Evolution of a Filipino Family (A viewer's guide)
Joshua Polanski's Guided Film Club - Discursions in Time: Slow and Poetic Cinema(s) ( announced here on Unspoken Cinema) ended with a bang(er) = Lav DIAZ's record breaking durational drama behemoth, Evolution of a Filipino Family (2004) and an insightful online disccussion. You can do it too. What you ought to know before getting into Lav DIAZ's 10h24' long epic saga (spoiler free): 1) - The events depicted in the film, around the Gallardo clan, take place in The Philippines, between 1971 and 1987. 2) - The Philippines have a history of conversions, conquests, occupations, and colonisations: Islamisation (XIVth century) Spanish colonisation and evangelisation (1521-1898) since Magellan American rule (1898-1946+) USA economic influence Japanese occupation (1942-45) during WWII Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship (1972-1986) martial law (1972-1981) Assassination of father Tullio Favali (1985) Roman catholic priest Democracy (1987-) 3) - Lav DIAZ was born on December 30, 195...