Kidlat Tahimik (1980) Phillipines, 87 mins

Blurring the lines between documentary and fiction, Turumba is a brilliantly crafted satire of globalisation in a small Fillipino town.

Made by the grandfather of the Independent Philippine Cinema, Kidlat Tahimik, in collaboration with local craftsmen and artists, Turumba portrays the community of Pakil, a small town in Laguna province about 100 kilometres from the capital Manila.

Famed for the annual Turumba procession and musical tradition, the film focuses on a family who earn their living creating paper-mache icons, renowned across the Philippines, for the annual festivities. Upon receiving a commission to mass produce paper-mache figurines for the 1972 Munich Olympic games, the film traces the changes to the town as the Filipino hamlet becomes a sweat shop, observing the effects of global trade on the centuries old traditions, reflecting the broader histories of colonialism and exploitation in the Pacific. – George Clark, Circuit

16mm print courtesy of the NFSA

This screening is part of the:

AFW SCREENING SOCIETY PROGRAM 2017

$20 three-month membership (3 consecutive screenings)
$60 annual membership (10 screenings)