'Doon sa Isang Sulok' bravely tackles the HIV/AIDS scourge

IN the national news nowadays, the LGBT struggle is stirring controversy, debate and calls to action. There’s still so much more work to do in terms of education, understanding and acceptance. Budding filmmaker Yong Tapang Jr. bravely delves into another aspect of that struggethe resurgence of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Philippines amid the confusion of what SOGIE (sexual orientation and gender identity and expression) is.

In his short film, Doon sa Isang Sulok, Tapang tackles the depths of the HIV and SOGIE issues.

“The film is about a struggle a person living with HIV (PLHIV) is dealing with. But more than the story of the PLHIV, it is about a group of friends whose friendship is being tested by such a shocking revelation. It mirrors how a society talks about different perspectives on LGBT issues, religion,

sexism, women’s rights and politics all in the backdrop of an engagement party,” Tapang explains.

The subject matter is part of Cinespectra Film Festival’s efforts in awareness-building for HIV and SOGIE and using the powerful tool of filmmaking to engage the people, especially the younger generation, on HIV issues.

CineSpectra 2019: A Film Festival for HIV/AIDS Awareness, as per its web site, has been created as a vehicle to foster a deeper, human rights-based understanding of HIV/AIDS and therefore a wider public appreciation of this epidemic not just as a public-health issue, but in the context of the greater human experience, through film and/or A/V production/short films as well as to consistently foster film appreciation and film screening programs for audience development. Cinespectra welcomes partnerships with Film Development Council of the Philippines, EON, Love Yourself the and Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc..

“The particular story is based on a personal experience on homophobia among close friends. I was also inspired by the idea of our own struggles in acceptance, regardless of the issues we’re facing, that there’s always going to be struggles in every acceptance we are seeking,” Tapang says. “It was very helpful that Cinespectra Film Festival was able to conduct HIV and SOGIE Awareness workshops and sessions for us to fully understand such issues and different causes before we developed and eventually produced our material for this film festival. As part of the LGBTQIA ++ Community, I thought I already knew everything. Understanding and being part of the spectrum is another process.”

Tapang honed his directing skils in the theater and is now just trying to navigate the waters of filmmaking, having been greatly influenced by Ishmael Bernal, Lino Brocka, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, and the Mexicans Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Guillermo del Torro.

“I didn’t have a formal study in filmmaking but back in college (AB Mass Communication in Broadcasting), I used some of my classes as my training ground. I wish to attend Ricky Lee’s scriptwriting workshop to fully hone my style in writing and storytelling,” he says. Tapang enlisted the help of his theater and television friends to help him realize his vision.