Norte: The End of History is said to be the easiest to watch of director Lav Diaz’s films. Make no mistake, it’s four hours long and epic, but in the four instances we’ve seen it, the audience was always in thrall, not even standing standing up for toilet breaks. What makes it so captivating? The story is a take on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment: a rich man gets away with murder while a poor man and his family suffer for it. The movie first screened in Cannes in May, 2013, and has won a slew of awards from international film festivals. In the Philippines, producer Moira Lang has been organizing one-day-only screenings in select cinemas. We talk to Lang, who also stars in the movie as a law professor, about Norte. Warning: This interview contains spoilers.
We super loved the opening scene, when you were going all -ism. How much of that was scripted and ad-libbed?
It was all scripted. Sid Lucero, Perry Dizon, and I got the dialogue, which Lav revised, the night before the shoot. It was the first scene we took. The opening was shot first, then the other café scene where we talked about Perry’s bowel problem and ampalaya. Perry’s and my character were not in the original draft of the script. Lav added our characters, I think two weeks before we started to shoot.
During the opening scene when Fabian (Sid Lucero) was slagging capitalism, you politely remind him that “Adam Smith won.” The audience at SM Aura and Greenbelt laughed. At TriNoma, it was dead silent.
Ha-ha! Different audiences react differently to certain scenes. One scene where there is almost always an audible reaction, often laughter, at some, including in Cebu, applause —was when Hoda (Angelina Kanapi) calls after Fabian to entice him with dinner just a few beats after they had a shouting match.
We’ve seen the opening scene three times — love it, think it’s courageous. That said, do you think those first few minutes was too heavy a start for a four-hour film? That it would drive away the audience?
I think that it’s not an easy opening. It doesn’t lead you by the hand, so to speak, into the narrative. But looking back, maybe it was also a good strategy — once you get past that, it’s smooth sailing and you settle into the film’s rhythm fully.
Re-watching that scene actually gives you a clear idea of what the movie is about.
I agree. On subsequent viewings it is very likely that you gain a new or greater appreciation of that scene. By then you’re quite familiar, maybe even strangely fond of, Fabian’s world view.
Was it difficult to edit the movie? Is there a longer director’s cut?
Editing wasn’t difficult because, first, all scenes were taken in one shot and, second, Lav edited it himself. Actually what made it easier was that Lav really listens and is open to suggestions. The first cut was longer by about 20 minutes. We agreed to take out whole scenes rather than make the pace faster. There was a plan to make a 2.5-hour cut for cinema release. But it was dropped.
Did Sid Lucero fatten up for the role?
We shot the film almost in chronology. After Sid’s café scenes and his scenes with his classmates discussing Philippine history, he had about two weeks break. We asked him to lose weight, thinking it would make him look more tortured. When he returned he visibly gained weight and sported a beard. We all thought, great, this is even better!
Do you have favorite scenes from Norte?
Favorite scenes, marami. Among them the Hoda moment I mentioned. The scenes leading up to and immediately right after Eliza (Angeli Bayani) takes her children to the cliff. The prisoner’s song. The scene where Eliza tells a neighbor about her and her husband Joaquin (Archie Alemania) deciding not to avail of the opportunity to work abroad because of their conviction to keep the family together.
That cliff scene was eerie. Was Eliza thinking of jumping and ending their lives?
Yes, Eliza thought of ending it all.
What made her turn back?
She came to her senses. She made the decision to be tough for them. At the same time this would be what would keep her from visiting her husband for some time.
One of our favorite scenes was when the bus that was carrying Eliza fell from the bridge.
We didn’t have the budget to buy a whole bus, not even a condemned one. So we used bus parts instead. It had to be a one-take shot because of the rain effect. Fortunately!
In the final scenes of the movie, did Fabian rape the dog?
No. He stabbed the dog repeatedly.
How long did you shoot the movie, and why Ilocos Norte?
We were in Iocos Norte for a month. We shot the film in 20 days. Ilocos Norte because we wanted a location far from Manila so that everyone would just be focused on making the film. Because it was cost-effective and logistically a dream —the provincial government gave us full support. And because it’s breathtakingly beautiful.The physical beauty and magnificence of the place would serve as a visual counterpoint to the corruption and degradation of Fabian’s soul.
Is this the easiest Lav Diaz film to watch?
Not sure about easy, but most likely the most pleasurable to watch.
What will happen to the children of Eliza and Joaquin?
It’s open ended. It’s likely the aunt (Hazel Orencio) will continue to look after them. But she is mentally challenged and thus not fully equipped. It is implied in the end that Fabian is close to them, watching.
Norte: Hangganan ng Kasaysayan (with English subtitles) will screen on Apr 15, 6:30pm, at TriNoma, Glorietta and Fisher Mall (Quezon cor Roosevelt Avenues, Quezon City). PHP300. Tickets at the box office.
Eissenn Gallestre Tronco says
"In the final scenes of the movie, did Fabian rape the dog?"
"No. He stabbed the dog repeatedly." Oh, thank god, that's a relief.