The Politics of Art & Authenticity

The only word to describe Jun Robles Lana’s Bwakaw is sincere. It stars Eddie Garcia, playing the role of Rene, an elderly man who catches on to the reigns of life just as it was about to eclipse him and his dog whose loyalty never fails. In this film, the essence of a man’s truthfulness to himself is brilliantly captured in the simplistic style of the director. The bold characters and slight corniness of a few scenes enhance the plainness and honesty of the central character while also keeping in mind the basic quirkiness of Philippine film. Overall, Bwakaw is sincere. It is sincere in characters, plot, style, and heart.

Bwakaw is Tagalog for someone who’s greedy, eats ferociously, or indulges. He is exactly the opposite of Rene since he is a man who has given up on his dream life, a man who has never indulged. By naming the film after Rene’s dog, he is even more forgotten and behind-the-scenes. Even the title appeals to the sincerity of the film; it is true to the fact that Garcia had chosen the background life. He lives apart from everyone; he doesn’t flaunt his true self. Though it seems as if he’s in denial, he’s not. He chooses to be sincere to his sexuality and to accept the consequences.

The striking characters around him like the two fabulous hair salon owners, the persistent neighbor Minda, the tough tricycle driver, and the always fanning priest succeed to envelop Rene in a warm and rich environment where his character is the odd one out. With this, the film gives off an even more authentic feel. It creates a microcosm of the Philippine population, making it believable.

The plot of the film is also realistic. Because of the less tolerant times in a Catholic-majority country, Rene felt forced to change himself and when he had finally came forth and admitted his sexuality, his prime had already passed. The film is insightful in that way. Society tends to be focused on the present and so the topics not talked about back in the day continue to be ignored. Its purpose is sincere and comes off as sincere. It humbly depicts a perspective not pondered by most, such as an elderly gay man who has never gotten to be himself until he thought it was too late.

The lack of a musical score except for a few scenes in which Rene watches the water and reflects on his life adds to the authenticity of the film. All emotions shown to the audience and elicited from the audience is not prompted by any music but caused purely by the scenes themselves. Nothing was exaggerated; nothing was masked musically. The audience reacted without help. It reminded me of many Philippine films I had watched before in which every thud of an object and crow of a rooster is heard. It adds to the sincerity of the film. It’s not just a film about a man but actually a segment of that man’s life.

Bwakaw’s mixed comedy and drama boils reality down to perfection. Life is never either/or. When it comes down to it, Bwakaw is the actual reality for some. And I found myself proud that something of that nature can come out of my own country.

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