CALL TO THE FILIPINO ARTIST

The filmmaker, like his fellow artists in differentmedia, has now realized that the artist is also apublic person. He does not work in isolation fromsociety. Instead of working alone in his ivory towerthe is a citizen of the slums, of the streets, of thebattlefield if need be. The artist is always aparticipant. He tries to be true not only to his craftbut also to himself. For it is the supreme duty of theartist to investigate the truth, no matter what forcesattempt to hide it. And then to report it to thepeople, to confront them with it, like a whiplash thatwill cause wounds but will free the mind from thevarious fantasies and escapist fare that theEstablishment pollutes our minds with.To the best of our abilities, and even if weoftentimes fail, we want to do works that will hurt,films that will disturb, films that will not make yourest. For the times are really bad, and given timeslike these, it is a crime to rest. We can not rest,and we should not, while theres a fellow Filipinostarving in Negros, an Aquino or Galman crying for garbage while a corrupt family rules the countrywithuncontrolled power and wealth. While it is the dutyofthe artist to work for what is true, good, andbeautiful, first we have to expose and fight what iswrong.In these times when most of the media hide thetruthfrom us, when most of what we get from themedia aresilly gossip and petty flesh and sensationalizedcrimes, we go to the streets to find out whatshappening. We listen to those artists who dare risktheir lives and livelihoods, who reiterate once morethe utmost duty of the artist --- that the artist is acommitted person, that he will always take theside ofaany human being who is violated, abused,oppressed,dehumanized whatever his instrument ---the pen,thebrush, or the camera."

- Lino Brocka Artist as Citizen