Bold Star Best Actress Winner Aleck Bovick: Dissecting Cultural Hegemonies and Ideologies in the 2003 FAMAS Best Actress Race
Introduction
On awards night, it was always Best Picture that was the most important award but Best Actress also had its share of worthy discussions. It became the talk of the night overnight when the 2003 FAMAS Best Actress award was awarded to a bold star named Aleck Bovick in a bold soft porn film Tampisaw beating out the 2002 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Actress winner Ara Mina, Claudine Barretto from Kailangan Kita, 2002 Manila Film Festival Best Actress winner Sharon Cuneta from Magkapatid, and Alessandra De Rossi from Best Picture winner Mga Munting Tinig (“Bold star, best actress sa FAMAS”). It immediately stirred controversy when an unknown actress from a bold soft porn film won the award over other recognized actresses and industry veterans in the category where their performances are more critically acclaimed compared to Aleck Bovick who appears nowhere on anyone’s list of best lead actress performances of that year (The Fine Performances of 2002 (Lead Actresses)). Even Ara Mina “cannot believe and convince herself” that Aleck Bovick won the award (Fermin). Her win sparked debate and heated discussions about whether she deserves that award, whether she should even be nominated, and whether the FAMAS awards finally lost their credibility. This paper will analyze the best actress race and propose an explanation for Aleck Bovick’s win.
Research Questions
The analytical paper aims to answer the following questions:
1. How do the FAMAS awards lose credibility?
2. How are women represented in the 2003 FAMAS Best Actress race?
3. Why did Aleck Bovick win for her character in Tampisaw?
Theoretical Framework
To answer the following questions, Louis Alhusser’s theory on ideology and Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony are the proposed theoretical frameworks.
Louis Alhusser’s theory on idealogy argues that ideology is a representation of the imaginary relationship of individuals with the real world and further stresses the idea that ideology expresses the themes and representations through which human beings relate to the real world through the ideological state apparatuses such as film that cultural institutions influence people to conform to accepted social norms.
Antonio Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony argues that the dominant class uses cultural institutions to maintain power by shaping the culture of that society making the ideas of the dominant class the accepted social norm. A process of struggle occurs between the dominant class and the other classes beneath it. This suggests that culture functions as a “dynamic struggle between the dominant classes and subordinating classes” (Santiago, 37). The integrated interaction of these ideas suggests investigating how the mass media such as film functions within the ideological framework of societies.
These ideas lead to the main objectives of this study, which is an examination of the representation of women in the films of the 2003 FAMAS Best Actress nominees. Each nominee’s character will be examined based on what their character represents in Filipino popular and traditional culture and how their character conforms to or resists dominant Filipino ideological beliefs. And how these dominant Filipino ideological beliefs shape the FAMAS members in giving their ballots to the respective nominees. And finally, what makes Aleck Bovick’s character stand out among her fellow nominees and eventually be the award’s winner based on an ideological representation of women alone?
Analysis
On the Credibility of the FAMAS Awards
The FAMAS or the Filipino Academy of the Motion Arts and Sciences is the oldest award-giving body in the Philippines after the Maria Clara Awards was discontinued in 1952. The relevance of the FAMAS Awards stems from giving “critical evaluation and recognition of excellence” in their contribution to the film industry (Rudin, 58). It is celebrated annually where recognized films are given awards decided by the film press and industry. However, the FAMAS awards were flooded with controversies for being too “buyable” and with the 1976 controversy breakaway of the film critics from the FAMAS who call themselves the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino who established the Gaward Urian Awards and have been named credible for their choices of winners throughout the years and for being progressive compared to the FAMAS awards adherence to the “bourgeois” and” capitalistic idealogy” (Rudin, 64; Santiago, 75). This also originated the term “pang-FAMAS na acting” which referred to actors who overtly act in their films (Star For All Seasons). Concerning the FAMAS awards being too buyable is due to being influenced by “too influential” popular actors and directors with a popular example of Joseph “Erap” Estrada dominating the ’60s award season beating out the likes of Ishmael Bernal and Lino Brocka (David). Erap’s filmography in the 60s is composed of action films celebrating the dignity of the very poor but adhering to the American hegemonic Hollywood conventions and Western aesthetics through its bad cliches of James Bond and cowboys in filmography (Rudin, 58; Santiago, 182). This is also due to “Filipino taste and sensibilities are trained in the Americal colonial tradition of filmmaking” which led to most Filipino films being patterned towards Hollywood conventions and Western aesthetics including award-giving practices (Placio).
