Memories of Creation

Film Review
Title: Orbit 50
Director: Kidlat Tahimik

It is in the last part of his narration in the short film Orbit 50 (1992) that Kidlat Tahimik summarizes his life, “When I look back on all my films I can proudly say that I was a father first, and then a filmmaker.” Orbit 50 is Kidlat’s way of celebrating his 50th birthday, or, in his trademark humor, his 50th orbit around the sun. This fourth film of his marks his first foray into the medium of video – albeit analog – almost a decade before digital video made it easy for independent filmmakers to shoot their own personal films. While his previous films focus more on his politics and his search for the Filipino identity amidst Western hegemony, Orbit 50 is more personal and introspective. It also serves as a love letter to his three sons: Kidlat Sr., Kawayan, and Kabunyan. In the film, Kidlat addresses each of his son, sharing words of wisdom that he hopes would prove useful as they grow up.

If my introduction sounds too sentimental, let us not forget that I am writing about Kidlat Tahimik, probably the most radical filmmaker in Philippine cinema. His movies always defy our conventional notion of filmic narrative, often threading the line between documentary and experimental fiction. It can be said that Kidlat’s films all deal with memories of creation and destruction. Or as the critic E. San Juan, Jr. puts it, “They embody historical recollections of the past accompanied by a critical inventory of what is important and meaningful to be saved for the future.” Orbit 50 still shows the revisionist avant-garde style that the filmmaker is known for, but in a more gentle and reflective manner.

The film opens abruptly, with neither the usual opening credits nor even the appearance of the film’s title. After a series of rambling images showing rainfall, we hear Kidlat’s voice-over saying, “In a few more days, I will begin my 50th orbit around the sun.” He then begins his letter to his eldest son, Kidlat, “Dear Kidlat. Remember, your father was named after you […] You are the original Kidlat and your father is Kidlat Jr. […] Try to discover that cosmic dynamo throbbing within your name.” For his second son, Kawayan, who is about to go away and study at the Philippine High School for the Arts, he says, “Whatever they teach you, don’t forget to work with the quiet strength of bamboo.” Finally, for his youngest son, Kabunyan, Kidlat muses, “Dear Kabunyan, sometimes as an artist I take my filming seriously and I fail to hear your funny stories […] Your drawings point to me the lightness of spirit many artists have lost.”

The images in the film are mostly home video footage of his children shot by Kidlat over the years. While shot and edited in his usual crude manner, the presence of this home movies give the film a very personal feeling. Even the content of his poorly and unevenly recorded voice-over narration (another Kidlat Tahimik trademark) about his sons reveal a very loving, caring, and thoughtful father. In what for me is the most touching moment of the film, Kidlat asks his youngest son Kabunyan (who is probably around 10-12 years old at the time) to operate the video camera. Kidlat then stands in front of the camera and starts reminding Kabunyan that Kabunyan should love his art and that his work should always reflect his being Filipino.

Orbit 50 clearly shows that Kidlat Tahimik has successfully established himself as a filmmaker working away from the mainstream movie industry. Unlike the people working in the industry, Kidlat reminds us that there is more to life than just your work. He reminds us that an artist’s greatest masterpiece is not a piece of wonderful painting or a brilliant film; it is in how the artist nurtures the ties that bind his family together.