Colorum: The eloquent color of ambiguity

Directed by Jon Steffan Ballesteros Colorum is a morality tale plus a palette of colors and a catalogue of angst from ordinary lives that would make Vincent van Gogh envious. This tragic-comedy portrays the glaring gray patches and shadowy shades in the lives of the two central heroes and several minor characters. This seemingly simple film gives viewers a peek into the ambiguities of tortured souls and acquaints us with the uncontrollable forces that bring people together, only to tear them apart later. The two leading characters in Colorum are Simon (played by Alfred Vargas), a young idealistic policeman, and Pedro (Lou Veloso), a 70-year-old convict fresh out of prison who is desperately trying to reunite with his son. Along the way, we meet an adolescent musing on how to regain freedom by expelling a life in her womb, a lonely man enriching himself by peddling spiritual salvation to a clueless flock, a neurotic writer struggling to unclog his writer’s block by biding novelist Yukio Mishima’s harakiri, and a host of rural folk consumed by self-pity and grudges against Simon. Note that the names of the two central characters, Simon and Pedro (or Peter) in English, are taken from one of the most important among the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ: Simon Peter, described by theology books as a model for Christians to follow in their faith and activities. Yet, strange as it may read, Simon Peter is also well known in the gospel as a man of little faith, the one who denied Jesus Christ three times after vehemently saying he would not do so. Everyday life, as in Christian lore, is a tapestry of ambiguities, a quilt of paradoxes, and a mosaic of contradictions. Still, life goes on despite these inconsistencies and absurdities. Take a 90-minute ride in Jon Steffan Ballesteros’ Colorum and upon disembarkation, you will be compelled to take a closer look at passengers sitting beside you next time you hop inside a crowded FX taxi. This is your Psychology 2.1 course in the 2009 edition of the Philippine Independent Film Festival, also known as Cinemalaya Cinco. Colorum bagged two of the most coveted awards in the annual Cinemalaya: the Special Jury Prize and Best Actor award for the brilliantly protean Lou Veloso, who naturally mutates from being funny one second to being poignant the next and tragic in the end. But aren’t ordinary, routine lives like this, in varying hues? In a rare feat, Colorum tied with Alvin Yapan’s Ang Panggagahasa kay Fe for the Special Jury Prize, with the panel declaring the two indie films as “exemplars of the possibilities of Filipino filmmaking." The five-member jury -- composed of Filipino, French, and Indian film experts -- cited Colorum “for portraying the moral differences between being idealistic and having principles in a captivating road movie about a young rookie and an aging ex-convict." Road trip in an FX taxi Colorum is Filipino slang for any kind of public utility vehicle screeching through the crowded and filthy arteries of Metro Manila without the necessary permit to operate. Surprisingly, a number of them are owned by law enforcers themselves. In my neighborhood in central Manila, there is an association of colorum FX taxi drivers ferrying passengers to many destinations in Metro Manila, equipped with two-way radios that allow the drivers to warn their colleagues which thoroughfares to steer clear of, in order to avoid arrest or filching by unscrupulous policemen. In this film, Vargas as Simon sheds off his stereotypical beefy image and drives one of these FX taxis during his spare time to augment his small income as an idealistic policeman. While putting on his crisp uniform, he recites his daily mantra of being the best policeman that he can be in his own small way. Surprisingly, Vargas delivers excellently opposite the adorable Veloso. One morning, while eating breakfast before reporting for work, he smears his uniform with bright red ketchup. It’s a small yet important scene that portends ordeal in the days to come. Nothing unusual happens while Simon is on official duty. After work, he immediately hits the road with his colorum FX taxi – owned by his uncle who is a ranking military officer. While transporting Pedro to a bus terminal, Simon hits an American national crossing the street. Simon vacillates briefly on whether to help the victim or run away, while Pedro pesters him to bring the American to the nearest hospital. Simon throws away his idealism without a second thought and escapes from the crime scene, taking Pedro with him as hostage for having witnessed the incident. Simon consults his uncle about the mess and is ordered to go to Leyte. Not ready for the long trip, with no money to buy fuel and food, Simon is obliged to depend on the kindness of Pedro – who is once again a “prisoner" inside the colorum FX taxi. En route to Leyte, Simon picks up passengers to earn additional money for fuel and food and to supplement the money wired to him by his uncle. Meanwhile, the simple hit-and-run accident is now being reported by the national media as an act of terrorism, and Simon lands on the wanted list. The road trip is a vehicle for Simon, Pedro, and the passengers to discuss life’s verities and oddities. And as the ending shows, there is more than one shade of gray in everyday life. - GMANews.TV