Rafael Manuel’s new film, “Filipiñana,” uses a golf resort as a central setting to explore class divisions in the Philippines. The director explains how the history and layout of the course reflect societal inequities, and details the contrasting character arcs of Isabel and Clara.
The indie feature, opening Friday in New York, is set during a period of oppressive heat and drought. Manuel felt the golf course was the “perfect setting” to examine the country’s societal inequities, noting that the first courses were established on American military bases before being taken over by the local elite, becoming “a center of power.”
Manuel intentionally framed scenes to emphasize the hierarchical structure, positioning club members high in the frame and servants low. An early shot depicts Isabel, a 17-year-old from the provinces, seated on the grass while placing a golf ball on the tee for a member. “That’s what attracted me to the golf course,” Manuel said. He added, “When you think about it, it’s a good metaphor for the country in that it’s very large and situated on a very fertile plot of land that’s toiled on and worked on by so many people, but ultimately enjoyed and profited from by only a select few.”
The film connects this class divide to the colonial past of the Philippines. The director highlights the contrasting journeys of the two main characters, Isabel and Clara. Isabel’s arc is described as one of “awakening and remembering the past,” while Clara’s is a descent into “slumber, inaction, passivity, and perpetuating the system.” Manuel characterizes Isabel as a “heroic” figure moving towards action, and Clara as a “tragic” one.
The film stars Jorrybell Agoto as Isabel and Carmen Castellanos as Clara. Castellanos is a non-actor, while Agoto had a small role in a previous short film. Manuel described his directing style as hands-off, emphasizing pre-production work to build the characters’ worlds and trusting the actors’ choices on set. He looks for “playfulness” in actors, viewing it as a form of resistance and a key to authentic performance.
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