'Metamorphosis': The first step towards liberation

‘Metamorphosis’, Cinema One originals. A film by Jose Enrique Tiglao

Gender and sexuality issues are certainly not new to us anymore. It existed for many years, such that it dictated a lot of courses in history, and how we box ourselves into each "category". For the longest time, gender and sex are one of the most taboo topics a platform can tackle.

Despite this, it is remarkable how the discourse on gender and sex got more attention in this generation. With platforms such as the social media, discourses have become more inclusive; and knowledge and information about these issues are easily disseminated. Undeniably still a long way to go, but it is noticeable how awareness on different media provides understanding and acceptance for issues concerning sex and gender.

The growth in discourse is not just for the academe but also in the field of arts. In the Philippine setting, contemporary films are emerging to challenge the status-quo with themes portraying gender struggles, as well as fighting back.

One of these films is Jose Enrique Tiglao’s Metamorphosis, which tells the story of the intersex people.

Intersex is a “term used to define a variety of conditions in which an individual is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical description of a male or female.”

The film follows the story of Adam (Gold Aceron), an intersex high-schooler as he threads his self-discovery and liberation.

Not your typical coming-of-age movie

In the first few minutes, it seemed like a classic teenage angst movie. Adam gets into a school fight; he goes home and was greeted by his father (Ricky Davao) with a question of why he had a huge bruise on his face and his mother (Yayo Aguila) trying to cover up for what Adam did. The boy then answered nonchalantly then rushed to his room.

The genius use of metaphorical elements to help convey the overall message of the film made it stand out. One of the things that made the movie memorable is that it allowed the audience to not only know the story through dialogue but also through actions, cinematography, colors, and other symbols. The director made a good choice with trusting the audience on interpreting these symbols.

Given the film has a controversial theme, the script and the exchange of dialogues made it possible for it to be a little less heavy to watch. It goes back to the goal of the film—to see intersex people not as a rare occurrence or ‘mystic’ but as normal human beings.

The attention to detail was also commendable. The incorporation of intersex flag colors- yellow and purple- all throughout the movie represented Adam’s transition period as a confused and angry teenager to becoming a person who was at peace and comfortable with himself. The subtle changes in the film’s aspect ratio, the positioning of the actors and the specific symbolism of butterflies just proved how the production of this movie was well-thought of.

The interrelation of religious beliefs and the topic of gender also deserves recognition. This is what grounded the film to the Philippine setting and it added to the element of relatability because the country is known for being a highly religious country.

The film was also set in a period where technology was not yet developed. It brought out the rawness and innocence of youth that the audience can surely relate to, as well.

This movie was able to make people think while and after watching it. It disturbed the constructs that are imposed by society on gender norms. The film also featured themes of religious beliefs and the status of women in society.

First Step to Liberation

Being the first Filipino intersex film, it provided a platform for the unheard stories of the intersex people. It played a huge part in taking the first step in representing and demystifying the people who have this condition. The film turned out successful despite the controversy involving the ratings of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) right before it was released.

It is not a daily occurence that the Filipino viewers get to watch films that feature the story of intersex people. We cannot emphasize enough how films like Tiglao's are important because diversity is not something a person can choose to ignore to live in a society. Representation matters because they can hold onto this, and this could be their first step towards achieving liberation that we all deserve as human beings. Tiglao’s Metamorphosis helped raise awareness on the struggles of, and in the process represent, the intersex community.

“Isa lang naman gusto ko sa buhay eh, maging masaya lang.” – Adam, Metamorphosis (2019)

Intersex definition from: https://www.yourdictionary.com/intersex

By Sofia Vinuya