MANanayaw (A Press Release and My Personal Thoughts)

Out of the 11 competing documentaries at the Cine Totoo International Documentary Film Festival, “Mananayaw: A Documentary on the Male Ballet Dancer” was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Cine Totoo Awards Night held last October 4, 2014 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

“This recognition is a great honor, and was a complete surprise,” says Director Rafael Froilan. “Cine Totoo was an immensely valuable learning experience, and I salute my fellow filmmakers for coming up with creative and innovative documentaries, the likes of which have not been seen in the local film industry in a very long time.”

Audiences who missed the Cine Totoo Festival screenings will have many opportunities to watch the films in the coming months. Plans are being made to hold screenings in various venues, including schools.

The participating films are Nef Luczon’s “Migkahi e si Amey te, Uli ki pad”, Nawruz Paguidopon’s “A Journey to Haifa”, Richard Legaspi’s “Ang Walang Kapagurang Paglalakbay ng Pulang Maleta”, Keith Sicat’s “Komikero Chronicles”, Carla Ocampo’s “Walang Rape sa Bontok”, Ivy Universe Baldoza’s “Marciano”, Sigfried Barros-Sanchez’ “Ang Gitaristang Hindi Marunong Magskala”, Charliebebs Gohetia’s “Kung Giunsa Pagbuhat Ang Binisayang Chopsuey”, Ferdinand Balanag’s “Agbabalitok”, and Jan Tristan Pandy’s “Gusto nang Umuwi ni Joy”, which won the Cine Totoo Best Documentary and Audience’s Choice awards.

Directed by Rafael Froilan, “Mananayaw” features snippets of dancers behind the scenes, illustrating what it takes to become a male ballet dancer. Much is at stake during each performance, and although their careers are some of the most difficult to build, after a single misstep, it can all be over.

“We chose to make a film on male ballet dancers because they rarely get the credit they deserve,” said Mananayaw writer Beatriz Antonia Carabeo. “When people think ‘ballet’, they think of a female ballerina. But what they don’t know is that it is the male dancer who makes these females shine.”

“Mananayaw” was produced for the Cine Totoo International Documentary Film Festival by a team of five filmmakers: director and editor Rafael Froilan, writer Beatriz Antonia Carabeo, co-writer/assistant director/production manager Mika Fabella, director of photography Chris Yuhico, and producer/creative consultant Patrick Gutierrez.

Cine Totoo is the 1st Philippine International Documentary Film Festival presented by GMA News TV Channel 11. The documentary filmmaking competition was opened to entries from interested filmmakers last December 2013. Just this August, the 11 documentaries that made it as finalists for the festival were announced. The selected films were screened in competition on September 24 to 30 in SM Megamall, SM Manila, and Trinoma Mall Cinemas, and the winners were announced at the Cine Totoo Awards Night held last October 4 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Connect to “Mananayaw” and Cine Totoo online through the following social media networks:

Mananayaw:

www.facebook.com/mananayawdocu

www.mananayaw.com

           

Cine Totoo:

www.facebook.com/cinetotoo

www.twitter.com/cinetotoo

www.cinetotoo.com

synopsis

For a man in today's society, the choice to dance is a difficult one. Fatigue, societal pressure, and misconceptions abound in a dancer's life. What makes it worth it? "Mananayaw" explores this through the stories of Filipino male ballet dancers. In their lives, perseverance, passion, and the relentless search for excellence take center stage.

Filmmakers’ profiles

Rafael Froilan

Director

The last name is no coincidence. Director Rafael Froilan is the son of Philippine ballet legends Edna Vida and Nonoy Froilan. Rather than donning a pair of tights for a career, the junior Froilan has decided to stay behind the camera to better capture the beauty of the ballet and the stage.

A freelance videographer for several years, Mananayaw marks Raffy's directorial debut in a full-length feature.

Patrick Gutierrez

Creative Consultant

Patrick “Guch” Gutierrez discovered Ballet Philippines in September 2013 and has since then immersed himself into the world of ballet. He was inspired by the dancers’ culture of excellence, which fueled his passion to help create Mananayaw. His roles in video production are versatile, ranging from producer to camera operator to creative consultant. He is currently the only one in the group with an IMDB page (he produced Ricky Lee's "Twilight Dancers” in 2006).

Beatriz Antonia Carabeo

Writer

Beatriz Antonia Carabeo's got the perfect background and experience for being a part of the crew. An alumnus of Symmetry Dance Studio and the Company of Ateneo Dancers (CADS), as well as previous experience in film with Mustachio Productions, Bee (as she's more fondly called) is the writer and overall mommy of Mananayaw. You'll usually spot her with a cup of coffee at the Ballet Philippines offices, where she currently works as PR and Marketing Associate. 

Chris Yuhico

Cinematographer

A former football player from Philippine Science High School and avid traveler, Chris Yuhico had nothing to do whatsoever with the world of ballet. Then Mananayaw came in.

As Mananayaw's Director of Photography, it's his first time to flex his cinematography muscles in the dance world. We'd say he's been having the experience of a lifetime. You can see his previous works as a freelance photographer at http://www.yuhico.com/.

Mika Fabella

Co-Writer, Production Manager & Assistant Director

Mika Fabella is the niece of renowned choreographer Tony Fabella, one of Ballet Philippines' pioneering batch. Mika is a former Company Scholar of Ballet Philippines, and has joined the company's seasons as a member of the corps de ballet from 2008 until 2013.

Currently on her 4th year as a Dance Major in UP Diliman, Mika also does some freelance writing on the side and plays a lot of video games.

My Thoughts:

Like any other documentary created, this material will touch your heart and give you a peek on the life and mind of a male dancers.  The only thing that differs it from other documentaries is the story shared in the film.  This is a tale simply told as it is; no drama, no special featured, simply telling you the life and challenges that a MANanayaw faces day-in and day-out.

What I like about this docu piece is the reality of the story.  As a former dancer in college and after that, I know how it is to have bruises on your bruises or callouses on your callouses.  I know how important it is to show to the audience that what you are doing is not impossible or hard even if I have sweated blood and tears just to achieve that needed step sequence.  I know how important it is to create that story using your body and make that illusion a reality in that moment of presentation.

I get to relate to most of the stories presented in this docu piece.  That moment of being recognized as a remarkable performer but in reality you are simply trying to make ends meet.  That story arc of a dancer pushed to early retirement due to physical limitations, in my case due to financial need.  I also feel the conflict of one of the dancer presented wherein his heart is into his craft but his mind is not.  I honestly envy one of the dancer presented in the story, for he knows how to listen to his body; I don't - I simply push myself to the limit.

This is one documentary piece that will not only show you the level of passion that they have for their craft but also the personal conflicts that dancers (male dancers) face. For non-dancer or artist, this would also serve as an opener in the life and mind of an artist.  It is so inspirational and real.   To be true, you don't have to be an artist to understand their story.  You just have to have an open mind to understand their flight.  Their challenges are similar to that of the next person, the sudden retirement, the conflict between the mind and the heart, the passion, the life afterwards.  For them, they are simply living on a short lease with their career.  They are underpaid and unrecognized, similar to those working in some industry.  They give their best in what they do like that of the next person. You might yourself in them.

When given a chance to watch this documentary film, take that opportunity to know our own MANanayaw.  Know them and see that they are like you too.