Generosamente cedido por uno de sus autores,[a:Aleksandr Voinov|3074905|Aleksandr Voinov|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1269087737p2/3074905.jpg], tuve la oportunidad de leer esta cortita novela, al igual que otra de sus impresionantes sagas, [b:Special Forces|6708511|Special Forces (Special Forces, #1-3)|Aleksandr Voinov|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1268577845s/6708511.jpg|6904341], disponible para descargar gratis desde su web. Si bien me gusta leer las novelas, cuando puedo, en sus idiomas originales, es frustrante que este tipo de literatura aún no logre un lugar entre las elecciones de las editoriales y distribuidoras en castellano. Y eso se aplica a miles de géneros y obras. Un poco por tabú, con algo de ignorancia, y otro poco porque los circuitos comerciales todavía tienen criterios muy discutibles a la hora de decidir qué puede ser vendido y qué no. Por eso terminamos tapados por novelas horribles, ofensivas, ideológicamente sepultables, cuyos autores realmente parece que nos tomaran el pelo. Personalmente no tengo mayores frenos a la hora elegir qué leer: mientras me vuele la cabeza y esté bien escrito, por mí está bien. Existen muchos escritores independientes, para quienes es factible combinar sin contradicciones tanto la ganancia o rentabilidad -reglas del sistema para la supervivencia- como la comunidad de sus creaciones artísticas. Cuánto hay que valorar la importancia del trabajo propio, cuánto amor hay que tener por lo que hacen, como para entender que ese pequeño texto sólo cobra vida en las manos del lector. Todos debemos sobrevivir, hay ciertas reglas que nos obligan, pero entre medio de ese monstruo opresor e igualador, son esas pequeñas acciones las que nos hacen libres.

I’ve posted a schedule of this newly celebrated film festival on Facebook few days ahead of time. I don’t have any idea when or where this film festival came from. All I could do is screaming, whining and asking someone to tag me along the cinema because of Transit. In the end, I was alone watching. Transit was directed by Hannah Espia and the official Philippines entry to The 2014 Oscars. Can you believe it? I was so excited when I heard the news. The film was one of the entries of Cinemalaya 9: Cinesthesia this year, but because of my unstable schedule and unstoppable monsoon, I wasn’t able to watch it last July.

 

Going back to the Quezon City Film Festival, QCinema is supposedly launch a long time ago if I am not mistaken. But due to some difficulties in stretching their network, it took them three years before they could properly open it in the public. The Commission will pick three outstanding scripts and given grants of ₱800,000. Of course, for the deadline, they are given one year to revise and transform their scripts into film and at least one of the major proponents is a certified Quezon City resident.

 

As far as my ignorance is concern, the main goal of the said festival “is to continue the vision of the [ Quezon City Film Development] Commission to encourage Filipino artists to strive to create well-crafted movies based on nationalism, positive Filipino values, gender-sensitivity, freedom and excellence.” Such a patriotic message from the board! I don’t know how far they will outsmart people by their films and by watching one of the granted film, my comment is that Gaydar failed to impress me.

 

The first film I’ve watched was Transit. As I said before, this is the only film worth me dragging to the cinema and this is one of those films that I will treasure and recommend to my friends. The film was divided into five short stories. Those stories encircling the lives of Filipino overseas worker while trying to escape Israel’s new law—deportation of children 4 years and below— and looking inward to find their real identity.

 

We will hear voices of Moises, a single dad who struggle to hide his child from Immigrant police; Janet, a single mother abused by her past;  Tina, a newly recruited overseas worker who was soon stripped by her false view of Israeli life; Yael, confused of her identity, have to stand between Filipino and Israeli; and lastly, Joshua, the hope. But when the truth comes out, the family will one by one fall and realize that there is always a new adventure to take on. I cried in the end.

 

One word best describe the film: Literary.

 

Purok 7 (Zone 7), was recommended by a Cinemalaya fanatic friend of mine and another entry of Cinemalaya 9: Cinesthesia. He said that he nearly cried in the end of the story and I know why, but I did not. Of all the stories I’ve watched that day, this is the only film that have the looks of positivity while developing a devastating story. A good example of a comedy drama and a love story with social commentary unlike Gaydar. And unlike Gaydar, this film is way better.

 

Diana and Julian was left unsettled by their mother who went to China to work and their father lived with  a new woman after their mother abandon them. The two charming siblings trying to settle their everyday lives by working in the farm and trying to scavenge to fulfil their daily needs, but instead of losing hope, they manage to live like a normal brother and sister. And one day, a news came to destroy their hopes.

 

One word best describe the film: Charming.

The nameless narrator of Anna Seghers' Transit is on the run having escaped a work camp. He is trying to escape the war in Europe by emigrating, and the novel tells the story of mistaken identity, bureaucratic frustrations, and the multifaceted landscape of Marseilles at the beginning of the Second World War. Weidel, who our narrator is on his way to deliver a letter to, dies with coveted transit documents in a suitcase containing the manuscript of his last work. Weidel's estranged, ex-wife is in Marseilles and our narrator decides to travel there, maybe to deliver the papers and passes but maybe also to use them to get himself out of France. He is on the run, after all having escaped a German work camp. With wine, pizza, and the familiarity of a cafe, Seghers' narrator takes the reader along with him in the seedier, less romantic version of "Casablanca". The first time Transit has appeared in English, not only does the publication make available a unique work by an author who lived through the Second World War and in East Germany afterwords, it is also a complex work about desperation and almost unending waiting.

http://overland.org.au/blogs/poetry-fiction-reviews/2013/02/damaged-in-transit/

2.5A story where the "I love yous" come fast and furious. I'm still not quite sure if Javier even likes Andrew or respects him. Definitely a more HFN kind of ending. These are colleagues who sleep together on a business trip and decide pretty suddenly they are in love. There were some interesting moments when they talked out their relationship needs but I didn't feel any real connection or chemistry between them.