MANILA, Philippines?Quite interestingly, controversial and X-rated films were given a public exhibition because of the Netpac competition of the Cinemalaya film festival, which wraps up at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Sunday.

Netpac or the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema is composed of film critics from all over the world.

Among the films vying for the Netpac prize are Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos? ?Walang Hanggang Paalam? and Adolfo Alix Jr.?s ?Aurora,? both rated X by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Meanwhile, a third entry, ?Bayaw,? created buzz because of its full-frontal male nudity. A fourth Netpac film, Auraeus Solito?s ?Boy,? was banned in Singapore because of ?a long gay love scene? as well.

Villaluna said that the film?s journey from censorship to the CCP was long and arduous. ?It makes you realize that filmmaking has become a struggle in this country. It?s frustrating ... but we are totally relieved to premiere at the CCP.?

Alix concurred: ?It?s a bit liberating ... A lot of the viewers were puzzled by the double ?X? rating. Still, ?Aurora? can?t be shown outside of UP and the CCP.?

Villaluna explained: ?Although Ellen and I think a regulatory board is a necessary social responsibility, it is more important to have a credible set of reviewers in that group.?

Some of the current board members, he said, ?have a hard time differentiating prurient from relevant films.?

Alix said: ?The board should focus their efforts on reevaluating PD 1986 (the law that created the MTRCB). A bill has been submitted to Congress to amend PD 1986. Hopefully, it sees the light of day.?

Classification, not censorship

Classification, not censorship, is the answer, noted Danio Caw, producer of ?Bayaw.? ?Some feel that censorship may hamper the growth of the indie scene, but I doubt if it can stop filmmakers who wish to express themselves.?

Cinemalaya and the Netpac competition provide a venue for films that would otherwise meet resistance from the censors, Caw, Alix and Villaluna agreed.

?Cinemalaya and Netpac help producers and directors express their ideas in the most integral way possible,? said Caw.

?Approval (from Cinemalaya and Netpac) meant a lot especially for a film like ?Aurora? which had been dismissed as gratuitous.? Alix said.

Villaluna, however, owned up that filmmakers have a social responsibility, too. ?It?s a two-way street. A lot of filmmakers exploit the digital medium by making trashy porn films. We cannot stop that. The democratization of cinema comes with that reality. You just have to take the good with the bad.?

That?s precisely why the censors? role becomes all the more crucial, Villaluna reiterated.

In the meantime, the Netpac competition, ?a first in the Philippines,? said Villaluna, ?underlines the fact that local cinema is making waves abroad.?

?That an international organization recognized our country [means that] we are closer to sharing our cinema and culture to a worldwide audience. Hopefully we get to maximize the attention... because the world is looking at the Philippines now,? Villaluna said.

Other films competing for the Netpac prize are Ralston Jover?s ?Baseco Bakal Boys,? Yeng Grande?s ?Prinsipe ng Sabong,? Seymour Barros Sanchez?s ?Handumanan,? Jowee Morel?s ?Latak? and Alix?s ?Karera.?

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com