‘Filipiñana’ Review: A Dark and Surreal Satire on the Philippines' Class Divide
In the scorching heat of the Philippines, 17-year-old Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto) finds herself in a job that mirrors her country's stark class divide. As a 'tee-girl' at a country club catering to wealthy businessmen and Chinese tourists, Isabel's role is to sit and place golf balls on tees for the golfers, earning a presumably meager wage. This is just one of the many absurd and grim moments in writer-director Rafael Manuel's feature debut, 'Filipiñana', an adaptation of his 2021 award-winning short of the same name.
The film paints a grim picture of a nation where resources, both human and natural, are being exploited by a small elite. Set on a golf course, the story revolves around the predominantly female staff, who are treated as servants and often harassed by the rich, powerful male clients. The film's cast includes Jorrybell Agoto, Carmen Castellanos, Teroy Guzman, Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, Isabel Sicat, and Nour Houshmand.
'Filipiñana' is a darkly comedic and visually inventive take on a minimalist narrative, blending elements of Michael Haneke and David Lynch. The tee-girls, for instance, are synchronized to look like they're in a Busby Berkeley musical, crouching beneath a group of men in white polos, all swinging their golf clubs in unison. Other set pieces include guests dancing in step to an orchestra playing a traditional Filipino ballad and an impromptu karaoke performance by the club's eccentric owner, Dr. Palanca (Teroy Guzman).
The film takes place in one long, hot, and humid day, with not much happening. It's a slow-paced movie, capturing scenes from a fixed camera, which yields some beautiful compositions but also moments of dramatic silence. Despite this, the film builds into a scathing account of inequality, highlighting how women like Isabel are condemned to work in an environment that resembles a colonial plantation rather than a luxurious country club.
The plot follows Isabel as she learns the ropes of her new job, which includes trying to return a lost golf club to the elusive Dr. Palanca. In one tense scene, she even contemplates using the five-iron to murder her boss. Other characters include an American girl, Clara (Carmen Castellanos), who accompanies her uncle from hole to hole and grapples with the class divide and her uncle's disregard for the exploitation he's now a part of.
Manuel's keen eye for visual discomfort is evident. A giant slice of strawberry cake, untouched and sitting before an indifferent club member, looks both tempting and disgusting. Meanwhile, tee-girls like Isabel are fed meager rations of rice and fish, shared in an overcrowded canteen. The film has a 'White Lotus' vibe, but it's both subtler and more brazen, as the rich exploit the poor, and there's no salvation for Isabel and her fellow workers.
'Filipiñana' is executive produced by Jia Zhang-ke, whose influence can be seen in Manuel's artful portrayal of a paradise that's rotten from within. While the film could have benefited from more story and less contemplation, some of its images are unforgettable, such as caddies roaming a tropical forest, searching for high society golf balls that have fallen into the rough.
