November 4th, 2008
Yoyoy Villame’s Last Performance in Babae sa Breakwater at UP Film Center
When Yoyoy Villame, the king of Pinoy novelty songs, died May last year, his daughter wasn’t even sure if she could take her father’s remains back to his hometown in Bohol due to money problem. After recording more than 40 albums, engraving the date of Magellan’s discovery of the Philippines on everyone’s forehead, waking up a generation of radio listeners with Mag-exercise Tayo Tuwing Umaga, penning the gibberish but unforgettable Butsekik, he died not so different from during his early days as the Visayan troubadour. He may not have been recognized as a National Artist (yet?), but you can pay tribute to him by seeing his last movie at the UP Film Center this November. He acts as a one-man Greek chorus in Mario O’Hara’s Babae sa Breakwater which, in the rank of Lino Brocka, was exhibited in Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight in 2004. As lawyer-critic Francis Cruz puts it,
This tragic tale is alleviated by the ditties of Villame, providing a biting sense of irony to the plot and an accurate summary of the unpredictability, the chaotic colors, and the dizzying bevy of emotions that surround Manila life.
Sounds great, huh? No need for a Hayop na Combo to promote that.
Screening schedule:
November 17 (2PM, 5PM, 7PM)
November 18 (2PM, 5PM)
November 19 (2PM, 5PM)
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