About our Movie - Taal
a working title
July 3, 2005: We've returned from the Philippines and finished principle photography... These photographs are part of this humble movie production... Discovering the Source - Our journey back to the town of Talisay, Batangas, Philippines... where my father and aunts were raised, and my ancestors toiled, loved, created, died... where their souls linger in eternal bliss.
I am a Filipino-American, a card-carrying member of the cult of Western society. This movie, in part is a search for who I truly am, and how I can embrace that self once again.
Mid-Summer 2005 my Father, Sister Rachel, and Independent Filmmaker David Macasaet traveled to my Dad's hometown to see my ailing 95 year-old grandmother and visit with other family. We also explored my Grandfather's life and legacy; he passed away in 1977, but clearly lives on to this day in spirit.
My brother and I shot 27 hours of footage for our upcoming documentary film on this spiritual venture. Along the way we discovered much about our own lives, dreams, and souls. Almost all of the places we visited and people we me were unplanned and unscripted... we simply followed the gentle hand of our forefather's living energy, being led from moment to moment by this unseen love.
:::View the Simple, early TRAILER for Taal:::
MORE: We've made it back from the Philippines safely. I have been in Talasay, Philippines, where my father is from and where we were based, for the last seven days... The trip was all that we thought and more. We followed the loving energy of our ancestors and they led us on an incredible trek, out to the far limits of the galaxy, straight to the most inner reaches of our souls.
We climbed mountains, sailed across volcanic craters, made unexpected connections with lost kin. I also experienced the beauty of Filipino women like never before, through new wonderful friendships, photos, and video for the upcoming documentary film.
I'll write more soon, but for now, here's a sample of things we found or hope to in future visits...
I appears the first Macasaet (my family name), came to the Philippines around the 14th century from Sumatra. One Datu (or tribal leader), we believe was named Abu Nakar, eventually became Macasaet (from an old word translated as "Kind, but not to be crossed". He may have changed his name while being pursued by Spanish conquerors!
Our forefather, Abu Nakar was actually a merchant and a Muslim leader. Most Macasaets, like almost every Filipino eventually converted to Christianity. Now get this, my mother is Jewish by decent, therefore my sibs and I are Jewish, according to Jewish law, therefore, I am Muslim, christian AND Jewish, at least by my ancestry... just like I felt all along. I am all religions!
We sort of bumped into Macasaet cousins, some not seen for three decades! They live humbly in P. Olan a barrio of Lipa City, on the supposed site the original Macasaet lived. P. Olan, in Tagalog, means "crossroads". We realized our Macasaet clan is not yet included in the master Macasaet genealogy... together we will make this branch known again!
We were able to meet with a distant uncle, Jake Macasaet, publisher and jouralist for Malaya, a highly respected Manila Daily. Jake and I really bonded during the brief but intense visit.
We did explore my grandfather's life, and "randomly" found many people touched my his life. The first two people we met and filmed, on day 1, were in my grandfather's rondalia band, from the 1950s. We a lot of people he was the principal for, several her circumcised (yup, whack!), many that he blessed with his wisdom and kindness. We spoke to the student body at the municipal high school, my grandfather helped to start 40 years ago. We shopped in the thriving town Public Market that he created. One of the parcels of land he secured years ago, on the virgin jungle mountainside of Mount Macolot on Taal lake, may even have a connection to Yamishita's Treasure - billions in looked riches hidden in secret locations throughout the Philippines (let's keep this on the down-low, ok?). If it turns out to be true, we will return to explore a secret cave, we guesstimate may (though odds are VERY long) contain some of this stolen loot. We also contemplated two very interesting business ideas related to some of this land.
More to come soon. My brother has already begun editing the footage for the film. We shot 27 hours of tape, and again, may have to go back for more.
On this voyage, like most I seem to have now... we loved, laughed, sang, cried, and prepared one to die, to transition.
3 hours before we left, I meet beautiful, gentle and wise Emma, a young woman who works in Manila, but spends her weekends in her hometown, Talisay, and grew up in the house across the street from my Dad's home. She comes back because she like the quite, and loves her town and her family. We walked the deserted streets, laughed, said "Amélie" at the exact same moment, sang & played guitar with others on the street corner, and talked until a few minutes before my departure. Emma thought she just might go with us on our next filming expedition up the mountain, though she is "not really skilled at mountaineering". That's how she responded in her soft, song-like voice when i asked. What a sweet, capable and lovely being she is.
