I was reading the Entertainment News the other day after the Oscar Win of the Film Anora, written, edited and directed by Sean Baker. I saw the film Anora here at our Cinema just recently. It reminded of the film Macho Dancer by Lino Brocka that I have seen several decades ago but still remember parts of the movie. Thus, when I read that Baker said that his film making/accomplishments is inspired by Lino Brocka, it struck a cord in my mind why I saw the similarities of the two films( Anora and Macho Dancer)- that is a story on the lives of sex workers. The summary of Macho Dancer is at the bottom of this page.
In case you have not heard of Lino Brocka and his film Macho Dancer💚. Catalino Ortiz Brocka ( Lino Brocka ) was a Filipino film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and significant filmmakers in the history of Philippine cinema. His filmography often addressed the country's societal issues, and despite his initial closeness with the Marcos family, his work eventually grew to have anti-authoritarian themes in opposition to the Marcos dictatorship. He co-founded the organization Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), dedicated to helping artists address issues confronting the country, and the Free the Artist Movement. He was a member of the Coalition for the Restoration of Democracy.
Brocka directed over forty films. Macho Dancer (1988) was screened in the Philippines at the time of its release, but it was heavily censored due to its political and sexual content. Brocka secretly smuggled an uncensored 35mm print of the film out of the country to evade government censorship; the print is now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art💚 _________________________________________________________________________________
Here's a recent write up on Sean Baker from my Face Book Page
Baker as the writer, editor and director of "Anora," himself won four Oscars for the film, setting a record for most Oscars won by one person for a single film. Mikey Madison took home the fifth with her best actress win.
" Sean Baker’s Oscar wins with Anora ($6M budget) are a testament to independent film - and for tenacity and grit. Over the last 10 years he made two other films before Anora, The Florida Project ($2M) and Red Rocket ($1.1M) – and he made another four features before Tangerine, starting back in 2000 with Four Letter Words ($50K). That’s 25 years of films, averaging about one film every 3 years. He paid his dues for a quarter of a century. He stayed true to his artistic vision, producing all 8 feature films independently. He committed to his dream. He put in the work. And last night he didn’t just win an Oscar – he became the first person in history to win 4 Oscars for the same film (plus a 5th Oscar to his star Mikey Madison for Best Actress)!
And here are two reviews of the Film Anora💜
1."Here’s another whirlwind of a motion picture from director Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project), who continues to find ways to build engaging features that examine underrepresented and marginalized subcultures in America. Anora works wonderfully as a screwball romantic comedy and a very human drama detailing the separation of classes and how their odd mixing can play out under extreme circumstances. Aided by a fierce lead performance from Mikey Madison, for a film clocking in at just under two hours and twenty minutes, there’s a lot to enjoy thanks to how this movie sets its sights on establishing familiar setups and completely flipping the table, to end up with something edgier, grander, and effectively emotional.
Madison stars as Ani, a Russian-American exotic dancer from Brooklyn, New York. While she doesn’t like to reference her Russian heritage all that much, her understanding of the language leads to her boss fixing her up with Russian clients. She’s then introduced to Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. Based on all their lustful activities, the two decide they’re in love, and within a couple of weeks, they fly to Las Vegas and elope. Once this news makes its way back to Vanya’s parents, everything suddenly spirals out of control, leading to a very eventful 24-hour period full of shouting, arguments, fights, scavenger hunts, and other chaotic activities".
2. I watched Anora last night. It wasn’t really on my radar until it won best picture and then my son told me he loved it. He said him and his friends all loved it, that it was a really good movie. So I gave it a try and he wasn’t wrong 
It was excellent and you shouldn’t sleep on this! Mikey Madison totally deserved that Oscar!
For Details read:
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💚Macho Dancer is a 1988 Philippine film, directed by Lino Brocka. It explores the realities of a young, poor, rural gay man, who after being dumped by his American boyfriend, is forced to support himself and his family in Manila's seamy red-light district. The film's frank depiction of male homosexuality, prostitution, drag queens and crooked cops, the porn industry, sexual slavery, and drugs and violence caused Filipino government censors to order extensive edits of the film. Brocka smuggled an uncensored cut out of the Philippines to be shown to a limited number of international film festivals. The film received a standing ovation at the 1988 Toronto International Film Festival. Macho Dancer was a box office failure in the Philippines due to its heavy censorship, but achieved international festival and critical success.
Meanwhile, another banned Pinoy Movie....
The 1976 film Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? was nearly banned due to its bold historical themes that questioned the official narrative of Philippine history. Despite the controversy, it became a cinematic classic, praised for its thought-provoking depiction of Filipino identity during the Spanish colonial era.
Censorship Scare – Authorities initially saw the film’s themes as too provocative, fearing it would spark critical discussions on nationalism and colonial rule. Timeless Classic – Despite the hurdles, it won multiple awards and is now considered one of the greatest Filipino films of all time.
Cultural Impact – The film’s message about Filipino identity and independence still resonates with audiences today.
Lastly, introducing THD New Driver, Rhyann Droszcz, Welcome to THD. May your employment here at THD be a happy one.
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