Isla

The End of Text(ing): Jurilla’s Short Film Isla as Pre-modern Nostalgia

John E. Barrios

During one of the red carpet premiers of the Cinekasimanwa 4, Western Visayas festival of films, held at the Cinema One of SM City Iloilo, Jonathan Jurilla’s short film Isla was shown along with the two other films also by Ilonggo directors. It readily caught the retina out of the eyes of the viewers because of its fresh cinematography (credits to Emmanuel Lerona and Ruperto Quitag) and unpretentious linear narrative.  

Isla was shot in the province of Antique, particularly in the towns of Culasi, Sebaste, and Tibiao. It tells the story of two young female local tourists, Pol and Gi, who went to Antique to explore its natural wonders. Pol, the main character was “seduced” by nature. Seeing a butterfly, she follows it into the forest and there she found a pitcher plant. Later, she went to the sea, swam and stayed underwater for quite some time until her companion thought she was lost. She emerged from the water “transformed” into a new person.

Using the concept of “lost and found” is not new but because it was used in the context of the millenials’ technology, the cell phone, it provided a hook that any viewer should not have missed. Right from the opening of the short film, the two characters were already at their cell phones taking selfies. So much so that their tour guide had no other choice but to leave the two to their selfieic world. After taking pictures the two characters sat down and kept on texting.

Text(ing). A text is commonly understood as a written mark usually found on paper. But with the advent of digital technology, it found a new meaning, “sms” or short for “short message service”; also means “text message”. With sms, a written mark could be copied, sent to as many recipient as one likes, and be erased. Since sms messaging is dependent on technology, the pleasure that it could provide is only as good as the life of the cell phone’s battery.

In the short film, the end of text(ing) first happened to Pol when her battery was depleted. (Her friend’s power bac was of no use because it was also depleted.) From her cell phone, her attention was transferred to the hovering butterfly, next to the forest, and then to the sea. Gi, however, was still at her cell phone, texting while the two of them wandered to the hills of Mararison island. It was only by the sea that the two got separated. Pol took a swim while Gi kept on texting.

Pol’s texting activity was substituted by her exploration of nature. She started to enjoy the pleasures that nature could provide and it even came to a point where she has to leave her friend and discover not just nature but also herself. In fact, Pol’s immersion into nature made her one with nature. Pol emerged as both human + nature. This is the point where pre-modern nostalgia becomes articulated.

The short film Isla is about the re-enchantment of the world, our world. It wants us to see the world—using the island as signifier—as a living and breathing being, like us humans. It wants us to believe that the “island” is “us”. This belief propels us back to our pre-colonial past where babaylanic belief systems dominate the island of Panay. It was the time where our ancestors would not dare cut trees without first asking the permission of the spirits, or pass the forest without first uttering “tabi-tabi” (Please let us pass by); it was the time where the first harvest of rice and fish is offered to the unseen beings, and the time where big rocks, trees, and hills are seen as sacred. The pre-colonial time was the time when our ancestors were one with nature.

On the other hand, Jurilla’s Isla failed to re-enchant the world. The short film fell short of being “pure” in its portrayal of nature. It employed modern technique of editing and even incorporated modern rock in its background. Not to mention the drone shots that throws a sudden view from up high. Or the wide angle shots that were typical of tourism promotional videos that proliferate the internet. In short, the film did not show nature as an organic subject.

However, the success of Isla lies in the postmodern discourse that it offers. It was able to background the idea of virtual space as signified by the “death” of the cell phone and the end of  text(ing) and foreground the pre-modern physical space by “resurrecting” the “lost” characters of the Isla/island/world.

In the film, we see the world as signified by negotiating spaces of “Antique”, the virtual world, the “other”/”unknown” world, and the world of tourism. The camera lens used for every shot may be just one but it opens up to multiple worlds—each world struggling to be recognized—signifying its different presence(s) despite it being absence; each world in its paradoxical existence.

Jurilla’s Isla made us see and not see. The island wasn’t in the movie theater after all. We have to go see Antique. Literally.