Festival: CineFilipino 2016 - "Ned's Project"

This new film by Lemuel Lorca ("Intoy Syokoy", "Water Lemon") is about a lesbian tattoo artist, Ned (Angeli Bayani), who was betrayed by her live-in partner and who still dreams of having her own child. The film's title is in reference to that dream and how Ned strives to raise the money needed for an artificial insemination, by way of joining a televised talent contest for lesbians (the "natural" way of having an offspring just won't do for her). As one watches the film though, one realizes that it isn't entirely revolving around the "project". In fact, it isn't being dwelt upon or mentioned for most of the time. The film is more of a meandering character study and slice of life, its parts made up of small and seemingly uneventful moments involving the title character and the people around her (one affecting instance is Ned's interaction with a sick lesbian friend, Max (Lui Manansala), who's about to die alone). The film could very well bear the title "All About Ned". The truth is, it's not a bad thing. 

The screenplay was written by John Bedia, who wrote the excellent "Imbisibol". And as in that film, the humanist feel for the characters shines through in "Ned's Project". Characters interact in a way that registers as natural and authentic. Histrionics and contrivances are done away in favor of a more low-key and life-like approach. Though at times the naturalism registers too much that we wish the characters would whimper even a little bit. But then, better that way instead of our ears being mercilessly subjected to the endless, non-sensical groaning of an awful cry-baby (like that one major character in a primetime soap, so awful that we pray a family member would just slap her mouth real hard). On the other hand, the visual compositions and framings of the film are pristinely made, the director knowing well what to place and conduct in a frame, something that resembles the look of an Edward Yang or a Xavier Dolan film. Add to this the earthy/summery glow that permeates through most of the film (cinematography done by Tey Clamor), as if to emphasize the down-to-earth day-to-day affairs of the characters. 

Needless to say, the performance of the lead actress is without a fault. If Iza Calzado's performance in "Buhay Habangbuhay" and Alessandra da Rossi's in "Sakaling Hindi Makarating" do more to hold their films together, so does Ms. Bayani's in "Ned's Project". If she's an embodiment of quiet agony in Lav Diaz' "Norte" and of raging grief in the late Francis Pasion's "Bwaya", here in "Ned's Project", she just perfectly balances composure and volatility. She's actually very much in character here - the haircut, the tattoos, the posture, even doing a couple of daring lesbian love scenes. Ms. Bayani simply inhabits her character that, ironically, her being a lesbian in the film is out of my mind already. If I could think of a misstep in the film, it's most probably the final resolution, which feels a tad obligatory. I guess it would be more in keeping with the film's naturalist and non-contrived approach if someone didn't "come back" in Ned's life, as by all appearances and as it were, she's able to stand on her own well and good. You can probably just shoot me for being a romantic nihilist. 

A lesbian tattoo artist dreams of something life-changing in "Ned's Project", a film entry in CineFilipino 2016