Jorwen Niño C. Fajardo
BS IE – 2 ; ID# 21102463
Gr2 GE-LWR
Individual Assignment #1 - Rizal and His Significance to Our Time
1. What was the short film about?
- “Heneral Rizal” is a short film that tells the story of the life and legacy of Jose Rizal, a Filipino
revolutionary, through the narration and point of view of his brother Paciano Rizal who is also
a Filipino revolutionary and general. In this film, Paciano Rizal recounts the failures of the
Philippine Revolution to the late Jose Rizal. The film focuses on Paciano Rizal’s monologue as
he talks about the great Filipino Heroes, which includes his brother Jose Rizal, him as a
general, General Luna, and other revolutionaries. Paciano Rizal also talks about the struggles
that he and many Filipinos faced specifically at the time when Jose Rizal and other Illustrados
were studying in Europe. He also talks and highlights the traitors that sided with the colonizers
during the Spanish and American occupations. Throughout the film, Paciano Rizal is angry and
restless because of many unanswered questions such as Jose Rizal’s desire to die for the
country. The film tackles the aftermath of the revolution, wherein despite the deaths of so
many Filipinos due to the revolution, problems such as poverty and farmer’s land conflicts
with the rich still exist. The film challenges the definition of Nationalism in the modern age
as problems that exists before still exists now.
2. What previously held assumptions that you believed in or thought you already knew about Rizal
and Philippine History does the film challenge? (100 words)
-
I believed that the death of Jose Rizal had such a significant impact on the Filipino people
that it sparked a revolution that permanently transformed the Filipino people, making them
more nationalistic and free from outside influence. Although some of it may be true in a
sense, the situation is much more complicated because even after Jose Rizal’s death, many
Filipinos still suffer from the hands of the foreign oppressors. Until this day foreign influence
still has an effect on the Filipino people, this is most felt in the Agricultural sector wherein
many of the Filipino Farmers still struggle for land ownership from the rich.
3. What is you interpretation of the final scene in the film (before the credits)? (100 words)
-
The final scene, from the way I understood it was a metaphor. Paciano Rizal’s call for his
brother to come back and face his responsibility is a metaphor for us Filipino’s to take action
to alleviate the struggles of the Filipinos that still struggle from the problems that are rooted
from the past. In Paciano’s last call for Jose Rizal or “Pepe”, he is metaphorically calling on us
Filipinos. The final scene also tells us the viewers to be more aware and more historically
literate because there are some events in Philippine history that needs more context to be
understood fully. Lastly it tells us to remember history and imitate the revolution not in a
literal method, but through a metaphorical way through peaceful demonstrations and
peaceful activism, just as the last scene portrayed in the film
4. Which events and issues were you unfamiliar with prior to watching the film? (100 words)
- Some of the events and issues that I was unfamiliar with prior to watching the film was the
whole story of Paciano Rizal, Jose Rizal’s older brother. Prior to watching the film, I was
unfamiliar with Jose Rizal’s older brother, Paciano Rizal, and his contributions to the Philippine
Revolution. In the film, I learned that Paciano Rizal was once a general for the Philippine
revolution who also outlived Jose Rizal. I also did not know that Paciano Rizal was one of the
financial supporters of Jose Rizal when he was studying in Europe. Another event that I did
not know about was the displacement of over 300 families in Calamba due to increasing prices
in rent caused by Spanish Officials.