The Gawad Urian Awards are free from any controversy, like vote-buying or politicking, and also through the consistency in their criteria which made it coveted and earned the respect of the film industry (Tiongson, 55).
By the 1980s, the FAMAS was challenged by the creation of the Film Academy of the Philippines, also known as the FAP, under the executive order of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos. The FAP is known for the Luna Awards and their connection to the Metro Manila Film Festival. The relevance of the FAMAS was challenged due to both sharing the name “Academy” and the possibility of dissolution by the Marcos administration to make way for the FAP (David). Through the recognition of these three award-giving bodies hence was the term “grand slam” was first entitled with Vilma Santos being the first titular recipient for her performance in Relasyon (Star For All Seasons).
Many award-giving bodies were formed such as the Star Awards for Movies by the Philippine Movie Press Club, Catholic Mass Media Awards by the Archdiocese of Manila, Gawad Pasado by the Film Desk Critics’ Circle, Golden Screen Awards by the Entertainment Press Society, UP Young Critics Circle Awards, Box Office Entertainment Awards by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation, and Gawad Tanglaw by the Film Academician Critics or University of Perpetual Help Las Pinas. Awards are also given out in film festivals, Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, the Manila Film Festival, and the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). This therefore ended the monopolization of the FAMAS awards (Portal Philippine Entertainment).
Despite the many criticisms made by the public, the FAMAS awards are still the most sought-after award in the film industry (Tiongson, 55).
On Women Representation in the FAMAS Best Actress Nominees
Alessandra De Rossi plays the role of an idealistic teacher Melinda in the film Mga Munting Tinig, directed by Gil Portes, where she tries the children to enter a competition to show them not to lose their hope despite poverty. She represents the conformists of capitalism. She inspires her students to work hard and not abandon their dreams and through that, she believes that they can escape poverty. This would not be the case since the film took place in the province where an NPA organization works nearby especially when one of her students died but the film framed it as a consequence of joining instead of understanding the whole situation. Instead of addressing the social issues of the armed struggle, the film frames them as an obstacle to the main character’s goals. It shows that education is important to escape poverty and because of this education which makes Melinda is an idealist throughout the film who keeps encouraging her students to pursue what they love and not be practical about their situation. Education is important but the way her character framed it conforms to capitalism. She is a bourgeois and privileged since she has a family living abroad who wants her to work there and she managed to finish her education as a teacher but she chooses to teach in the province because of her principles to help and educate the marginalized poor. She wanted her students to achieve a work-centric life and through that, their lives will be successful but she fails to realize that this empowerment falls short due to the capitalistic society they live in which is both exploitative and suppressive and considering the situation the students are in currently make it unrealistic to achieve their dreams because of the capitalist education system in the Philippines. Having the main character a woman strengthens the “narrative of capitalism by using feminism” through means of “empowering” because her character is strong and resilient since she does not give up on what she promised to the students but is silent and controlled since she can’t see the “foundations of the problem” they were living (Anderton). She embodied the idealist capitalist whose feminism was projected to blindly inspire the students to work hard to escape poverty amidst the situation they have.
