The Kalampag Tracking Agency

Filmwerkplaats is pleased to host The Kalampag Tracking Agency for an evening of films from the Philippines spanning the past 30 years. Artist duo Jim Lumbera and Joey Singh are present for a Q&A after the program.

The Kalampag Tracking Agency spotlights experimental cinema from the Philippines. Its inaugural program brings together work made over a 30-year period, from 1985-2014, and in a range of styles and formats, including Super 8, 16mm, and a variety of digital video technologies. Produced far from view of the Philippine film industry, in underground and artist-run circles, these films—many up to now all but lost—thrum with the freedom and inventiveness of enterprising image-makers unbeholden to traditional modes of expression and representation.

The Kalampag Tracking Agency is an archival project and curatorial initiative by filmmaker Shireen Seno and artist Merv Espina and part of Los Otros, a Manila-based film and video studio and platform dedicated to creating and supporting films with unique personal voices.

Text from “An Accidental Archive” by Jordan Cronk — an interview with Kalampag Tracking Agency co-curators Merv Espina and Shireen Seno https://metrograph.com/an-accidental-archive/

Films in the program:

Droga! – Miko Revereza
2014 | 7:21 | Super 8 transferred to HD | black and white | sound

Minsan Isang Panahon (Once Upon a Time) – Melchor Bacani III
1989 | 4:00 | 16mm transferred to 2K | color | sound

ABCD – Roxlee
1985 | 5:22 | Super 8 transferred to HD | color | sound

Bugtong: Ang Sigaw Ni Lalake (Riddle: Shout of Man) – RJ Leyran
1990 | 3:20 | 16mm transferred to 2K | color | sound

Very Specific Things at Night – John Torres
2009 | 4:29 | video | color | sound

Juan Gapang (Johnny Crawl) – Roxlee
1986 | 7:18 | Super 8 transferred to HD | color | sound

Chop-chopped First Lady + Chop-Chopped First Daughter – Yason Banal
2005 | 1:54 | video | color | sound

The Retrochronological Transfer of Information – Tad Ermitaño
1994 | 9:33 | 16mm transferred to VHS transferred to HD | color | sound

Ars Colonia – Raya Martin
2011 | 1:13 | Hi8 transferred to 35mm transferred to video | color | silent

Class Picture – Tito & Tita
2012 | 4:41 | 16mm transferred to HD | sound

Anito – Martha Atienza
2012 | 8:08 | HD | color | sound

hindi sa atin ang buwan (the moon is not ours) – Jon Lazam
2011 | 3:31 | HD | black and white | silent

Kalawang (Rust) – Cesar Hernando, Eli Guieb III & Jimbo Albano
1989 | 6:33 | 16mm transferred to 2K | sound