CLEVE.ARGUELLES dotcom Change. Struggle. Revolution!

1. 

   Alps
   June 26th, 2010 - 12:14

   Before you can stop “poverty pornography”, you need to know who among the film makers or photographers do such. There’s no clear demarcation between “my intention is to show real poverty” and “my intention is to show poverty and to gain money and popularity”. Well, I believe the demarcation will never exist. So it all boils down to palabra de honor–do poverty films because you have a valuable and humane intention.

   The best thing to do is to settle with the status quo since standards for the said demarcation do not exist (and will never be, I believe. Since the realm of the arts hates standards). Let these kinds of films flourish (okay, for art’s sake) and let the critics continue their passion to critic.

   :)

   [Reply]

   ( REPLY )
2. 

   Nikki Gregorio
   June 26th, 2010 - 19:01

   Hindi naman kailangan ng mga pelikula na nagpapahayag ng kahirapan. Kitang-kita na ito sa paligid. Sa araw-araw na pamumuhay, bato ka nalang kapag hindi mo naramdaman ang kahirapang meron sa bansa.

   Ang kaibahan nalang sa pelikula, may isang bida at kwento lang niya ang tampok at susundan.

   Ano ang bago? Nilalapastangan ang sitwasyon na meron ang masa para kumita ang mga kapitalista. TSK.

   Mahusay ang pagkakasulat Kapatid! Me is proud nanaman sa’yo!

   [Reply]

   ( REPLY )
3. 

   Des
   June 27th, 2010 - 00:02

   I think that we should first consider the fact that most films assumed to exploit poverty for profit usually suck in ticket sales (Slumdog Millionaire being the poverty porn exception, not the poverty porn rule). Although having poverty romanticized irritates me, telling directors what flicks to make would mean repressing their right to self-expression. As long as those flicks don’t promote misconceptions and prejudice for the economically marginalized, I don’t see the real harm. :)

   I agree with Kuya Alps that filmmakers’ motives for making such films, whether it be for profit or for art’s sake, can never be truly empirically verified. The real tragedy is having such movies and photos shown and have the audience forgetting what they saw (and will keep seeing once they left the cinema) and not caring ’til the next flick comes along.

   [Reply]

   ( REPLY )
4. 

   Robert
   June 27th, 2010 - 04:30

   I agree with Alps, without reservations.

   For the sake asking, if the so-called ‘poverty pornography’ should be stopped, how?

   [Reply]

   

   clevearguelles Reply:
   June 27th, 2010 at 7:41 am

   No idea. Like what have bee said, it’s really hard to identify the divide or the demarcation line. Or some claim pa nga that it does not exist. Siguro, it should be the filmmakers and those who watch na mag-change ng kanilang perspective. Still, ang labo nga lang.

   [Reply]

   ( REPLY )
5. 

   Barry
   June 27th, 2010 - 06:52

   Yer right. I think this goes the same way with women exploitation as a theme in movies. The titillating movies in the 80s 90s make money but are drastically awful in taste. Came the indie department in the last decade where being absolutely naked is “art.” And so they got international criticisms and awards. The packaging must be delivered in such a way that it’s not for the corporate or Western craving. It should be more of symbolic and moving.

   [Reply]

   

   clevearguelles Reply:
   June 27th, 2010 at 7:39 am

   My point. :)

   [Reply]

   ( REPLY )
6. 

   Angel
   July 24th, 2010 - 20:47

   I prefer to look at this phenomenon as a growing trend in making the arts more realistic, more grounded on life’s minute yet unheard stories. Perhaps, the flexibility of films being indie is starting to be exploited by those who want to be recognized overseas. Is it good or bad? We cannot say. Does it change anything in our society? That depends entirely on us, the viewers.

   Film has this power to make us notice, to invoke a strong emotion some of us might never feel even if we see poverty everyday. I’ve heard a lot of instances wherein those whose lives were featured on tape received help from NGOs and got recognized by the government. And these are the stories that keep me hoping for more socially relevant, ethical storytelling. :)

   Nice blog Cleve! :)

   [Reply]

   

   clevearguelles Reply:
   July 25th, 2010 at 1:39 am

   Ditto that. Maganda naman sigurong sinasagot ng sining biswal at ng kahit ano pang porma ng sining ang pangangailngan ng kanyang lipunan at base na rin sa obhetibong kondisyon nito. Masasalarawan naman talaga ang pag-unlad ng kamalayan ng isang lipunan sa pamamagitan ng sining at kultura nito.

   More of socially relevant films! :)

   Welcome here. :P

   [Reply]

   ( REPLY )

Leave a comment Cancel reply