Alvin Yapan’s An Kubo sa Kawayanan (The House by the Bamboo Grove), which won four awards at the 2015 World Premieres Film Festival (WPFF), is currently screening for free at the National Museum of Anthropology in Ermita, Manila.
An Kubo sa Kawayanan is a film in Bicolano with English subtitles. It follows the story of Michelle (Mercedes Cabral) and the simple yet mystic realities she faces in her nipa hut, where she spends most of her days alone. She gets visits from a man named Gary, presumably her boyfriend (Marc Felix), a friendly local teacher who seeks her embroidery expertise for his students’ needs; and from a filmmaker (RK Bagatsing), who wishes to feature Michelle’s life and handiwork in an indie-type documentary. They take turns persuading her to seek greener pastures elsewhere, as they feel the small town is too “monotonous and constricting”.
Michelle stands her ground every single time, claiming that she will never leave her beloved house by the bamboo grove. As the film progresses, it becomes clearer and clearer that Michelle’s “love” for the house is above and beyond the normal person’s “love” for his or her prized properties.
With cryptic things happening inside the house, such as Michelle’s scissors, knife and slippers disappearing and reappearing mysteriously, and the fact that the bamboo flooring only creaks under Michelle’s footsteps, it also becomes clearer and clearer the nipa hut loves her in return—maybe even more so.
The gripping storytelling paired with otherworldly shock value earned the film Best Picture, Best Editing (Benjamin Tolentino), Best Cinematography (Ronald Rebutica) and Best Actress (Mercedes Cabral) accolades from the WPFF.
Four showtimes remain for Yapan’s film at the National Museum: July 13 and 14, at 10 am and 2 pm, after having the first four runs on July 7 and 8.
The free screening of indie films (especially those spoken in one of the country’s multitude of regional languages) is a frequent feature in the National Museum of Anthropology, which recently opened its doors facing Rizal Park and adjacent to the soon-to-open National Museum of Natural History. This is in keeping with the museum’s goal of recognizing institutions and individuals whose works aim to preserve the Filipino culture.