Asog

ASOG is my second feature starring actual Filipino climate disaster survivors in a tragicomedy. The Globe & Mail called my last film “Uncomfortable and unforgettable.” while adding, “Devlin immerses the comedians in this very real tragedy, where they interact with real victims and give the audience some laughs. It sounds bonkers – but it works.” The VIFF 37 jury statement on my last film, presented by the 2 Director’s Guild of Canada, speaks to the efficacy of these tonal compositions: “The winning film walks a delicate line between comedy and tragedy, the two things so closely intermingled that it is sometimes hard to differentiate where one leaves off and the other begins. The long-term impact of climate change, as well as the human cost incurred is made not only visible, but also deeply felt. The film is consistently surprising, filled with humour, pathos, and staggeringly beautiful imagery. A true labour of love, this documentary hybrid balances the resolute delicacy of an Ozu film, with a loose tone poem of improvisation, the result is both rigorous and free, and grounded in resonant Humanity.”

As a Filipino-Canadian comedian my intention with ASOG was to make a film with a comedian from Leyte Island. This is the land of my Ancestors and also one of the frontlines of climate change. For years I have sought to illuminate the human impacts of this crisis by creating films in collaboration with climate survivors themselves, in a manner that adheres to Indigenous Filipino protocols around grief and storytelling.

In 2011 my family in the Philippines lost their home in an unprecedented storm attributed to climate change. Since then my artistic practice has explored the impacts of climate change in the Philippines, with a specific focus on communities where my family comes from. A primary obstacle to meaningful action on climate change is the outright denial that the crisis even exists. While some benefit economically from this rejection of scientific fact, many people are simply stuck in the “denial” stage of our collective grieving process. Now more than ever, our culture is in dire need of processes for collective grieving that support us all in moving past denial. ASOG is my latest contribution to this vital movement.

ASOG also continues my practice of working with Kishōtenketsu (起承転結), the 4-act structure of classic Chinese poetry which uses contrast and expectation to compel audiences instead of conflict. This helps audiences actively observe differences instead of passively witnessing violence. In both content and form, ASOG is designed to nurture understanding and facilitate healing.

ABOUT THE CAST
All the stars of ASOG are real impoverished Filipino climate survivors playing themselves. Rey Aclao, really is a non-binary former school teacher who is currently Leyte Island’s most popular drag artist/comedian and lost their local TV show when the studio was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan. Arnel Pablo really is a teenager whose Father became estranged when Arnel’s Mother passed away in 2016. The film also features Raul Ramos and Amilia Dela Cruz, two seaside residents of Sicogon Island who had their homes and land stolen by a corporation to build a resort in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. Mr. Ramos is the president of the Federation of Sicogon Farmers and 3 Fisherfolk Associations (FESIFFA). The fictional part of the film is the roadtrip and the pageant that brings all these real people together as “characters” in narrative film. These “characters” are brought together by the familiar genre devices of the road film. The film is shot in Leyte Island in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to government statistics, since 2006 the Eastern Visayas have gone from being the Philippines’ 7th poorest region - to the nation’s most impoverished region - largely due to “natural disasters”. This is a film made on a geographic and economic 4 frontline of climate change.

THE FILM’S CULTURAL IMPACT
In a modest sense ASOG is also a work of cultural revitalization. The erasure of pre-colonial non-binary / Trans cultural traditions in Leyte is significant because not only did these communities exist, “Asogs” often played leadership roles spiritually and as healers. The star of our film Rey/Jaya is a contemporary example that this tradition is still alive in spirit. The movie was designed to elevate and accentuate Rey/Jaya’s livedexperience while connecting to these pre-colonial traditions.

Sincerely,
Seán‌ Devlin 叶 世民