First Ever Film Review: “ORAPRONOBIS” (“FIGHT FOR US”)

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Day 15 of the #NaNoPoblano2021 challenge. Major Theme: “A Few of My Earliest Things”. New sub-theme: “My Firsts”. Related post: My Evolution as a Writer. Related page: CRITIC’S CORNER. 

orapronobisWell, lookie what I found the other day…My very first film review! A few years back, I shared one that I thought was my first. But having found this, I changed my mind. I actually distinctly remember watching the film Orapronobis (Fight for Us). I was in school (sophomore year) and ready to go home. But we were asked to stay after a symposium on human rights. I stayed not only because it was for school (we were asked to write a film review or reaction paper). I stayed because I was somewhat interested. I was curious mainly because, in 1989, there was a film ban against it in the country. The public saw it only after its premiere at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.  

I always thought that the title should be Ora Pro Nobis, not one whole word. But when I saw the controversial film, I think it showed the title as one word. Doing a Google search now, I get the same results although there are some images that show it in three words. I also Google-translated.

ccp-free-screening-orapronobis-2019

A 2019 free screening announcement from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). It was to pay tribute to the late director Lino Brocka. The title says ORA PRO NOBIS.  You can understand my confusion, right?

It detected the words as Latin for “Pray for Us”, not “Fight for Us”. So if you know that it’s supposed to be three Latin words that mean “Pray for Us”, also know that the wrong translation and title are not my fault at all.

To be honest, the film is still hardly viewed especially since many of the younger generation do not know about it. I also feel like there’s still some sort of invisible ban over it. For instance, only last year (or it could be back in 2019), the whole movie was uploaded on YouTube. I can’t find it now. 

I re-typed my review verbatim. Nevermind the wrong grammar and don’t expect too much. I’m just happy my teacher gave me a perfect score for it 🙂

ORAPRONOBIS

After the symposium about Human Rights Violation last Thursday, I was ready to leave school. Then it came as a surprise to me that class wasn’t over yet. We still had to watch a movie. My friend and I grumbled a little to ourselves. We knew that it would soon be dark and that we would arrive home late in the evening.

When I heard that it was the Orapronobis film we were about to see, I said to myself, “Why not? After all, I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about it already.” But still, I had the impression that I would just be bored. 

When the film started, I wasn’t quite interested. But as it went on, my first impression died. It was a very good movie after all.  It showed that even the military which was supposed (and is supposed) to protect the people were the ones who violated the rights of the civilians. Just because the military people are more powerful, they act like the world owes them a lot, that they can step on somebody’s neck anywhere and anytime they want. It wasn’t fair.

What is most unfair, it is the poor who is most pitiful. No wonder they (poor people) compose the N.P.A. the most. They just are too fed up with the way the government runs the nation. If the government and the military will not start to straighten up, what will happen to our country? Graft and corruption everywhere.  Violence here and there. These lead to too much human rights violation which are not only sinful to the eyes of man but to God’s eyes as well.   

Since I have spoken about God, I think, the worst sin you can do in this world is use his name and say you’re religious when you’re not or that you haven’t done anything wrong to anyone or against Him. I really detest those kind of people who try to wash their own hands. They’re nothing but frauds! And everytime I forget that they, too, have the right to live, I sometimes wish they’d be hanged on the gallows.

By the film, I could relate it to Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. The church and the government, which were very powerful in his time, abused their authority over the Filipinos. They should’ve been models, they should’ve showed the way to righteousness. Instead, they showed cruelty and violations of the rights of the people. And only then did the people revolt.

But at that time, we were reigned by the Spaniards. Now that we aren’t, why should the government continue being a burden to society when it can make everybody’s life more pleasant? Should they (government officials) wait until the people of the republic themselves make drastic actions? The more people get hurt, the more they rebel.  If the government doesn’t need peace, the people do.

After the film, I still was worrying because it was dark outside already. But then, and so what? I realized this film was a million times worth watching. It didn’t matter what time it ended. I honestly think that such movies like it will always be that valuable to students like me (and very informative, too!). I am looking forward for more.

8 thoughts on “First Ever Film Review: “ORAPRONOBIS” (“FIGHT FOR US”)”

  2. I wrote a very long comment about how it is that in 1989, when this film was originally banned in the Phillipines by then-president Corazón Aquino; I was sought out to translate and subtitle this little gem of a film. When I first began, I thought I would be bored, as the story starts slowly, but by the end, I knew that the bitter taste it left, was about Man’s evils against his brother, like Cain and Abel, retold over and over again. While I rarely “watch a movie” while translating and subtitling, but mostly focus on the dialogue; something about this movie caught my attention, so much so that 30+ years later, I still feel its impact!

    I believe that Aquino’s decision to ban this movie gave more of a voice to this little film, which might otherwise have faded into obscurity. And yet, it has done that to anyone who has not had a chance to see it.

    The evils depicted in this film have existed since the first societies were established, and while a bit dated in clothing and technology, OraProNobis/Fight For Us tells a story as old as time: Man’s inhumanity to man! The abuses of power that play out when The Weaponized, take full advantage of their positions to subjugate and oppress those weaker/poorer than they – those whose only weapons are their words and their defiance!

    This movie should be required watching in High School/College and University as it tells an ancient story that continues to be real and active to this very century.

    May God bless us with vision, compassion, and empathy, that we might make this world a better place: the paradise He wished for us to inhabit.

    I hope I recaptured most of what I said in that first post and I, again, include the link to a site where you can watch for yourself.

    https://www.tvguide.com/movies/fight-for-us/2000073555/

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  4. I translated and subtitled this movie “OraProNobis/Fight for us” back in the late 80s. It had been banned in The Phillipines, by then president Corazón Aquino. I think that the act of banning the film gave it more credibility, rather than less; which I am certain was not her aim.
    At the time I worked on the subtitles, I was prepared to be bored, as the film starts slowly; and because I’m not really “watching the film” but translating the dialogue. By the end of the film, the bad taste left in one’s mouth is due to its inherent evil: the cowardice of those who use their power to violate others, and their rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” people who are less able to defend themselves against these violations because they own no heavy artillery, no tanks, or planes, or weapons beyond words and defiance!
    I was speaking tonight to a Filipino Customer Service representative for a large Asian conglomerate. As sometimes happens, our conversation veered away from the business to more personal topics and I mentioned having translated this film, which led me to seek it out to watch it through for the first time since having finished the subtitling process, over 30 years ago. 

    This may seem like an old movie; but the tale it tells is as old as time and civilization. It may seem to wear outdated clothes and use outdated technologies, but the story itself is timeless and the movie deserves to be seen… even shown in school.

    Am glad to have had a chance to contribute a little something to your blog. Thanks for the opportunity to share. Best of everything!

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