Indie film trailblazer Gil M. Portes will be sorely missed
His full name was Virgilio M. Portes. Although he studied the great Roman bard’s work at the University of Santo Tomas, where he took up Litt B (or Bachelor of Literature) in Journalism, Portes’ diverse filmography was distinguished more by its focus on the lives of small and marginal peoples.
“Tiket Mama, Tiket Ale, Sa Linggo ang Bola,” his 1976 film debut, featured an array of lower-depths characters desperately in search of good luck via the sweepstakes raffle.
Portes, who was found dead, apparently of a heart attack, in his apartment in Quezon City last May 24, was forever in search of small people, and relatively small but significant themes that departed from the commercialist, ultimately shallow concerns of the studio system.
His critically-acclaimed films are almost always about topics and characters that would not find space in commercial cinema—drug addiction in “Sa Piling ng Mga Sugapa” (1977), prostitution in “Miss X” (1980), expat life in “’Merika” (1984), rebellion and oppression in “Andrea, Paano Ba Ang Maging Isang Ina?” (1990), transgenderism in “Miguel/ Michelle” (1998).
His more celebrated work at the turn of the 21st century were about children—“Saranggola” (1999) and “Mga Munting Tinig” (2002).
Many of his friends in the film industry remembered Portes for his indefatigable spirit, which is why, until the very end, he remained a prolific director.
‘Make things happen’
Screenwriter Ricky Lee, who collaborated with Portes in at least eight films, recalled how the late director would be able to “make things happen” even on a tight budget.
Lee recounted that, despite the difficulty, Portes was able to secure a permit while shooting the Vilma Santos-starrer “Miss X” in Amsterdam.
Portes was also known for being fortunate to always find someone willing to bankroll his films.
It was a running joke that he could sell the Statue of Liberty just to produce his projects.
Portes was ahead of his time, making edgy films while colleagues stuck to safe formulas.
In the 1990 Metro Manila Film Festival, the organizing committee wanted a less horrid ending for “Andrea.” But with support from Nora Aunor, its lead star, Portes fought for artistic freedom and stuck to the original script.
“In the 1980s, mainstream companies tackled comedy, melodrama or action,” Lee said. “But Gil Portes always had a concept to tell. Pakinggan mo. May project ako. Ibang klaseng concept ito.”
‘Educated director’
But, most important, Portes valued his writers. “He respected them,” Lee noted. “He knows their work. He was an educated director. We had arguments— productive arguments to know who had the better idea. But he would always listen.”
Portes is widely regarded as an independent filmmaker—in the finest sense of the word. Almost like an afterthought, his films “Two Funerals” (2010) and “Liars” (2013) were featured in the Directors Showcase of the Cinemalaya Film Festival, the country’s annual indie showcase.
Acclaimed indie filmmaker Adolfo Alix Jr. said Portes helped open the doors for his own film career. Alix and Senedy Que cowrote “Mga Munting Tinig,” which won Best Picture at the Palm Beach Film Festival, Famas and Gawad Urian.
“He was very vocal about his opinion on different things, but his dedication to cinema and his craft was immeasurable,” Alix said. “He was truly an independent filmmaker who spoke his mind.”
Que, on his Facebook post, paid tribute to Portes: “You trusted my screenwriting talent when almost no one else did, including my own self. You encouraged me. You lifted me up. You made me believe in me.”
Alessandra de Rossi, who starred in four Portes films, said she would always remember the late director’s hearty laughter.
“Wewere so noisy inside the taxicab in Toronto, laughing at ourselves and at everyone,” De Rossi recalled. “When we got back to Manila, everything I said was on the headlines. Ganyan si Direk! Because he was always proud of me, he would share my thoughts and experiences with everyone. We would just laugh at everything.
“Today is not one of those days. I am sad to let go of someone who will always be proud of me. But know that I will always be prouder because he believed in me more than anybody else did.”
Simple man
Director Mel Chionglo said that despite having a booming voice and a legendary temper, Gil “was really a simple man, warm, with a big heart. Like his many films, he was very devout and devoted to his family. It was always fun to be with him, he had many stories, which he often he made into films.”
Director Joel Lamangan dubbed Portes “a true-blue Filipino film director. He was one of the pioneering spirits in the Filipino indie film movement, his films reflected the real political, social, cultural realities of our time. He will be truly missed by the Filipino moviegoers.”
So much vitality
After finishing journalism at UST, Portes studied television and film production at City University of New York under a scholarship grant.
Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, director of UST’s Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies (CCWLS), said she and Portes were good friends in the old UST Faculty of Philosophy and Letters.
Two years ago, Portes promptly agreed to a request to direct a literary and musical program that CCWLS organized as part of the National Book Development Board’s International Literary Festival, “Text and the City.”
“Gil promptly agreed [to my request], which gave our program the needed polish and pizzazz,” Hidalgo said.
“And he arranged for a free screening of one of his films for an audience of students,” Hildalgo added. “Each time we met, we had a great time reminiscing and laughing over a period in our life we both considered special. I can’t think of him as gone. He had so much vitality and energy.”