BALOTA/ BALLOT

Philippines, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Marian Riviera, Will Ashley, Royce Cabrera, Gardo Versoza,Mae Paner.

Directed by Kip Oebanda.

Almost 100 years, world audiences have watched on the political struggles in the Philippines, democracies, dictatorships and the Marcos family, uprisings and freedom, the reign of Pres do to take, the return of the Marcos Next Generation…

This film is a fiction based on many stories, the setting is 2007, a local election, the pompous mayor standing for re-election, throwing her weight around, the tough candidate campaigning, a wealthy man, with a mansion, a huge collection of artworks, a great believer in individual power.

The focus is on a local teacher, Filipino star and award winner, Marianne Riviera, a reputation in her village, influencing a number of the people with her teaching and tutoring. She has a teenage son, American father, and scenes of schooling, basketball games, young people gathering, but also the protesters campaigning against the Mayor and her social injustice against workers, a woman leader campaigner because of the death of her husband in the cause.

The teacher Enemy is charged with transferring a box of ballots to the governor’s house, an attempted bribe, the death of her companion, her fleeing, chained to the ballot box into the jungle, desperate phone calls with her son, corrupt police taking over, murders, folks, her eventually going to the house of the candidate, his trying to win her over – but protesters gathering at the gate and some kind of indication of justice.

At the end, it is 2010, another election time – and Teacher Enemy looking straight into camera indicating that probably very little has changed.

1. A film for the Filipino audience, politics, corruption, rich and poor, elections? For the international audience, a perspective on the Philippines? The history of politics in the 20^th and 21^st-century is?
2. The setting of the small town, the visuals of the town, homes, school, election officers, the streets and demonstrations, the contrast with the mansion and the artworks, the countryside, the jungle? The musical score?
3. The setting, the 2000s, Filipino memories of politics at the time, elections and the provinces, local elections, the candidates, campaigns, supporters, demonstrations, protests? Behind-the-scenes, corrupt police, folks, murder, buying of votes?
4. The focus on Teacher Emmy, her status, as a teacher, the influence on people, relationship with her son, teenager, his friend, Jimbo, Jimbo’s mother? Scenes of her teaching porous students, urging them on? Her role with the elections, the supervision, the voters, her being invited to demonstrate against the Mayor, her reticence, her own personal perspective on the candidates?
5. The background of the candidates, the mayor, her pushy style, relationships and ex-lovers, ownership, plantations, unjust wages, the wife demonstrating against the death of her husband, leading the protests? The gay men, the two sisters, taking sides and demonstrations? The wealthy candidate, his mansion, guards, the range of artworks in his house? His henchman?
6. Seeing thugs in action, pursuit of people, buying votes, murders, bodies abandoned? The leader against Teacher Emmy, in the car with the ballots, the fellow teacher, the driver proposing payment, the gun, the teacher shot, Emmy hitting the driver with the ballot box, her escape into the jungle, hiding, the pursuit, her phone, contact with her son, with Jimbo and his mother, the violence of their deaths? The threats to her son, the phone calls, the information she gave, going to the house of the candidate, being allowed in, still holding the box, her injuries, the reception by the candidate, his boasting of his wealth and art, her decision to play up to him, the food and drink, the conversation, his plans? Her son’s phone call, warning him away? Holding her ground, the reaction of the candidate, violence, payoffs, his plans and his power struggle? In the wheelchair, the confrontation with the protesters, his arrest? And is campaigning for the next election in jail?
7. Enzo, his age, American father, friendship with Jimbo, computer games, basketball, with the girls, persuaded to go to the protests? His support of his mother? The death of Jimbo and his mother? The phone calls, his desperation, his being arrested, in the cell, Morales and the food, support, the old policeman and corruption, taking into the jungle, the empty gun on the shots, Morales, shooting the policeman? Morale is indebted to Teacher Emmy, his gay identity and Emmy support? His continuing to help with Enzo? The arrest of the candidate?
8. Teacher Emmy, the rescue, her working with the wife of the murdered man, the confrontation with the mayor, the ballot box, confronting the Mayor, her making promises and signing them, legal cases?
9. Three years passing, Teacher Emmy and her classes and prestige, and so and his legal studies, the friendship with Morales?
10. The prospects of the election, the candidates, the promises, the candidate in jail, the focus on Teacher Emmy and the focus on the audience perspective on elections and corruption?