Bona

Bona: Obsession and Madness

Reviewed by: Jhaque Bastian

The opening scene of the film begins with the footage of devoted people parading the statue of black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila. The camera captures a various people, who are craving and is going crazy to touch the black Nazarene. Some are tossing their towels and wiping it to the statue, people are hoping that the dark wooden Nazarene will make miracles in their lives. Brocka showed this kind of scene to illustrate how people intensely adore the Nazarene. The camera goes up and down and then pan across the crowd and zooms to a young woman named Bona who is at that time watching the parade go by.  What I can see in the movement of the camera is that, it shows superiority as it moves from high angle to low angle. Brocka brings up into our mind that there are times in our lives where in we stare for someone higher than us and we feel that we what to get in touch with them.                       

                                             

Bona (played by Nora Aunor) is a typical girl who adore Gardo, (Philip Salvador in a role) a young man who works as a freelancers. He tries everything from singing, dancing up to acting but all with only little success. Bona is a die-hearted fan of Gardo. The first part of the film shows how the young woman trades her household shores in serving Gardo, bringing him foods and drinks in all his taping. Her obsession to the guy came to a point that she even abandoned her family just to serve Gardo. In the morning she goes and fetches water, prepares breakfast and the unbelievable thing is bathing him up. There is an incident where in Gardo thought Bona is her mother because of the same care he received from them.

Bona devoted herself too much to a guy that is vain, drunkard, womanizer and an immature man. However, her devoutness to Gardo wasn’t that appreciated and unreturned. On the other hand, Gardo treats her as a sister no-more-no-less.  In spite of everything, Bona still loves to serve Gardo. I don’t know if Bona’s concerns to Gardo are just foolishness or she is just very obsess to the guy that she can’t leave him. There are two persons in the story who shows their sympathy to Bona, first is her mother and second is Nilo the guy who court her before. Nilo once said to her “ Bona, bakit? Bakit ka pumapayag na magpaganyan? Inaalila, pinapagod, ginugutom.” Bona replied ““Gusto ko eh. At hindi naman ako inaalila. Hindi naman ako napapagod.”

In  life we sometimes experience to became a martyr, doing something to other and expecting something from them, yet in the end we will realize that we are only devoting ourselves and sacrificing our time without anything in return.

☑☑☑☑☑ out of 6