shot his horror movie UNSANE with a cellphone.

CCTV as establishing shot; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

But SELFIE takes it a step further by actually giving creative control to their ‘characters’ or ‘subjects’ as a documentary. It’s almost like a daily video diary. The subjects shoot themselves selfie style and address the camera (cellphone) with a narration as they see fit. That doesn’t sound entertaining at all but because we’re so used to that prevalent ‘style’ on Youtube / all over the web, it seems acceptable.

Sara Cardone; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

Quite surprisingly it becomes compelling in its own way. You’re not thinking about technique or how the story is told but you tend to focus on what’s being said. It’s more about content, rather than the ‘beauty’ of the shot, the sound or effects. It is everything that AVENGERS END GAME is not – a slick, visual effects laden Hollywood blockbuster. (It was released the same week) But for me the message is far more powerful and compelling especially for Filipinos.

Cristina Moricca and Agostino Ferrente; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. Photo by Jude Bautista

Ferente was on hand to briefly talk about his work before the screening. And he was able to share that except for telling his subjects to hold the cellphone, talk about themselves, shoot themselves the way they wanted to, there were no other directions he gave them. According to him he didn’t want to be a filter from the ‘subjects’ to the audience. But he’s being modest because being able to ‘select’ the subjects and when they were shooting the video are as vital as any other creative decision.

Pietro Orlando hangs out by Davide Bifolco’s headstone. SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

SELFIE is about how a 16-year-old Davide Bifolco in Naples was accidentally killed by a cop who claimed he thought he was a drug suspect. Two of his friends are the principal subjects (of the docu) who shoot videos of themselves and narrate: Alessandro Antonelli and Pietro Orlando. The rest who shoot and narrate are credited as auditions. Alessandro and Pietro account for more than 80% of the ‘movie’.The videos are more about how they deal with Davide’s death. They each have their own way of mourning even a year after the tragic death.

Alessandro & Pietro take a dip seaside in Leranto, Sorrento Peninsula. SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

Police later admitted it was a case of mistaken identity and Davide Bifolco had nothing to do with drugs. This is a story that we Filipinos are very much familiar with. It’s an incident that happens so often that cops here have a general term for it: Nanlaban. The literal translation is ‘fought back’ that’s why cops claim they had no choice but to kill them.

Pietro Orlando is an aspiring hairstylist and practices on BFF Alessandro Antonelli.SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

During the intro director Agostino Ferente, said that he could never go through watching a screening without having to cry or shed tears. The cynic in me wondered, doesn’t he know there are actually thousands of Filipinos shot and killed here the past few years through extra judicial killings or (deaths under investigation)? How would he feel if he knew that kids far younger than Davide were killed here?

Cristina Moricca and Agostino Ferrente; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. Photo by Jude Bautista (10)

To give proper context a mere 4 days after the screening April 28, 2019, 6 year old Gian Habal was shot dead accidentally in Caloocan. Police officer Corporal Rocky Delos Reyes claimed he was chasing a drug suspect. According to Grandmother Elsa Montañez, after seeing what happened to her grandson, she grabbed a hold of Delos Reyes and would not let go. That’s when the officer shot her in the foot as well and fled the scene.Story from PDI: Boy Killed in Shootout Between Cop Drug Suspect

Photo from PhilStar fb page

Gian Habal was a 6-year-old shot by a cop a mere 4 days after SELFIE’s screening. Photo from Philstar fb page. (11)

On July10, 2018, 4 year old Skyler Abatayo was killed by a stray bullet during an anti drug operation in Cebu. From Rappler: Skyler Abatayo Hit by Stray Bullet. In August 2017, Kian Delos Santos a 17 year old was killed by police. This time they claimed he was an actual drug suspect. On November 2018- 3 cops were found guilty of murder for Kian’s slay. From ABS CBN News: Cops Found Guilty of Murder Over Kian Selos Santos Slay

Alessandro Grillo; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019

After the initial public outcry from Kian Delos Santos’ death, Filipinos seem numbed from the daily news of killings. These are just a few of the names produced by a cursory internet search of young victims killed from reliable news sources like PDI, Philstar, ABS CBN and yes Rappler. I’m sure there are many more victims out there who were not reported on, out of sheer terror. Definitely a more comprehensive search of these news sites will yield even more names.

Italian actors and filmmakers from left: Daniele Orazi, Fabia Bettini, Silvia Luzi, Federica Sabatini, Silvia D’Amico, Josephine Gomez, Mario Sesti and Agostino Ferrente.SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. Photo by Jude Bautista

For us Filipinos, we’ve been desensitized to the loss of life to accidental (or intentional) killings, whether it’s a 6 year old, a 4 year old and so on. There’s nothing wrong with Filmmaker Ferente shedding a tear for a young life cut short tragically. That’s the normal reaction. That’s the right reaction, if there is such a thing. Ferente did the right thing by producing a documentary and showing it to people, especially here. He is moved by this injustice and tragedy hence his need and passion to make it known.

Pietro Orlando teases Alessandro Antonelli for working as a waiter in a café.SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. (14)

In a way, through his documentary, he is making US aware of how even more tragic the Philippine situation is. Shouldn’t we ask where are the documentaries or feature films for Kian Delos Santos, Gian Habal, Skyler Abatayo and the thousands out there who have been killed unjustly? Why aren’t we Filipinos outraged by the sheer number of people killed?What has become of us? When we as a people have accepted the killing of teenagers and even children as the ‘new normal’?

References

Boy killed in ‘shootout’ between cop, drug suspect

WATCH: 6-year-old boy killed in Caloocan laid to rest

https://www.rappler.com/nation/207158-skyler-abatayo-killed-after-finishing-school-assignment

WordPress:

http://judebsports.wordpress.com/ , http://judebfood.wordpress.com/ , http://judebphoto.wordpress.com/ , http://judebgallery.wordpress.com/ , /

Pietro Orlando is an aspiring hairstylist and practices on a relative as Alessandro Antonelli shoots the video.SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.

from left: Agostino Ferrente and Mario Sesti; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. Photo by Jude Bautista

Alessandro & Pietro take a dip seaside in Leranto, Sorrento Peninsula. SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. (17)

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from left: Silvia Luzi, Cristina Moricca, Federica Sabatini and Silvia D’Amico. SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. Photo by Jude Bautista

Pietro Orlando shows off his pool hall barkada (friends). SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019. (19)

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Sara Cardone & Antonella D’Alterio; SELFIE was screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila in Kalaw as part of the Italian Movie Mov fest, April 24, 2019.