Sharon Cuneta plays the role of a bereaved mother Dr. Cita Reyes in the film Magkapatid, directed by Joel Lamangan, where she and her sister, played by Judy Ann-Santos, had their relationship tested when both their children were killed in an accident and she blames her sister for the loss of her son. She represents the lived experiences of bereaved mothers. It would make sense for Sharon Cuneta to win Best Actress since she’s the most influential or season actress and popular among the nominees and her performance is the most showy since she has to embody a variety of emotions of a bereaved mother while antagonistically dealing with the relationship with her sister who she blamed the death for. Her character is a mother who lost her child but can’t bear any more children and has turned against everyone who doesn’t understand her pain to the point she hated her job as an obgyne where she has to see a child being born every day while her child is dead. She feels helpless and guilty for not protecting her loved one. She even tried to persuade her sister to have her child be hers in exchange for the death of her son which resulted in a strained relationship with her husband whom she failed to realize who also loves her and can’t live without her. Through those actions, she manifested the patriarchal expectations of women in motherhood where she only finds joy and purpose in being a mother, and that joy and purpose were shattered when she lost her only son (O’Reilly). She always wanted to be a mother and is always seen as depressed when she keeps bringing up that she can’t have a child anymore. She embodied the traditional expectations of mothers which is a cultural hegemonic influence of patriarchal society.
Claudine Barreto plays the role of an oppressed daughter Lena Duran in the film Kailangan Kita, directed by Rory B. Quintos, where Carl, played by Aga Mulach, who was supposed to marry her sister due to having delays in her work instead finds himself falling for his fiance’s sister. She represents the oppressed daughter in a macho feudalist family especially from her father who reduces her duty and purpose to be the family’s cook (Concerned Students for Justice and Peace — National Capital Region). Throughout she is portrayed as silent and does not have much of a voice because of how oppressed she is. Her father is the only one who can decide what’s best for his children to the point that he overlooks Lena’s potential or it is even his daughter, not the maid of the house. She was allowed a scholarship to pursue law school but her father guilt trips her and she did not manage to reply because she knew how her father would react since she has already been conditioned that throughout her life she will serve in the kitchen for her family. The time she speaks out is when her father and Carl contradict their perspective on the NPA organization that her childhood friend joined where she supports their armed struggle but they have opposing ideals. The time she had a voice was used in the film to turn it against her that she should just follow and listen to her family rather than voice out what’s right for her. She blames herself for ruining her sister’s marriage. Instead of living a better life, she chooses to stay and continue her oppression because her father is already mad at her for ruining her sister’s marriage. She keeps questioning what it means to be a daughter of their family but what she understands is despite the abuses she received, she still has to put family first because it is her duty as their daughter. Pressuring their children leads to the gradual empowerment of women (OUPblog). She embodied the daughter under a macho feudalist system that oppresses women and reduces their role in society and their families.
Ara Mina plays the role of a rebellious daughter Richelle Go in the film Mano Po, also directed by Joel Lamangan, which focuses on the lives of a dysfunctional third-generation Chinese-Filipino family. The film also shows us the unexpected difficulties the rich face, which helps the audience empathize with the characters, especially Richelle Go. Her character embodied anti-feudalism by going against her parent’s wishes and decisions by following what was right for her. She didn’t follow her parent’s wishes compared to her other siblings. The Chinese-Filipino community values family to the point of toxic behavior where family plays a critical role in providing a safe environment for the child but has been turned into a hostile environment. She was always labeled hopeless by her family and doesn’t believe in her potential and through that, she feels alienated from the family hence the root of her rebellious behavior. She was always compared to her elder sister Vera Go, played by Maricel Soriano, for being too carefree, and her younger sister Juliet Go, played by Kris Aquino, for being disobedient. However, for Vera and Juliet, it was a suffocating process for conforming to the feudalism tradition of their family to the point that Vera focuses too much on the family’s business because she was raised that way for being the panganay and Juliet being devalued always being ignored for what she thinks and feels because she was always told to just follow both from her family and her husband. Not following the family’s feudalist principles would also mean disownment which almost happened to their aunt Linda Go, played by Amy Austria, for being a progressive individual like joining protests and for marrying a Filipino. Richelle was neither of her sisters and she pursued a more liberal life where she decided what was right for her. She finds happiness doing the things she loves and what she wants, not what should be right for her like marrying a fellow Chinese but she instead chooses to love a Filipino. She was given the ultimate decision to go against her family by testifying against a drug dealer involved with the family and this in the end, is seen as a betrayal to the family. She fought against “racism, classism, and sexism that her family traditions rely upon” and therefore she has found happiness by rejecting it (Rory). Her character embodied the rejection of the toxic beliefs of submission to the Filipino family hierarchy.
