Review of KATIPS: THE MOVIE: Facing Facts Frankly

November 28, 2021

In July 2016, right after the presidential elections, the Philippine Stagers Foundation, a theater group that aimed to utilize the arts as a medium for entertainment and education, came out with a brave musical called "KATIPS." It was about Martial Law, a controversial subject matter that remains to be a very touchy and sensitive issue up to this very day. Philstagers founder and creative force Atty. Vince Tanada certainly did not disappoint with "Katips," earning critical acclaim and multiple awards for himself, his musical and his company. 

Now that another election is coming up and seeing that Martial Law (and how that part of history is being distorted for the new generation) is once more in the news, Tanada aims to reach and educate a bigger audience of young people by turning his musical stage production into a movie. The stories were fictionalized versions of actual events based on Tanada's intensive research and interviews of people who were actually there during those times. He adapted the book of his musical into a screenplay that aimed just to state facts. 

A museum dedicated to the victims of Martial Law was about to be inaugurated in the present day. A young man was being toured around the place by a pretty female guide Lira (Sachzna Laparan), grand-daughter of the old gentleman who was responsible for putting the museum together. This special occasion would serve as the device that would bookend the main narrative of the film. As the old man was typing his speech to be delivered for that event, he recalled his traumatic experiences during the Martial Law days. 

His flashbacks began from 1970 in a gathering of political activists that included the main characters of this play. They were: medical student Greg (Jerome Ponce), underground news writer Panyong (Vince Tanada in rock star mode), labor leader Estong (Joshua Bulot) and 17-year old UP freshman, Art (Johnrey Rivas). Their assembly was violently dispersed by the Metrocom led by the sadistic Lt. Sales (Mon Confiado at his sinister best) and his cruel minions (Dindo Arroyo and JP Lopez), resulting in the death of a senior UP professor. 

"Katips" refers to the house of Alet (Best Actress-worthy Adelle Ibarrientos-Lim), a lady who has opened her home for student activists from UP to meet and stay over in, earning her the nickname of "Tandang Sora". Lara (Nicole Laurel Asensio in a promising film debut), a Fil-Am Broadway actress whose apathy about Philippine politics was about to get a major shakedown. Among the other women in "Katips" were Estong's outspoken Waray girlfriend Susie (a scene-stealing Vean Olmedo) and Art's reluctant girlfriend Lally (Carla Lim). 

Musical direction was by Pipo Cifra, Tanada's longtime collaborator in his shows. The best song for me was "Sa Gitna ng Gulo," with lyrics about people finding love amidst dark forces surrounding them. With impeccably arranged vocal harmonies, four pairs of lovers get to converse with each other in a witty interconnected manner as their personal love stories were interwoven into this story. This song provided a very bright spot of positivity and hope to lighten the generally serious mood. 

On the other side of the spectrum was the grim and brutal violence in intersecting scenes of bloody and torture and rape against activists who had been arrested under trumped-up charges or entrapped by despicable methods. Tanada did not hold back here, and the actors, those portraying the hapless victims and those portraying the savage policemen, went all out to push the agenda that these atrocities actually happened in reality, despite current efforts to distort and deny these tragic human rights violations during those years. 

The opening number was supposed to reenact the First Quarter Storm of 1970. However, Tanada had to set it in an unspecified remote rural location, probably because they were unable to shoot the scene on Mendiola Bridge itself. This extended number introduces the Stagers' signature youth-oriented style of song, dance and acting to people who are who have yet to see them perform onstage. This, and other musical numbers may be judged by some as over-the-top, but definitely Tanada knows how to deliver his message to his target audience.

As Tanada's own grandfather, the illustrious Senator Lorenzo Tanada, was unjustly imprisoned during Martial Law, he wants the new generation to know that Martial Law was not the peaceful and progressive time that paid trolls are making it out to be in current social media. He wants young people to realize that Martial Law should never happen again. He did that before with his stage version of "Katips," and now with his movie version, he has the potential to spread his advocacy all over the country and all over the world. 

As director, Vince Tanada had some pretty impressive shots of effigies catching fire and activists jumping in slow motion, which had some members of the audience erupting in spontaneous applause. Running for 2-1/2 hours, the film's momentum may sag at certain points. Judicious editing, perhaps shortening some song numbers not directly contributory to the main plot, could probably streamline it more. Overall, this was one auspicious feature film directorial debut for Tanada, and hopefully this is not his last. 7/10.