I’ve been thinking about independent films recently. What are indie films? What makes an independent movie “independent”? Is it about the mode of production? The topics explored in the movie? Does it mean that if the production studio is not “mainstream” or “popular”, then a motion picture could be considered as an “independent movie”?

I’m a big fan of movies. I love movies from Marvel, from Hollywood and from the dominant production studios all over the world. But I also love films that strike a political chord or a topic that the society would consider taboo and restricted.

Still, I feel that an independent film has an anti-establishment stance. It rises up against the domination, nay, tyranny of commercial outfits that produce money for the sake of propagating dominant ideas and culture in the society. Such films perpetuate and implicitly support the injustices present in the society. To add insult to injury, when sensitive topics are explored… such as homosexuality, AIDS, oppression of minorities, the tendency to romanticize the social issue is just too great that the true issue is masked away by melodrama and subtle justification of the existing order.

Independent film, as an industry, challenges the status quo and the domination of existing industry players that are making millions of money from the film industry while allowing the “movie taste” of the public to deteriorate and accept whatever the establishment offers.

Independent Film has the potential to change the landscape of the movie industry. The reverse is also true. The establishment can also change the nature and character of independent film. Sometimes I feel that the Philippine Independent Film has been co-opted by the establishment. Co-optation would then be followed by assimilation and a total loss of the vision of independent cinema to empower the people and challenge the establishment.

Prof. Rolando Tolentino of the UP College of Mass Communication has explained it better in his blog: “Indie Cinema bilang kultural na kapital.”

I’m planning to write a series of blog posts about Independent Film, its nature and character and how can we characterize the present state of Independent films in the Philippines. If you wish to share your thoughts on this topic, just leave your comment and let me know.