Ploning's Controversy?

There is a usual trick to Philippine Cinema’s promotions: they would usually cook up controversies so that the movie would be talked about. But the recent battles that Ploning the Movie are facing seem pretty much authentic.

Hey, I am a stranger to tinseltown here. I seriously think that “their world” is not for the faint of heart. With so much fame and so much money handed to you on a silver platter in order to give people a hint of a respite from their mundane, or even contemptible, lives, it’s easy to let things get to your head, and it’s easy to become jaded, with so much lies and gossip flying about.

But what makes me think that the giant of a major Star Cinema movie pitted against Ploning is a real threat and a real source of consternation for the film’s cast and staff is the fact that producer Guia Gonzales had a couple of pretty intriguing blogs that I think may be about what the cast and crew are facing. Through following Guia’s blogs, I realized that she’s a genuine person, a dreamer with a heart tender towards the same Man/God I fell in love with, and I have reason to believe that she did not put out those possibly perturbed blogs for the wrong reasons. Thus, I have reason to believe that there may well be a bit of a storm raging behind the scenes of the Ploning camp.

I don’t want to update you guys with something totally showbiz. I do not want to engage in gossip. BUT, I would like to share my opinions on the giant the cast and crew are currently up against.

• I think that with anything that is bound to break the mold, the status quo, the mammoth old farts who have always been playing the scene, would always try to oppose novelty. Radio companies put up some resistance when television came on the scene. An independently-produced avant-garde film starring a major actress would definitely make the kingpins of showbiz uncomfortable. Would this have been the cause for resistance?
• This movie was birthed with a God-given dream. If Jesus had said that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed, we could toss a mountain into the ocean, I am sure that the Ploning team could toss this hump into the waters of Cuyo. The dream was written by their Big God, surely, the mountains of opposition would be leveled by their Big God too!
• -When troubles like these come, I think the best way to go would be to persevere nonetheless. That is what I learned from listening to International House of Prayer podcasts while waiting for DSL to be hooked up in my new place. So if you missed me because I was silent, I’m sure you didn’t. :p But back to what I learned. God doesn’t want us to be perfectly sinless. Humans never were, and we never will be; but what He does want is for us to persevere in running, walking, crawling, crawling while bruised and bleeding with Jesus when trials, storms, and tribulations come. To encourage the Ploning team, keep on, spend more time on your knees, praying, rather than wrangling with whomever, and you will see your God move.

I know that this movie portents of something that would break the mold of Philippine Cinema. Imagine, it was promoted chiefly online, it was birthed by dreamers, it virtually had no budget, and yet it starred a well-known, high-caliber actress, then released on a regular movie day, meaning not through artsy-fartsy film festivals. How much more nonconformist could you get? How much more portentous? And if you want to use a more Christian term, how much more prophetic?

Keep on guys; trouble does not brew if it didn’t mean something to those who rule the status quo. You’re on to something big. Hold on, keep your heads cool, you’ll surmount this, and I and all the other people looking forward to this movie will be keeping our hankies and bags of popcorn poised for the Premiere night!