Queerguru’s Jose Mayorgas reviews ASOG : a powerful tale of survival amd overcoming adversity

The opening credits provide a warning,  the actors in the film are real people who survived Typhoon Haiyan, one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded.

Also known as super typhoon Yolanda, this force of nature brought devastation, death, and sorrow to Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines in early November 2013.  Years later the mourning is still around and the tropical beauty of the islands mixes with the drama lived by their inhabitants, in the widest sense of the term.

The movie´s narrative whimsically mixes a tale of mosquitoes, frogs, fireflies, a crab king, and a snail with the struggles of the protagonists. Young Arnel looking for his father Angelo to provide for the commemoration of the passing away of his mother, and middle aged Jaya (Rey Aclao) who used to have her own TV show  and after  Typhoon Yolanda, teaches at the local school (where Arnel goes)  and is known as Mr. Andrade.

As a highlight in town’s monotony there is coming  Ms. Gay Sicogon Contest and  a particular sequence at a local market worths to watch.

Jaya´s authenticity sparkles in every sequence, we follow her from  the intimacy of the  love nest she inhabits with her beloved Cyrus,  to a class at school and at the Director´s office with whom she talks about respect and resigns to the job inmediately afterward.  She also takes us along in her quest to bring fantasies and laughs  all around.

By chance, Arnel, Mr Andrade and Jaya meet one night and they decide to go to the Sicogon Island for the Contest in a kind of road movie where we share the journey. :  four wheeled drive, by boat or walking through an achingly beautiful natural scenes, destroyed townscapes,  meeting a row of  women carrying  cans since water wells have been contaminated, and visiting the restricted area of a resort that shyly  mimics the splendor and sophistication of a White Lotus one.

The film, directed by Seán Devlin, and Executive Produced  by Joel Kim Booster, Alan Cumming and Adam McKay. is a powerful statement  of overcoming advesity, showing the strength of individuals and the  support a community that knows the meaning of the name  ASOG given to the title, above all about resistence and the dignity of being.          

 

Review by José Mayorgas , Guatemala, Central America lawyer and notary public, visual artist, and editor of El Azar Cultural, lives and works in Guatemala City. Cinema lover, curious about the possibilities life brings and eager to live the experience.