Mondomanila, or: How I Fixed My Hair After a Rather Long Journey)

Before:
Mondomanila: Institusyon Ng Makata (Mondomanila: Institute of Poets) Khavn based on a short story by Norman Wilwayco; Director of Photography: Albert Banzon; Editing: Gen-ghis Mark Jimenez; Cast: Marvin Augustin, Tony de Guzman, Dave Kahn. PH, 2004, DCP, colour, 15 min. Tagalog with English subtitles ★

Throughout his career, Khavn has been inspired by the marginalised communities of his hometown of Manila, and his unsparing depiction of life in the underworld is one of respect, solidarity and admiration. MONDOMANI-LA is one of his wildest excursions into the ghetto: We follow the rough life of street kid Tony de Guzman and his colourful band of friends, relatives and enemies, all struggling to survive at least one more day in the hostile environment that threatens to engulf them. Khavn: "Do something completely different. This bottomless pit called hypothesis. What if I make a manila film, like Brocka and Ishmael Bernal? What if you turn the novel into a three-hour Bollywood blockbuster? What if you turn it into a 32-part series?" (Jurij Meden)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum