Squatterpunk

Before:
Ultimo Khavn; Editing: Lawrence S. Ang PH, 2006, DCP, bw, 6 min
Soft Night Khavn; Music: Khavn, Lionel Valdellon; Editing: Lawrence S. Ang. PH, 2006, DCP, colour, 2 min

Shot in a single day, SQUATTERPUNK shows the harsh, brutal but also tender reality of daily life in Tondo, a slum also known as the rubbish stronghold of Manila. We follow an eight-year-old slum king as he wanders through the "literal rectum of the metropolis" (Oggs Cruz), swimming in rotting rubbish and playing with other children born under the same "lucky star". Strangely beautiful monochrome images pulsate to the rhythm of the improvised music of Khavn's band The Brockas (occasionally with Lav Diaz on guitar) and together form a veritable punk symphony of a city. Khavn: "A day in a life. Death in a day. Free mohawk. Japon & the gang. The sea is not dirty, you see. Videoke music for the soul. Poverty as punk. The Fig Rig never flew. All you need are three chords and the truth." (Jurij Meden)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum