Ang Babae sa Septic Tank

The greatness of “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” begins and ends with Eugene Domingo.

Written by Chris Martinez (“Kimmy Dora”, “Here Comes the Bride”) and directed by first-time filmmaker Marlon N. Rivera, “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” satirizes today’s Philippine indie filmmaking scene by poking fun at conventions and stereotypes of today’s Pinoy indie. It portrays the struggle of a producer and a director (played by JM de Guzman and Kean Cipriano, respectively) in their pursuit to produce the ultimate Oscar/Cannes-bait - “Walang Wala”, a film (within this film) about Mila, a woman in the slums with seven children, who is pushed over the edge to commit desperate acts because of poverty. On top of this, the behind-the-scenes of this metafilm, “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” focuses rather on a casting dilemma with the director and producer debating over their choice of actress to play the lead role of Mila. With Eugene Domingo (who portrays herself) being the lead contender in these altercations, the film thus serves as the ultimate acting vehicle for the in-demand actress.

Like many metafilms, “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” suffers from overindulgence with its material, most especially because of its language. Its humor is mostly derived from inside jokes, which only people from production or the showbiz industry would fully comprehend. Its universal comic aspect lies in the fact that it makes fun of itself - as the film simply points out the trends currently going on with Philippine independent films, scrutinizing the formula for the perfect award-winning film, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in itself. In the end, the writing merely sets up the stage for a grand performance of a lifetime courtesy of “The” Ms. Eugene Domingo.

The film was the biggest winner from the recently concluded 7th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival (2011), having won top awards such as best film, best director, best screenplay and a most deserved best actress award for Eugene Domingo. Not to downplay the film’s merits, but essentially, you watch “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” for Eugene Domingo’s performance - as she delivers what is probably her best one yet, which proves why she is definitely one of, if not the best actress right now in the Philippines. Her comedic prowess is undeniable and her acting chops unquestionable, as she lights up the screen most especially in scenes where she portrays herself as the actress being cast for the role of Mila. The part where she enumerates the different acting styles “in her book” is legendary, and will definitely go down in Philippine Cinema history as a classic. Her willingness to be made fun of, having to play a fictional role of herself, is also most admirable. Indeed, the film’s success (both commercially and critically) is heavily attributed to Eugene Domingo’s performance and I couldn’t think of anyone else pulling off an iconic role like this.

“Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” has the makings of a classic. Although looking at the film overall, I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a masterpiece at present. Its relevance lies in its reflection of current styles and trends of the local independent film industry, and its ability to push this industry to diversify itself; however, its influence cannot be put to test immediately. Nevertheless, this film is a must-see for lovers of Philippine Cinema and Eugene Domingo alike. “Ang Babae sa Septic Tanks” is now showing in cinemas nationwide, catch it while you still can.