From 2001–2005, famed documentarist Ricardo “Dik” Trofeo was given the exclusive right to document the activities of Ka Luis Taruc and to videotape hundreds of hours of on-cam interviews with Ka Luis on various topics past and current. He was also able to interview various individuals who knew Ka Luis personally—people who fought with him in the mountains during the Japanese occupation and the early 1950s Huk Rebellion.
Unfortunately, Ka Luis passed away on May 4, 2005 before the footages could be edited into a documentary. These footages now preserve for all time the testament of one of the country’s major historical figures on the nation’s political-social landscape. These interviews have never been shown before and put on record Taruc’s personal views.
A documentary has finally been put together and it was entitled “Alipato” (Spark) which was one of the noms de guerre adopted by Ka Luis during his Hukbalahap days. It chronicles the life and views of Ka Luis Taruc, a patriot and nationalist, and a lifelong passionate advocate of social justice.
October 29, 2019 (Tuesday)
5:00 PM
Cine Adarna (main theater), UPFI Film Center, UP Diliman
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
You may register online through this link: https://tinyurl.com/AlipatoUPFI
The succeeding panel discussion is consisted of:
1) Mr. Dik Trofeo (film producer and director)
2) Dr. Ricardo Jose (historian)
3) Dr. Francisco Nemenzo Jr. (former U.P. President and political scientist)
4) Ms. Jewel Maranan (documentary filmmaker)
The discussion will be moderated by Professor Emeritus Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson (film critic and scholar).
-SYNOPSIS:
Alipato is a portrait of Luis Taruc, the iconic Socialist leader of the revolutionary movement in the Philippines. It explores the political life of Taruc, the collaboration between the Wha Chi (Chinese guerrillas during the Japanese Occupation) and the Hukbalahap, and the politics of the revolution, the in-fighting among the revolutionaries, and the conflict between non-violence and armed revolt. The documentary includes interviews with revolutionaries and well-known personalities like F. Sionil Jose and Fr. James Reuter, S.J. More importantly, the film has revealing footage of Taruc, talking about his principles and concept of peaceful revolution. The voice and ideas of Taruc are like embers or alipato that can spark insights and enlighten our understanding of history.
GENRE: Documentary
RUNNING TIME: 95 mins
