‘Tumandok’ REVIEW: Dreaming of a perfect world
‘Tumandok’ REVIEW: Dreaming of a perfect world
The Ati community of Sitio Kabarangkalan in Tumandok | Photo taken from Southern Lantern Studios
Early dawn
the last day
before the last day
in the first year
of a global pandemic
police
worse—the military
search warrants
and firearms
in their own homes
nine of them
bowed to the barrel
many more
before.
In Tumandok, filmmakers Richard Salvadico and Kat Sumagaysay bring into focus the Ati community of Sitio Kabarangkalan in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo. The Ati are a Negrito ethnic group who call home the islands of Boracay, Guimaras, Panay, and Negros. And for years these indigenous people have been staunchly fighting for their rights to reclaim their ancestral lands, weathering the country’s piss-poor bureaucratic systems and to the extreme end, clashing with powerful and deadly forces.
Through the eyes of Jenaica “En” Sangher, the Ati chieftain’s daughter and the film’s “protagonist,” one sees the relentless struggle of the community for ownership. She takes over for her weak and sickly father and makes the long descent from the mountains to the city proper in order to process their domain papers. But En’s visit comes up short when the government officer in charge tells her that technological barriers have impeded the proceeding. Then, another Herculean task emerges: the Ati must now raise a large sum to acquire their land titles.
The film’s docu-fiction treatment deftly weaves narrative elements into the journey of the Ati people. It’s far more engaging than arranging events in a true chronological manner because it provokes the mind to think and test every scene that’s playing out; there’s a sense of anticipation for what’s going to happen next. It is also astounding that these are not professional actors acting on-screen. En and her people are not giving the performances of their lives — they are living out the tough reality they’ve been subjected to. And no amount of acting prowess can capture that experience.
From a report by the Indigenous Navigator, the indigenous alliance groups Panaghuisa and Sandugo found that there were 97,118 victims of forced disappearances between 2016 and 2021 — on top of hundreds more cases of extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests and detentions.
This includes the grave massacre of nine Tumandok leaders by Philippine police and military on the tail end of 2020. The film spares us the violence and alludes to all of this quite gracefully and in opportune moments, but it doesn’t make it any less tragic to see it all unfold. In fact, it’s jarring to watch this within the structures of a film festival.
I had the chance to talk with one of Tumandok's producers, Arden Rod Condez, who confessed that there were apprehensions in making this film and releasing it to the world. It’s a double-edged sword: magnify the issue or paint a target. I share the same hesitation as I write this “review.”
Stories like this transcend cinema and criticism, heck, even the entire Cinemalaya festival. This is social justice. Lives are on the line while we settle for the comfort of our seats. But if somehow this small act of buying a ticket leads to a big impact on the fight of the Ati people for their land, then we must keep witnessing for them.
Near the end, En confesses to her father that she dreams of becoming a teacher. She wants to open a school in the mountains, pointing to a plot of land where she wants the building to be erected. “I didn’t know that we can also dream like other kids,” she says, almost dejectedly. In a perfect world, she can and she will. And the first step to realizing that ideal place is by saving the homeland.
Tumandok premiered at the 20th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival as part of the Full Length Main Competition category. Catch it in select Ayala Malls cinemas from August 2-11.
