Atheism: the vice of a few intelligent people.

The Importance of Being Atheist

by Kevin Solway

It is unfashionable to be an atheist in an agnostic world. It is unfashionable to think at all for that matter, in this our New Age of freedom and enlightenment. But some of us are doomed to think for no other reason than we have been led to believe that truth is valuable. That is, we few poor wretches have been led to believe that all truth is valuable, and not only some truths. Why then should we not share our ghastly burden with others?

What is an atheist? An atheist is the mortal enemy of theists, agnostics, and "floaters". Theists believe in a traditional God, an agnostic maintains that it is impossible to know for sure whether a God exists or not, and a floater takes no position at all. Atheists alone are certain that it is impossible for a God to exist, and because they put more value on truth than do others they necessarily see all other views as destructive. To see the importance of being atheist we should first establish the truth of atheism and then establish the importance of being truthful. The importance of truth is one thing very few people have ever considered. To understand why it is impossible for a God to exist we need to understand what we mean by existence. The only sensible definition for existence is that a thing is said to exist if it relates in some way to some other thing. That is, things exist in relation to each other. A thing must exist relative to an observer at the very least. Now, God is defined to be infinite, in which case it is not possible for there to be anything other than God because "infinite" is all-inclusive. But if there is nothing other than God then God cannot be said to exist for the reason just explained. God is simply another word for Nature, and Nature certainly does not "exist" - it just is.

It may then be argued in defense of the traditional God that there could be some manner of existence which is beyond our awareness. But no other manner of existence is possible, for the simple reason that we define what existence is, and it is logically impossible to have any other (sensible) definition than the one we have.

Having established the truth of atheism - and the impossibility of a God, it must then be asked "So what?" Indeed, what value is truth if it does not make life enjoyable? Well it does! I often find truth enjoyable. It is just a matter of approaching it with courage and humility, or with the courage of humility.

Everyone wants strength, freedom from fear, clarity, and permanence - only truth and reason can provide these things in any real way. That is, only atheism can provide one with a solid basis upon which concepts of what it is to be human can begin to form. And indeed it will be found that only the truly practicing atheist, free of God and of all Gods, living openly and with infinite understanding, can be called the truly human.

Is God dead?

Marife Necesito: Portrait of an underrated Filipina actress turned international sensation.

As lingers the convoluted fixation of both the Philippine entertainment industry and the Filipino audience to outdated Western standards, the collective journey of topnotch local actors’ remain stagnated to undervaluation. Despite global recognition as first-rate thespians, the obsolete yet prevailing domestic ambivalence frequently relegate them to inconsequential roles.

One such locally unappreciated performer, Filipina actress Marife Necesito laments on how her acting ability is mistreated by local show business stakeholders despite the locally unknown red-carpet treatment she receives from foreign film dignitaries in various international film festivals. What she describes as her painful journey in the local entertainment milieu is but detestable in that she usually ends up underrated vis-à-vis mediocre but fair-skinned and pretty-faced local actors.

This lamentation from an internationally-acclaimed Filipina actress is not without basis as it is noteworthy to examine what Marife Necesito is made up that she needs to endure the prejudices and prejudgment by powerbrokers in her own country’s entertainment industry.

Marife Necesito is a professional stage, film and TV actress/ commercial model in the Philippines. She is a member of Balintataw Film & Theater Arts of the UNESCO Philippine Center for International Theater Institute (ITI).

She was trained by senior thespians Cecille Guidote Alvarez and Angie Ferro. In theater, various works can be credited to her. For Dulaang Bonifacio, she did August Strindberg, “Miss Julie” as Julie, Jose Rizal’s “Elias and Salome (Excerpt)”as Salome - For Balintataw Theater Group, she was a part of “Trojan Women” under the direction of Nikos Shiafkalis, as “Perla” in the stage adaptation of the award-winning film “Maynila Sa Kuko ng Liwanag”, as “Juli” in “El Filibusterismo” and as “Lucing/Penang” in “Without Seeing the Dawn”.

Other stage plays where Marife displayed exemplary performance include Des Bautista’s “Heroes of Ilocos” as Princess Urduja, “Movie Reporters on the Loose VI” as Amanda K., and “Square Paradise” as Simplicia.  Her more recent theater involvements are “Sarong Banggi” and playing the lead role in Diosdado Sa. Anzures’ Palanca award-winning play “Digmaan”, recurrently restaged as “Awit kay Ana (Song for Ana)” by theater director Noel Estonilo Miralles around Metro Manila, nearby key cities and outlying provinces.

Marife has also done numerous TVC works. She appeared in Nescafe, Western Union, Tide detergent powder, and Cream silk Hair conditioner to name a few. She has done two station IDs for The Filipino Channel and Cinema One, both of ABS-CBN, one of the largest TV networks in the country.

