Namet Gid Eh!

Namets is a slang for Hiligaynon word “namit” meaning yummy so expect to salivate from all the delicious food which are featured in Namets! directed by Negrense Jay Abello and screenplay by Vicente Garcia Groyon. Namets was a finalist to the Cinemalaya 2008.

Much can be gleaned about our culture from our local cuisine – our abundant resources, our eating habits, our traditions and a lot more.  Every region in the Philippines has a cuisine unique to it and you’ll know the regional affiliation of a person from the food on his table.

I watched Namets! last week and was lucky enough to have a glimpse of Angel Jacob and Christian Vasquez who were sitting on the row in front of me. They played the role of Cassie Labayen and Jacko Teves, respectively, the two former lovers whose lives got intertwined through their love for food.

Namets is a story about food with romance as a side dish. Negrense cuisine takes center stage through Namets. I doubt if there was somebody in the audience who was not craving for food after watching the movie. Prepare for a gastronomic ride on what makes Negrense food unique.

The use of Hiligaynon as the movie’s language proved to be a wise decision. I couldn’t imagine Namets to be in any other language. Get a load of your typical Ilonggo expressions, Bords, Parts, Yuga, Tikalon,  and don’t forget the Gid, the Te and the Eh.

Aside from Christian Vasquez, the cast are mostly Negrenses and they are not just starlets, mind you. Peque Gallaga, Dwight Gaston, and Monsour del Rosario, with the special participation of Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro. Top caliber actors, homegrown Negrenses.

Angel Jacob is not an Ilongga but I laud her for doing her homework. Her accent can pass up for an Ilongga’s except that I think she was a little high pitched in some parts of the movie. In my book, she passed the role of a Bacolod girl with flying colors.

I also like the humor of the movie and the interesting characters. Peque Gallaga as Boss Dolpo reminds me of Marlon Brando in The Godfather. He did nothing else but munch on his food and talks gibberish. Dwight Gaston did a brilliant job as his assistant/right hand.

There’s also Joel Torre as a caveman who happens to discover fire and what do you know, chicken inasal. Ronnie Lazaro plays the farmer who’s starving to eat meat and planned on cooking his son’s pet chicken, goat and dog. His family ended up eating noodles after his son told him that if he kills his pets, his father might as well kill him.

Know more about Negrense life and culture through independent film Namets! I encourage everyone to watch and support the movie. If you’re an Ilonggo, all the more reasons to watch Namets, because it’s about you and your culture.

The special screening for Bacolod and Iloilo already ended but those who are in Cebu can still catch Namets on the following dates and venue:

• Ayala Center Cebu: December 6, 8-10, 2008 Ayala Cinema 4
• Contact Tina – 0908-987-4731
  

DVDs and VCDs will be available this December so grab yourself a copy as I am also planning to buy one.

For more info, visit: Namets! Official Website, Namets! Multiply Site

NAMETS teaser from fiona borres on Vimeo.

Namets! Behind the Scenes from Never Say Nunca on Vimeo.

Tagged as: culture, Food, Hiligaynon, Negros Occidental, Philippines