Aleck Bovick plays the role of a vengeful daughter who lost her sanity Marites in the film Tampisaw, directed by Francis Posadas, where she seduces her mother’s lover to seek vengeance against her mother who has been maltreating all her life since she was a child. Her character embodied the so-called female rage where her response for being a seductress resulted from the struggles, oppressions, and wrongdoings that the character has been subjected to in this film from her mother. However, she loses her sanity in the process of growing up and her actions are not limited to her mother’s lover but also to her two sisters’ lovers where she seduces them to fill in their space on their behalf. She gets abusive towards her sisters who don’t understand the pain of her growing up under an abusive mother where her sisters are more favored. Female rage is a taboo in a patriarchal society where expressing such strong emotions for women is unreasonable they’re discredited but it goes differently for a man where expressing such strong emotions is being praised (Makrukh). Her character became who is she now because of the abuse and maltreatment she received from her mother and when the right moment came when her mother got sick and her lover took an interest in her is when she took revenge on her mother for taking her lover and in the end taking her own life. Despite all the abuse she endured and the things she did to her, she still loves her mother and feels sorry for what she has done. She embodied female rage.
On Why Aleck Bovick Won
Out of all of the nominees, Ara Mina and Aleck Bovick’s performances rejected dominant Filipino cultural ideologies while Alessandra de Rossi, Sharon Cuneta, and Claudine Baretto’s performances conformed to dominant Filipino cultural ideologies. The winner would have to be between Ara Mina and Aleck Bovick if the voters at that time were thinking of characters rejecting traditional values. Rejection of traditional values means fully realizing the toxic upbringing of these cultures and being progressive moving forward and “advocating for social progress” (Skrubb). Ara Mina and Aleck Bovick’s performances are progressive because they show the difficulties of being a woman and instead of doing nothing and being oppressed, they took action against the expectations of being a woman and decide moving forward what’s best for them by being rebellious and manifesting female rage. But why Aleck Bovick over Ara Mina?
The manifestation of female rage in Filipino films is not new in the Filipino film industry. Past performances of female rage were nominated and recognized by the FAMAS. Hilda Koronel plays the character of Insiang in the film Insiang, directed by Lino Brocka, where transforms into a vengeful being as a result of her abusive mother and her then-boyfriend she was nominated for Best Actress but lost to Nora Aunor in the film Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos. Amy Austria plays the character of Monica in the film Brutal, directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, where she was arrested for killing her husband and his friend for raping her and she won for Best Actress that year. Sharon Cuneta plays the character of Mariel in the film Madrasta, directed by Olivia Lamasan, where she struggles to win the affection of her new husband and children as she is always overshadowed by their ex-wife and mother and in the end, she chooses to leave the family and she won Best Actress that year.
Aleck Bovick’s win for representing female rage represents the FAMAS’s continuous recognition of the issues women faced in the country through cultural medium film. Aleck Bovick’s performance as Marites in Tampisaw represented the “far-too-common occurrence of domestic violence” in the country and “overlooked facets of the domestic experience such as meeting gendered expectations in difficult family situations” (Gonzaga). The celebration of female rage is one way of justifying anger through “owning the exaggeration”. It is not just being dramatic about it because it reflects “far deeper truths about the situations” that Filipino women face (Gonzaga). The recognition of an influential social institution gives merit for addressing these social issues which is why Aleck Bovick won and why her win is also important. Aleck Bovick’s win for Tampisaw represents not just a celebration of female rage but also an acknowledgment of deeper societal truths that Filipino women face, contributing to the importance and relevance of her victory.
In conclusion, Aleck Bovick’s unexpected win in the 2003 FAMAS Best Actress race is rooted in the awards’ historical recognition of performances addressing societal issues. The paper has explored the ideological and cultural frameworks influencing the FAMAS awards, shedding light on the complex dynamics that contributed to Aleck Bovick’s recognition for her portrayal of female rage in Tampisaw.
References
Anderton, Katie. “How Capitalism Turned Feminism Into a Tool for the Bourgeois.” Medium, 30 Mar. 2022, medium.com/moviente/how-capitalism-turned-feminism-into-a-tool-for-the-bourgeois-9d5dc465a1bf.
