Saturday, December 18, 2010

Amigo Premiere in Bohol

The premiere screening of "Amigo" (formerly Baryo) in Bohol will be on February 9, 2011. Final agreements will have to be made for the place and time in Tagbilaran City. Final details will be posted next week.

May you have a Merry and Meaningful Christmas. Second photo above shows a Bohol village family transporting rice in sacks from a nearby ricefield after a harvest.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Amigo Baby

Occasionally, we will feature updates of some Amigo extra or production worker whom we happen to meet. On a bus ride from Toril to Tagbilaran, I met Rosario Lanzon with her latest child, one of the Amigo babies. Remember? Sario was pregnant-- and was about to deliver on her last assignment in Panglao. She's willing to make baskets made from coco sticks, but would like some support in extra materials she needs, like rattan. We have requested her to give an estimate and a sample of her work. The photo will follow.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

WELCOME TO BARYO AMIGO HQ!

Welcome to the Baryo Amigo HQ website!

This serves as the official site of the continuity project of John Sayles film "Amigo" which aims to encourage craft and workshops, child learning support activities and community theater in the film's location sites in Toril, Maribojoc, Bohol, central Philippines, and other neighboring villages.

It was conceived first as a Baryo Living Museum Project where the former movie set structures were going to be used for an experience of life as lived in the 1900s to give a learning experience to visitors and also to provide much-needed livelihood support to the villages of Toril, mainly those who were involved in the production of the film Amigo.

Due to the very impermanent nature of the structures, as well as the social problem posed by some residents in the site (the "stone church" had been dismantled by the owner of the house enclosed by the set church despite an agreement for him to maintain it until the project becomes viable), the continuity project had been modified to be less dependent of the movie set structures. It will now focus on the following:

  • Facilitating the development or maintenance and learning of local crafts and other activities that could augment support for the daily lives of the villagers;
  • Providing some activities and practical support for better child learning and environmental awareness; 
  • Encouraging the development of a community theater or a cultural performing group composed of the extras and other people involved in the production of the film Amigo; and
  • Forming a Baryo Amigo Support Network among the actors and production people of Amigo (local and overseas) for volunteer services, like workshops, sharing of technical materials, or providing articles needed for the above activities.