Cinema One Originals 2013:The Journey, Day 6

Last time, I encountered a Cinema One Originals movie that nearly achieved the level of a Shakespeare tragedy ("Kabisera"). On my 6th day of the annual film event (now on its 9th year), the film I saw was Adolf Alix, Jr.'s "Alamat ni China Doll". I did like the past few films that I saw from this director:"Adela", "Mater Dolorosa" and "Porno". Each one was a different hybrid altogether, utilizing its own cinematic technique. 

Let's find out what his latest work has to offer: 

This crime drama was written by Lav Diaz, the guy who gave us the magnificent "Batang West Side". But rather than demanding one's attention because of the sheer length of the scenes and of the film itself (no, the film runs for just about an hour and a half), it does so because the film jumps timeframes and the title character herself (who is also called under 3 other different names) is such a cryptic figure that she becomes more of a symbol to decipher than a person to emphatize with. Thankfully, the actress who portrayed her, Angelica Panganiban, exudes such charm, grace and vulnerability that the character still avoids becoming a totally abstract persona. The film follows the ill-fated life of "China Doll", a high-profile public enemy-turned-state witness (a "cultural phenomenon", as the police officer sees her), now living a relatively quiet life in the province with her grandmother and belatedly preparing to graduate from highschool. But her life is about to be turned upside down when a gutsy news reporter comes up with a book about her (to be published by a newspaper), seeking to expose all the truth about this "cultural phenomenon". Thus, "China Doll's" past comes back to haunt her like a ghost resurrected. On paper, there seems to be nothing "interesting" about the film's plot. It's something that doesn't easily grab one's attention. However, the film is presented in a non-chronological order that it becomes a challenge for the viewers to put the "scattered" pieces together like a puzzle to be solved. Along the way, as the pieces of the puzzle might not easily and readily fit together, one might get all the more lost as to who "China Doll" really is, how did she get into such kind of situation, and why certain people have put such a high stake in her life, to the point of having their own lives placed on the line. The director has previously utilized the documentary-like approach ("Adela"), or the straightforward and slow-burn narrative ("Mater Dolorosa"), or the experimental and surrealist form ("Porno"). In "Alamat ni China Doll", his narrative style becomes more like a riddle to be deciphered, something like a Sphinx whose mysteries must be gradually unlocked in order to proceed further (down the narrative line). If one were to do a movie marathon at the film festival, it might be best if it would be the first film to be watched, when one's energy is still up and about, as it might be taxing to one's mind. That's right, the film could prove to be difficult - if one has the propensity to take it that seriously! "Alamat ni China Doll" may not have the extended set-piece or conversation of a 6-hour Lav Diaz film, but in its short running time the juggling of mysteries is protracted enough to confound one's viewing experience.

Adolf Alix, Jr.'s ''Alamat ni China Doll'':A mystery to be deciphered