Possessing an acting talent considered by critics as highly remarkable, Marife has done drama shows with the rivalling television networks. In GMA-7, she acted in “Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang   Ako”, “Mahika”, “Magpakailanman”, “Obra”, “Amaya”, and lately “Adarna”. In ABS-CBN, she appeared in drama shows such as “I Love Betty la Fea” (Filipino version), “Bituing Walang Ningning”, “Krystala”, “Maalaala Mo Kaya” and “Lastikman”. Shows she got involved with in other networks include “KKK: Crisis Against Crime”, “Pangarap Kong Jackpot”, “Count Your Blessings”, KROKO” and she was part of the television series in ABS-CBN, entitled, "Tanging Yaman".

In 2008, Marife acted in the movie TROPICAL MANILA, a Korean film, directed by Sang Woo Lee. TROPICAL MANILA has been selected for competition at the ROTTERDAM INTERNATIONAL Film Festival (2008) and VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM Festival (2008). Likewise, in the year 2011, Marife was nominated as Best Supporting Actress in the film "KA ORYANG", for her truthful, convincing and powerful performance, directed by Sari Dalena. The said film won, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound in CINEMAONE ORIGINALS Competition.

In international cinema, Marife made noise as the “underrated Filipina actress turned international sensation”. Her later film is Memfis Production’s “Mammoth” directed by award-winning Swedish director Lukas Moodysson where she plays the role of “Gloria” one of the lead character, opposite Gael Garcia Bernal and Oscar Awards nominee Michelle Williams. The film is one of the official selections for the Main competition of the 59th BERLINALE FILM FESTIVAL (2009). She also got nominated as Best Actress in 11th CINEMANILA film festival for international main competition category in the same film. 

Marife has done other international films as well. She played the challenging role of “Jocasta” under the direction of Singaporean filmmaker Chew Tze Chuan entitled “Carnaval”. She was a “Dong Ha” Bar Girl in Sidney Furie’s “Going Back”. This Canadian-based Production was shown in HBO. It also include "Black Market Love" an American independent film, directed by Beau Ballinge.

In the Philippines, Marife has worked with internationally-acclaimed director Lav Diaz for two films namely “Heremias Book 2” as “Neneng” and “Evolution of Filipino Family” as “Hilda”. The latter was featured in different international film festivals such as, AUSTIN ASIAN FILM Festival (2006), UNDERDOX FILM Festival (2006), 20th FRIBOURG INTERNATIONAL FILM Festival (2006), 21st MAR DE PLATA INTERNATIONAL FILM Festival (2006), 23rd TORINO FILM Festival (2005), VIENNALE VIENNA INTERNATIONAL FILM Festival (2005), 32nd FLANDERS 7th BARCELONA ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL (2005),  29th GOTEBORG FILM Festival (2005),34th INTENATIOANL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM (2005), 29th TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM Festival (2004) and 27th ASIAN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FILM Festival (2004). “Evolution of a Filipino Family” won Best Picture in 2005 GAWAD URIAN.

Marife has also played the role of “Espie” in Dennis Empalmado’s “PANDANGGO”. It was one of the official selection of LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL (2007), in   exhibition in CINEMA INDIO LOS ANGELES (2007) and finalist in CINEMAONE ORIGINALS.

In 2006, her film “RAPTURA” directed by Ron Bryant was featured in the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. Her more recent films also include Adolfo Alix’s “KARERA”,"PITIK-BULAG" (Blindluck) directed by Gil Portes, "MONDOMANILA", directed by Khavn Dela Cruz, "GRACELAND" directed by New York-based director Ron Morales. "LINABO" a short film directed by Aleksi Gumela, "DARKEST NIGHT" directed by Noel Tan, "KAPATID (BROTHERS)", a short film directed by Steven Flor, and "TAKSIKAB" and "ANG MISIS NI MEYOR" directed by Archie DEL MUNDO. Her upcoming films include “AGONISTES” directed by Lav Diaz.

Of late, in "LILET NEVER HAPPENED”, a Dutch film directed by Jacco Groen, Marife already won the Best Acting Ensemble award from the International Film Festival of Manhattan (New York City).

The golden era when local performers of her caliber are finally granted rightful recognition is yet to dawn in Philippine cinema. And while the both the powerbrokers and audiences in the local mainstream entertainment industry keep their eyes shut in the face of world-class talents like Marife Necesito, thus will it remain dead despite the emergence of alternatives that will soon bury it to extinction.

Ang Misis ni Meyor

Brave indie flick that tackles obscure paradoxes in Pinoy realpolitik.

In the midst of strings of controversies and scandals affecting contemporary local politics, producers of the independent political drama movie “Ang Misis ni Meyor” (The Mayor’s Wife) finally clinched the film’s Philippine Premiere that will set off its long-awaited theatrical exhibition, December 11, 2013, 9:00 in the evening, at SM Megamall Cinema 9.

''Ang Misis ni Meyor'' (international title: “The Corruption of Melba'') is a political drama on how corruption rears its ugly head in a small town, portrays the story of a farmer's wife whose husband is murdered. She then marries into a political icon from a wealthy family whose son becomes the town mayor.

