Now that the new season of watching the works of young, independent film makers is about to begin again, with the short films chosen at this year's Cinemalaya 2020 are all out to be shown virtually and online jumpstarting by month of August, it's but fitting to pay attention to an indie film made five long years ago. Accidentally, we finally watched the film after five, long years. This time on our own television set, one fine Sunday afternoon of July 5, at GMA channel 7.
Amazingly, we were engrossed as we watched the film "Above The Clouds", written and directed by a young film genius in person of Pepe Diokno, Jr. Thanks God, that Ruru Madrid is a GMA-7 artist, and the film made its way landing on a good time slot viewing of a mainstream TV station. Maybe a way to capture its way into reaching our eyes and heart- a film that's so deep, poignant and real.
"Above The Clouds" is a very silent film, not much words, not much explanations and definitely, no more alibis. It presented a story of teen-aged young man, so handsomely portrayed by a younger Ruru Madrid, in search of reasons why he was not there when his parents died on the aftermaths of the great Ondoy typhoon and flood disasters. He was left almost orphaned, but thanks God, he's got one living relative left- his grandfather (so uniquely acted upon by the late rocker Pepe Smith, R.I.P.)
How we love to watch personal films like this one. Whether director Diokno would admit it or not, somehow, we felt, it was taken-out from an episode in his younger life? Because the images presented on the film were so vivid, so haunting, amazingly lasting. To capture those images presented perfectly, the director must have gone through an experience like that, too. Because within those images were feelings, and behind those feelings..., were, well... tears.
Yeah, we cried. Not only a couple of times, but maybe almost six times as we watched the film "Above the Clouds". It's not the typical soap opera-type of delivery of scenes and dialogues, much more not a melodramatic love story, and yet, we still cried. For some, especially a few relatives of ours, who watched with us in front of the TV set, the film, according to them was so boring, no development of scenes, no surprises. We simply tried to be silent and kept mum. In moments like that, an argument was not necessary because we would be missing watching intently the next coming scenes.
We remembered two people as we watched the film. My own father who died a few years ago, Rino Fernan Silverio (R.I.P.) and my friend, the late veteran film director Maryo J. delos Reyes (R.I.P.), whom I considered as my 'second father'.
Ask me why, and I would cry. So better not ask me WHY.
When Ruru Madrid finally opened-up to his grandfather the bitter pains of loosing his father and his mom, it was one of the greatest acting scenes we had ever seen in our entire life. Ruru captured every detail of a sensitive emotion, penetrated the numbing hearts of every living individual, and sent a message that young people need not be judged based on their actions. Because again, they do have a capacity to LOVE sincerely, deeply, without any conditions.
"But Ruru Madrid never knows me".
We saw him in a few times from a distance in some special events, but we were not properly introduced to him by anyone. The first time we saw him on his very first photo shoot as a talent of Production 56 by the late film director Maryo J. delos Reyes (R.I.P.) who was also his former manager- it was also from far afar, as he smiled and posed for the photo shoot taken by photographer Edward dela Cuesta. We were seated beside his manager, and as the late director asked for our impression upon him, we said: "He's perfect".
But yes again, we say, RURU MADRID NEVER KNEW ME. A statement we kept on saying to those who asked us most frequently, but now, upon watching him in an old film like "Above the Clouds", we're trying to be remembered, somehow, by him. Because he's so good in that film. Almost like MAGIC.
As a young man misses his parents so much, especially his father, somehow, the world would never be the same again. Fathers leaves us a certain kind of LEGACY that's undoubtedly transforming, humbling, absorbing.
A legacy that would last a lifetime, shared upon by a grandfather down to the third generation- there's those set of clouds high above the splendid mountains of cool eternity. And above those clouds, you would feel and see- that within yourself was a LOVE that you've never known before....
and,
FOREVER.
(Bravo for the great direction, cinematography, editing and production design of the 2015 film "Above the Clouds", much more, with the greatest acting performance we had ever seen from a teen-aged actor- Ruru Madrid.).*
PHOTOS WERE NOT CAPTIONED FOR DRAMATIC PURPOSES/EFFECT. THANK YOU.***
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