1899: Memories of a "Forgotten" War

by Christina DeHaven

Sari Dalena is an accomplished filmmaker originally from Manila, Philippines. While studying film at the University of the Philippines, she produced several films and was recognized with two prestigious local awards for her experimental film “Asong Simbahan (Church Dog).” Currently she is attending the Graduate Film Program at New York University.

“Memories of a Forgotten War” is her most recent accomplishment, and after a successful screening last month in the Philippines, she has finally brought it here for American audiences to appreciate.

If you ask most people, they have probably never heard of the Philippine-American War. Though it was one of the bloodiest military exchanges in the history of modern warfare, the Philippine-American War has been relegated to discussions between academics and historians. This film encourages people to remember the tragic conflict in which 1.5 million Filipinos lost their lives.

"As the granddaughter of a Filipina seamstress and a U.S. serviceman, I was compelled to make this film for personal and historical reasons, " said co-director Camilla Griggers. "I want people to learn about the horrors suffered by the Filipino people during this conflict. At the same time, I want to understand my mother and dynamics of my biracial family."

Using captivating re-enactments and graphic historical photographs, “Memories of a Forgotten War” is an international collaboration among Manila and Pittsburgh film and media artists, filmed in the Philippines, with post-production work done in Pittsburgh. Shot on location in Luzon and Mindanao, the film is emotionally raw and visually beautiful. Local amateur actors were used to re-enact scenes of war violence on locations where the original violence took place, allowing the Filipinos to act out their own history.

filmmaker Sari Lluch Dalena

“Memories of a Forgotten War” was funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Mowelfund Film Institute, Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, Women in Film Foundation, and Mon Valley Media. Local sponsors include Anthology Film Archives’ NewFilmmakers Series, Angelika Films, Asian CineVision, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, A Magazine, Filipino American National Historical Society, and Pakil East.

Co-directed by Camilla Benolirao Griggers & Sari Lluch Dalena, "Memories" premiered on March 6th at the Anthology Film Archive in New York City. The response was overwhelming, resulting in two additional screenings in the same night, just to accommodate the long line of people that stretched out of the theatre and around the block. The original 6pm screening was preceded by an eclectic spread of wine, cheese, lumpia shanghai and empanadas, provided by none other than the famous Elvie's Restaurant in Greenwich Village.

Sari Dalena introduced the documentary as well as giving much appreciation to her co-director (Griggers, who did not attend), and all national and local community organizations for their support. The film itself was a beautiful composition of historical photographs and dramatic re-enactments, woven into intimate narration. In the Q&A session that followed the screening, Dalena spoke about the stylistic choices she made in the editing of the documentary, stating her efforts as a filmmaker to experiment with new styles and to deviate from the standard documentary framework. "We specifically chose a female narration, because often we are used to hearing male voice-over in documentary film," says Dalena "We really wanted to tell the story from a woman's persepective."

"Memories of a Forgotten War" not only appealed to historians and filmmakers, but also to members of the audience that were never educated on this lesser-documented event in Philippine history. The film succeeded in providing factual information as well as providing a more intimate, and emotional look into the events taking place during that time.

For more information, contact Sari Dalena by e-mail at Sarimanokii@aol.com

Links:
AsiaTimes.com, February 1, 2002
http://www.atimes.com/se-asia/DB01Ae03.html

Pittsburgh City Paper-Online
http://www.pghcitypaper.com/nz32101.html

"Remembering" Phil. Daily Inquirer by Conrado de Quiros, Jan. 31, 2001
http://www.inq7.net/opi/2002/jan/31/opi_csdequiros-1.htm

"Memories" Phil. Daily Inquirer by Conrado de Quiros, Jan. 11, 2002
http://www.inq7.net/opi/2002/jan/11/opi_csdequiros-1.htm

---

Open Forum! Share your opinions and suggestions pertaining to this topic at the Message Boards MagsalitaKa (Speak Out) Section.

© Web site is a Copyright of NewFilipina, Inc. 2002. All rights reserved.

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

| Home | Site Map | Contact Us |

All rights reserved. ©2001 NewFilipina ©2001 BagongPinay.