‘BALANGIGA: Howling Wilderness’ graded zero by Cinema Evaluation Board

A week before a wide release in Metro Manila, filmmaker Khavn De La Cruz's controversial film "BALANGIGA: Howling Wilderness" hit another snag as it received a zero rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board.

"BALANGIGA" will be screened alongside the new entries for the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2018, scheduled to run from August 15 to 21.

De La Cruz on Thursday shared the notes made by the CEB on his film via social media. Signed by filmmaker Doy Del Mundo, the document summarizes the mixed reviews the "BALANGIGA" received.

A portion of the document reads:

One reviewer writes, “This reminds me of Kulas, the naive, simple-minded young man played by Christopher de Leon in Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? The director uses a minimalist approach, eschewing the usual big scenes that characterize most period films. There’s a bit of humor, too, and the use of stop motion photography gives pause to the viewer for contemplation, temporarily taking us out of the film.” An equally positive note comes from another reviewer, “The journey through the landscape of war and colonialism is depicted in painfully poignant vignettes.”

On the other hand, there are other reviewers with strong, negative reactions to the film. One reviewer finds it “a rambling narrative with no clear direction.” Another cites the attack against Catholicism, particularly “the grotesquely, lewd scene of a shaman masturbating while singing Salve Regina.” The reviewer concludes that “Over all, the Balangiga story is ultimately bigger than the story of hate, murder, and sexual perversion that this film unfortunately chose to focus on.” Another reviewer writes that the film “is just a long, tortuous journey with many artsy gimmicks.” Another concludes that “This is a perverted movie masquerading as high art.”

Del Mundo said that the divisiveness of the film culminated in a decision by the majority of the CEB members to deny the film a rating.

The CEB typically gives an A or B grade to a film, which translates to incentives for the producers. A film with an A rating receives 100% of the amusement tax collected on such films. For grade B films, 65% of the amusement tax collected go to the producers and 35% go to the funds of the Film Development Council.

De La Cruz refrained from adding his own remarks in the post he published.

"BALANGIGA" debuted at the 2017 QCinema International Film Festival, where it went on to win Best Picture. It went on to win the same distinction at the 2018 Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards and the 2018 Gawad Urian Awards.

— Aya Tantiangco/LA, GMA News