Note: Meant to post this about a month back but never got round to it. Though it's now well delayed still feel need to post about it.
When you dream, dream big.
I guess most of us grew up with a fantasy of what we would want to do when we grew up.
And probably, for most of us, the fantasy hasn’t turned into a reality (yet).
But for at least one person I know, he is now living his dreams.
His name is Raya Martin. And he has two films which made the cut in this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival. TWO!
I guess most of us grew up with a fantasy of what we would want to do when we grew up.
And probably, for most of us, the fantasy hasn’t turned into a reality (yet).
But for at least one person I know, he is now living his dreams.
His name is Raya Martin. And he has two films which made the cut in this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival. TWO!
L to R: Raya, Piolo Pascual and Adolfo Alix Jr.
WOW!
[Read more about it here]
I was classmates with Raya when we were in highschool. Though we weren’t really in the same clique, he was one of those people I got along with and enjoyed talked to.
Even at our then young, awkward teenage selves, he already displayed moments of brilliance in film making. In our fourth year, as part of our final requirements, we were tasked to create and produce an interpretation of the various poems by E.E. Cummings by class which would be presented to the whole batch. While the other sections decided to produce plays (predictable) our class (well, really just Raya) produced a short black & white almost silent-movie like film, which Raya directed, entitled conscientious object-or: The Reality of Olaf (based on the poem I Sing of Olaf Glad and Big). After the showing of the video, as per Raya’s instructions, the whole class (we were scattered around the auditorium) stood up and recited parts of the poem in a loud, thundering voice– which amazed and surprised everyone. The effect was chilling. Yet, as was expected, the head-dunking-in-the-toilet scene did not please the nuns in our school and so we did not win. He had a vision. I already knew then he was different; that he was on a different level from all the rest of us mortals.
Since then, he has
Raya’s two films are "Manila", which Raya co-directed with Adolfo Alix Jr., and is one of six films with special screenings, and "Independencia" is under the Un Certain Regard category (a first in Philippines’ history!)
One other Filipino film also made the cut, “Kinatay” by Brilliante Mendoza (who I'm proud to say won Best Director!!).
I was classmates with Raya when we were in highschool. Though we weren’t really in the same clique, he was one of those people I got along with and enjoyed talked to.Even at our then young, awkward teenage selves, he already displayed moments of brilliance in film making. In our fourth year, as part of our final requirements, we were tasked to create and produce an interpretation of the various poems by E.E. Cummings by class which would be presented to the whole batch. While the other sections decided to produce plays (predictable) our class (well, really just Raya) produced a short black & white almost silent-movie like film, which Raya directed, entitled conscientious object-or: The Reality of Olaf (based on the poem I Sing of Olaf Glad and Big). After the showing of the video, as per Raya’s instructions, the whole class (we were scattered around the auditorium) stood up and recited parts of the poem in a loud, thundering voice– which amazed and surprised everyone. The effect was chilling. Yet, as was expected, the head-dunking-in-the-toilet scene did not please the nuns in our school and so we did not win. He had a vision. I already knew then he was different; that he was on a different level from all the rest of us mortals.
Since then, he has
Raya’s two films are "Manila", which Raya co-directed with Adolfo Alix Jr., and is one of six films with special screenings, and "Independencia" is under the Un Certain Regard category (a first in Philippines’ history!)
One other Filipino film also made the cut, “Kinatay” by Brilliante Mendoza (who I'm proud to say won Best Director!!).
Bravo, Raya! Bravo!
Watch the trailer of his films here:
"Manila"
"Independencia"
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