I left Talisay, at 1:00am Monday night (they are about 12 hours offset from the States) with a now rare smile from my 95 year-old grandmother. The others had said their goodbyes and were loading he van to head for Manila... In the dim light of her room, I sat next to my grandma alone for a minute... she was awake for some reason. Unexpectedly she suddenly looked at me and smiled, then reached up to me with her frail hands and said "doctor" in a soft voice. The words were sweet and confident, despite her advanced dementia. There was a small, but bright flicker of white light in her eyes. I leaned over kissed my Lola on the forehead, and whispered to her, "I love you... we will always be together". I then stood up and made my way slowly to the van, knowing I probably would never see my dear grandma again, at least not in the form she is in right now.
Goodbye Lola. :::View the Simple, early TRAILER for Taal:::
View the photographs - Click Here.
Thanks for viewing. Please share your comments. Watch for the film soon.
tony@macaSTAT.com
David Filming in the Public High School |
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Me filming a translation of the
history of the Macasaet Clan
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Using a Bolo in family land in Duhatan |
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Mt. Macolot, along Lake Taal in Batangas, Philippines, where more family land is located |
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View more photographs - Click Here.
:::View the Simple, early TRAILER for Taal:::
June 9-2005:
June 23, 2005: Yesterday, FedEx dropped off the divorce papers for me to sign (have to find a notary)...
I held them in my hands for a while, then put them down and worked on this film...
I finished my short film entitled " Around a Sixty-Fifth", which was filmed over my Dad's 65-birthday celebration weekend (June 11, 2005).
It's basically myself and two cousins walking around Viroqua, on a beautiful summer afternoon... talking about life and where ours are headed... what motivates us... what we hold most dear.. what makes us laugh at ourselves and learn... plans for the future (like living in Viroqua?)
Royce Jones plays a central role... my cousin Julie and I wandering onto a bench in the cool town park, sitting in Royce Jones's garden. Royce, also my father's long-time patient, tended the garden where we had found ourselves contemplating the
meaning of life. He did so from 1920 to 2001, when he died. My dad cared for him until the end of his physical.
I plucked the best moments from the day, and tried to make am acceptable film...
Please let me know your feedback about this short film...
VIEW the film Around a Sixty-Fifth
June 1, 2005: More introductory footage of our upcoming documentary film about our trip to the Philippines to discover more about our enigmatic Grandfather, who passed away years ago. We'll also share about ourselves, our pain and our growth. One of my goals with the film is to heal, myself and hopefully a few of those who watch it.
This footage is all from my day yesterday. I was fortunate to be off from my crazy work in an inner-city (we affectionately call it: ghetto) Emergency Department, where I am one of the senior attending physicians. I strolled around my neighborhood with the camera, then did a little talking to music (I suppose, sort of a song) about my life. Not sure if any of it will be in the film, but it sure was a lot of fun to do.
In the song I go into the concept of our souls as energy. I think this is literally true - according to superstring theory (the hottest area of physics today) - EVERYTHING is made of energy. This soul-energy then vibrates out into the universe, seeking our other souls. The network of energy that this creates, forms a neural web, that I call..... [watch the film below]. Maintaining the blissful collective of energy, through peace, healing and alleviating of suffering, directly or indirectly is my purpose, and if my theory is correct, it should be all of ours. Saving the energy web, a universal spirit, a motherly touch, infinite bliss, insures a oneness for future yous, and provides an eternal sanctuary for your soul, when our transient physical bodies have fallen back into randomness. Kinda puts everything in perspective for me. What daily bullshit could be more important? Nothing is worth of despair or anger.
We must avoid ego and selfishness, we exist more content, in the long run if we succeed. If this is too much, whatever the reason for you, or your religious beliefs seem divergent, please simply think of this concept as purely symbolic for the best part of the teachings you already hold dear.
The last bit, about my wife Angie seems a bit sad... Angie and I are living in different states right now. However, the truth is, our time apart has led us to unbelievable growth (obviously some pain too), and we both agree we're new humans today. We have ascended on the arduous path of enlightenment, though I at least, still have a long way to go. We learned that there is nothing more important than love. Our current state, has saved the love we have for each other. A love that in some way, began in 1973, when my parents picked Viroqua, Wisconsin to live. That same year, around the time moved into our house on Terhune, my wife Angela was born at the hospital down the street...
Today, despite the outwardly challenged marriage, I can say two things with utmost truth.... I have never had such pure, joyful love for Angie (and she for me), and we have never been so close, with so much gentle honesty and understanding. I find myself loving her now the way I did when I first met her soul and gazed into her breathtaking eyes, when she was 13 and I 16. She then proceeded to take me, (all 85 pounds of her) on a ride on the back of her 4-wheeler (she drove... I didn't know how to drive a 4-wheeler), I think about 80 mph (lol), down a barb-wire fence-line.... it's been an amazing ride ever since.
Film: The Path From 1973
Please share your comment and suggestions: tony@macastat.com
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