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That somebody is Liryc dela Cruz, a 22-year-old fan of Lav Diaz, who also happens to be the film’s second assistant director.
The four-hour Norte, deemed the most accessible Lav Diaz movie, has already won a lot of prizes in the festival scene. It is the country’s official entry to the Oscars next year.
“Nasa grade school pa lang ako nung binalita na si Lav minura ni Mother Lily. Tapos, wow, katrabaho ko na siya ngayon,” Lir tells us on Facebook. He got the tattoo in South Cotabato yesterday, just an hour before we chatted with him. It was done by his friend Ian Manansala, who is also from Mindanao.
Lir, why Norte?
Norte is very important to me. Aside from being part of the film, it was the first time that I got to work with Lav Diaz, Moira Lang, Kints Kintana and the rest of the ‘Lav Team’. Life-changing yung experience ko sa Norte. Siguro mas nagkaroon ng direction yung career ko after Norte kasi nag-commit na ako sa aesthetics ni Lav at kay Lav. Mas naging solid na itinreat ko ang cinema bilang ideology.
Lir with Lav Diaz at Locarno Film Festival
Woah, big words.
Nung college ako nabasa ko yung speech ni Lav para sa CinemaOne. Mahaba pero totoo [yung mga sinabi niya]. Maraming struggle ang isang artist o ang isang filmmaker, sabi niya, pero kailangan mong maging matapang para magawa mo ang art mo. Malaki ang responsibilidad ng artist sa bayan. While working with Lav, nakita ko yun: Kung papaano itrato ang paggawa ng cinema na ideological. Kailangan mo magsakripisyo at ‘wag basta na lang susuko sa maliit na sturggle na na-e-experience mo bilang artist. Wag ka matakot maging malaya.
What were you doing before joining the Lav Team?
Nag-Regal sandali, then TV na. Wala naman akong pinagsisihan kasi kasama sa struggle mo yung paano ka mabubuhay eh. Sa umpisa pa rin naman, kaya I pursued cinema, yun naman talaga ang passion ko. Then in 2008, Kidlat Tahimik gave me a bamboo camera. It became an affirmation na ituloy-tuloy ko na ang cinema. Yung pag-TV ko at mainstream din ang nagbigay sa akin ng mas balanse na pagtingin sa dalawang mundo.
Okay, so how long did it take you, from the idea of the tattoo to actually getting it?
Papunta kami nina Moira sa Pampanga. I really wanted a tattoo during that time, pero hindi ko alam kung anong design. Then, I saw Lena Dunham’s tattoos on Girls. Chos. Nagustuhan ko yung mga tattoo niya; they’re based on the children’s book Eloise. So I thought, ano yung pelikula na pinakamalapit sa puso ko? So ito na, Norte. That was eight or nine months ago. I forgot about it sa sobrang daming trabaho. May kaibigan akong tattoo artist na dapat magta-tattoo sa akin na hindi ko na napuntahan. I went home to Mindanao, in South Cotabato, nito lang and then I saw on Facebook na nag-ta-tattoo na yung [isa pang] kaibigan ko. Inayos ko sa Photoshop yung design last week then pinadala ko sa kanya. Then kanina, isang oras habang sinasagot ko ang mga tanong mo, natapos niya ang tattoo ko.
How many tattoos do you have?
This is the third. I had two done today.
Where did you get it done?
On my left forearm.
Can you say Norte is your favorite Lav Diaz film?
Wag na yan, ha ha ha. More than favorite, siguro this is the most memorable.
Okay, do you have a favorite scene instead?
Favorite scene ko yung nag-usap si Fabian at Sheena sa kwarto. Yung eksena ni Mailes Kanapi. Yung mahabang lakad papunta sa cliff, itong tattoo ko, at yung eksena ng mga bata ni Ading sa ending. Ay teka, yung sa bangka rin pala. Ang dami! Lahat na!
How many times have you seen the movie?
Maraming beses na simula post-production hanggang sa mga screening. At home also, sometimes.
Are you working on another film with Lav now?
May mga paparating na projects pero hindi pa pwede sabihin.
Do you think you’ll get a tattoo of those?
Marami pang pelikula, marami pang pagkakataon at panahon, marami pang magagandang alaala, at marami pang tattoo! Pero gusto ko next, tattoo naman nung Mula. It’s the film that won in Locarno.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learned working with Lav?
Maging matapang ka. Maraming bagay ang na-ko-compromise kapag hindi ka matapang. At yung cinema napaka-importanteng bagay nito sa lipunan. It can change the way we see and look at the world. Pwede nitong itama ang kasaysayan. Marami. Kailangan mong maging matapang at maniwala sa taong katrabaho mo habang gumagawa kayo ng cinema.
Marami pang struggle ang tao at bayan. As an artist, you have to use your art to change the consciousness of the nation.
At dapat wag masyadong mataas ‘pag gumagawa. Walang awards-awards na usapan o festival-festival. Ang cinema ay para sa bayan. Tahimik na gumawa para maging maganda ang kalalabasan.
Photo of Lir with Lav Diaz: Lir’s Facebook page
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