Reading Photographs

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Can We Stay Here? (A work in progress film by Martika Escobar) screened over at AAG and presented by .ph

I went in because it is a Neal Oshima documentary. As somebody who wants material about Philippine Photography injected to my veins, I had to go. The thing about Photographer documentary films is they tend to focus on the personality rather than the work. Director Martika Escobar brings her brand of experimental film making focusing on the near infinite stories that Neal has with his 40 year career and mountains of work. It felt like reading Szarkowski’s looking at photographs but about Neal’s story of the images he made and the stories that came with it.

A refreshing experimental approach that tackles that a photographer’s life is perpetually stuck in Act 2. It is a constant work in progress and an adventure of a life lived with photography.

Will try to see how this work gets iterated as time goes on and they gather new material with each new screening and new story that Neal shows. Producer Erwin Romulo has a long (but fun!) task ahead of him and I hope to follow along.
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Brain fart aside: Maybe the Act 3 of this people telling stories about Neal? Idk. Martika doesn’t operate that way but let’s see. Exciting times ahead.
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Currently helping out in the Family of Man Legacy project with researcher Emilia Sanchez [ .morning ] 📸 if you or anyone you know have any memorabilia, photos, stories, or information about the Manila leg of the exhibition let us know! Links about the project will be on the bio as well 🫡📸

I don’t usually ask this but Would appreciate if you can spread the word about it too!
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