About Radikals
By Esther Brejon
What an apt name for this film! Radikals is an odd proposition that blends traditional dance and living in a coop, delving us into a wild, riveting world. In this unbelievably charming film, which fluctuates between several genres and tone changes, Arvin Belamino choreographs bodies that tell us about the workings of a group and one’s connection to the collective.
Arvin Belarmino’s interview
How did you come up with the idea for this film about this traditional dance, the Bakte ?
Actually, the Bakte dance is not that popular in the country, it’s only in a southern province in the Philippines where I grew up. According to the old people living here for a long time, it has started way back, during the pre-hispanic era in the Philippines. The new generation still practices this dance. They want to dance because this is their freedom of expression from a day of heavy work. They are planting rice and the way they dance with their hands and their feet seems like they are farming. This culture, their way of freeing themselves, and how they appreciate life, is what inspired me to make this story.
Your film oscillates between several genres. Why this choice ?
For me, the Bakte dance is kind of magical, thus I didn’t want to tell it in a conventional way. I really tried something new, compared to my previous films, which are more realistic. Actually, it’s the first time I did something different, that is really freeing. It felt like I’m also one of the dancers, they broke the rules of the conventional dancing, and me, as a filmmaker, I also broke my own rules.
Could you tell us a few words about the actors of the film. Are they real dancers ?
Since I wanted it to be truthful and sincere, I did get the real Bakte dancers. They were so excited because it is the first time that someone made a narrative film about them. The protagonists are all real actors, they did a workshop for the dancers on how to act and, in turn, the dancers taught them on how to dance the Bakte. I think this is the beauty of cinema, it is a never ending exploration for me.