“Bold Star, Best Actress Sa FAMAS.” Philstar.com, 14 Apr. 2003, www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/showbiz/2003/04/14/202719/bold-star-best-actress-sa-famas.
Concerned Students for Justice and Peace — National Capital Region. “TIBAKahulugan Entry no.5 | MACHO-FEUDAL.” Facebook, 2 Mar. 2021, www.facebook.com/103419044524855/posts/tibakahulugan-entry-no5-macho-feudalwhat-is-macho-feudala-combination-of-two-ter/274092180790873. Accessed 15 Jan. 2024.
David, Joel. “Canon Decampment: Canon Fire!” Ámauteurish!, 20 Dec. 2023, amauteurish.com/2022/05/20/canon-fire.
Fermin, Cristy. “‘Hindi Ko Kayang Tanggapin Na Nanalo Si Aleck’ &Amp;#150; Ara.” Philstar.com, 28 Apr. 2003, www.philstar.com/pilipino-star-ngayon/showbiz/2003/04/28/204112/hindi-ko-kayang-tanggapin-na-nanalo-si-aleck-150-ara.
— -. “The Fine Performances of 2002 (Lead Actresses).” Philstar.com, 29 Apr. 2003, www.philstar.com/entertainment/2003/04/29/204154/fine-performances-2002-lead-actresses.
Gonzaga, Sophia. “Female Rage in Filipino Film and Tales of the Domestic.” RAPPLER, 26 June 2023, www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/female-rage-filipino-films-tales-domestic.
Mahrukh. “The Stigma Around Female Rage — Assembly | Malala Fund.” Assembly, 19 Jan. 2022, assembly.malala.org/stories/the-stigma-around-female-rage.
O’Reilly, Andrea. “We Need to Talk About Patriarchal Motherhood.” Journal of the Motherhood Initiative, vol. 7, no. 1, 2016, p. 65. jarm.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jarm/article/download/40323/36502.
OUPblog. “Patriarchal Feudalism.” OUPblog, 22 Mar. 2011, blog.oup.com/2011/02/patriarchal-feudalism.
Pasion, Abby. “Addressing Toxic Behaviors in Filipino Families | #YourMindOurMovement.” Medium, 13 Dec. 2021, medium.com/@apasion96/addressing-toxic-behaviors-in-filipino-families-yourmindourmovement-2fc0774881ee.
Placio, Maria Portia Olenka C.. “Mainstream and Independent Cinema Towards New Media: Reflections on film viewing and film making in the Philippines.” Portia Placino, 31 May 2022, portiaplacino.com/category/art-history.
Portal, Philippine Entertainment. “Who Cares About Movie Awards?” PEP.ph, 20 Dec. 2008, www.pep.ph/lifestyle/17704/who-cares-about-movie-awards.
Rory, Mick. “Mano Po: A Closer Look Into the Lives of the Chinese Filipinos.” Medium, 12 Dec. 2021, medium.com/@mickrory26/mano-po-a-closer-look-into-the-lives-of-the-chinese-filipinos-3bccb1da62d4.
Rudin, Daniel. COUNTER/PUBLIC: THE POLITICS OF COMMITTED FILM IN THE PHILIPPINES. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ, 2021.
Santiago, Arminda V. THE STRUGGLE OF THE OPPRESSED: LINO BROCKA AND THE NEW CINEMA OF THE PHILIPPINES. University of North Texas, 1993.
Skrubb, Emil. “Should We REJECT Tradition? | Sanders Essays — Emil Skrubb — Medium.” Medium, 2 Jan. 2024, medium.com/@purple.pants.dd/should-we-reject-tradition-sanders-essays-e253a7fb7a64.
Star For All Seasons. The First Grand Slam Best Actress in the Philippines. June 2010, starforallseasons.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/the-first-grand-slam-best-actress-in-the-philippines.pdf.
Tiongson, Nicanor G. “The Filipino Film Industry.” East-West Film Journal, vol. 6, no. 2, July 1992, pp. 23–61. scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/8b0ed367–584a-4136-ab31-ca46e11456c8/content.
