Origins and Trade of “Bul-ul” Explored in NY Focus Group Film Screening
Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega (6th from right) hosts a focus group screening of filmmaker Rhadem Morados (5th from right) documentary Hugô: A Hidden Past Revealed along with history and film aficionados at the Philippine Center. (PCGNY photo)
03 November 2017 NEW YORK – Probing into the archeological and economic significance of the bul-ul, a focus group of film and history enthusiasts participated in a special screening of the short documentary film Hugô: A Hidden Past Revealed the Philippine Center New York last October 26 The event is part of the Philippine Consulate General’s series of events for Filipino-American History Month.
Hugô is a 36-minute documentary film about the bul-ul, a traditional and iconic Ifugao human-like wood carving from the northern region of the Philippines, and the various claims about its origin, use, and function. Throughout the film, the many faces of the relic are revealed, inadvertently unmasking, among others, issues about the commodification of culture, as well as the tension between the need for heritage preservation and the inherently evolving nature of cultural transmission.
Filmmaker Rhadem Morados was on hand to give his insights during the talkback that followed.
Mr. Morados relayed that his curiosity about the value of the bul-ul led him towards a study that involved several trips to the library, to mountain tribe communities, antique shops, and to conduct in-depth interviews with Ifugao leaders while making the film. He stressed it was important for him to create a film that educates, and promotes the heritage of the Filipino indigenous tribes to the younger generation.
Consul General Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega is hopeful that his film will receive a wider audience, and looks forward to seeking opportunities for more Filipinos to see it.
Hugô: A Hidden Past Revealed was shown during the Filipino Arts and Cinema International (FACINE) in San Francisco earlier that week, where it bagged the Special Award for Cultural Heritage. Screenings of the film were also held at the Producers’ Club and Columbia University in New York. END
For more information, visit www.newyorkpcg.dfa.gov.ph/ www.newyorkpcg.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinNY/
Filmmaker Rhadem Morados expresses his aspirations to elevate storytelling in Filipino cinema with more historical content. (PCGNY photo)
The Focus Group sharing their insights and encouraging Mr. Morados to continue his documentary filmmaking work