Theater and international movie actress Marife Necesito who produced the film and plays the title role averred that she headed the production of the film “to usher in for hitherto known talents in the indie film industry the breaks they long deserve”, adding that, “artistic collaborations such as this make the better of indie film workers to show off their competence as actors, writers and directors.”

Necesito wears under her name the stature of sharing the screen with Hollywood movie stars Michelle Williams and Gael Garcia Bernal in world-famous Swedish director Lukas Moodysson’s “Mammoth”. In several other foreign films, her first-rate acting prowess made waves along with her exotic Asian look. Her dark brown complexion, she acknowledges, has been her passport to landing roles in foreign films.

"Ang Misis ni Meyor" main actors : Joe Gruta, Dante Balois and Siegfried Sepulveda, Marco Morales, Roeder Camañag, Andre Tiangco and Angelina Kanapi.

Yet despite the esteem she gets from bigwigs in the international motion picture community, she admits that she went into film production so that she’d get to portray the roles that have eluded her thus far in the local scene.

Confirming Necesito’s reproach, “Ang Misis ni Meyor” writer and director Archie Del Mundo stated, “In spite of her body of work, she still doesn’t win the roles that she deserves. Marife deserves to be noticed by a bigger audience. She’s a good actress. It’s about time for her to bag a meaty role like this.”

        MARIFE Necesito in "Ang Misis ni Meyor"

Hence the film, not departing from the detestable realities that infest the local film industry where stuck brilliant yet underrated filmmakers like the creative team led by Necesito, took the shape of a hard-hitting drama that attempts to show to the international community how politics in a small community corrupts and breeds greater corruption among families that make up political dynasties.

Del Mundo who made his directorial debut via 'Taksikab', a gay indie film, says the vintage Lino Brocka film ''Gumapang Ka sa Lusak'' served as his inspiration in making the film. ''‘Ang Misis ni Meyor’ has unique Asian sensibilities that hopefully will sit well with international audiences. The stereotypical   Asian scenario consists of scenes depicting poverty and homosexuality”, he states further, adding, “These are, after all, standards in social consciousness films that make a dent in the international scene.”

"Ang Misis ni Meyor" writer and director Archie Del Mundo

Necesito relates how she surpassed the main challenge for her is juggling her off-screen role as the film’s producer and her onscreen role as the lead actress who finally gets to inhabit the life of a complex woman; a former activist who marries a small-town politician to avenge the death of her farmer-husband. “In the film, my character undergoes a transformation. She started poor, but suddenly becomes rich,” she said.

“I wanted to focus on my character, but I also had to tackle the big and small problems of a neophyte producer. Especially since we have huge scenes in the movie like political rallies and lavish parties,” Necesito relates, “I had to physically sit down with my team to tackle technical requirements and draw the intricate plan the film entails. These and all other factors I got distracted with such as unexpected additional costs make me feel that the obviously wanting performance I have put forward for the role falls all too short of what I could really exert.”

Others in "Ang Misis ni Meyor" cast are Joem Bascon, Julio Diaz, Maria Isabel Lopez, and Issa Litton.

Asked if her baptism of fire in “Ang Misis ni Meyor” made her more sympathetic to other producers, Necesito quips, “Not really. Instead I’ve become more sensitive to the plight of the small workers in the industry. I feel guilty that we have to work long hours, but that’s one of the realities of making an indie film.”

But being a true actor who she believes as the embodiment of a people's culture and therefore the mouthpiece of our soul as a nation, Necesito persevered through to the final completion of the film. Now, as the film gears for regular run in theaters starting December 18 of this year onwards, she comes into the conclusion that producing a film is certainly no walk in the park.

  

Veteran actress Angie Ferro, Necesito’s mentor and is cast in the film as the dominant matriarch of the political family the lead character has married into.

Veteran actress Angie Ferro, Necesito’s mentor and is cast in the film as the dominant matriarch of the political family the lead character has married into, have nothing but good words about Necesito. “I first noticed Marife when she was in high school, when she attended one of my acting workshops,” says Ferro. “As early as then, I already felt that she was a serious artist who was really interested in the craft. She’s an intelligent actor.”

Main actors in the film include Maria Isabel Lopez, Joe Gruta, Dante Balois and Siegfried Sepulveda, Marco Morales, Roeder Camañag, Andre Tiangco and Angelina Kanapi. Others in the cast are Joem Bascon, Julio Diaz, and Issa Litton.

“Ang Misis ni Meyor” was produced by Eightfold Path Cinema and GMAC Foundation, Inc.

  

ONLINE PRESS LINKS:

1. Indie actress’ toughest role is wearing producer’s hat by Bayani San Diego Jr.(Philippine Daily Inquirer) http://entertainment.inquirer.net/42541/indie-actress%E2%80%99-toughes Ct-role-is-wearing-producer%E2%80%99s-hat

2. Pinoy political drama opens Fil-American Cinefestival in SF by Nestor Cuartero 

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/pinoy-political-drama-opens-fil-american-cinefestival-sf-063408717.html

3. IMDB Page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2213348/

4. Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/misisnimeyor