‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ does not romanticize activism; it humanizes it.

By Jian Zharese Joeis F. Sanz
Bulatlat.com

MANILA— It’s Cinemalaya season once again, and just like when it was shown in Shangri-La and Ayala malls, cinephiles flocked to Cubao Gateway Cineplex to witness the blossoming of new movies. 

In the midst of the buzz and hush of excited cinephiles, a radically woven film grows its way to the masses. Silently planting seeds of change and evoking the radical grit of the people’s movement in peasant lands, Noni Abao’s ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ is one of the many socially-relevant films in this year’s Cinemalaya. 

Fate would have it that the film, featuring the self-sacrificing lives of full-time activist and mother (Agnes Mesina), a jailed mother and writer-activist (Amanda Echanis), and a late NDFP peace consultant (Randy Malayao), would be shown on this month of October that commemorates the lives and struggles of farmers. 

This documentary highlights the experiences of activists in Cagayan Valley who, for various reasons, cannot return home. One individual is being relentlessly pursued by the state, another is currently imprisoned due to false charges, and the last was killed on his way home. The documentary illustrates how they continue to resist despite the oppressive conditions in their beloved land.

Power rooted in reality

The documentary garners its impact from reality. Not in fancy, advanced edits, nor in exceptional narration and cinematography. In fact, there is no narration in the documentary. Just raw interviews, which amplify the voices of the individuals it features.

While certain segments incorporated images and footage from video calls, such as Amanda narrating her letters to her son and their FaceTime conversations, ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ maintains its impact through everyday footage that highlights the reality of the situation. Abao also underscored the challenging experiences faced by progressives by including footage of Agnes’s unlawful arrest, Amanda’s virtual participation in Likhaan as a political prisoner, and the assassination of Randy captured by the CCTV on the bus.

Abao also kept the traits of every interviewee by including small details, which other filmmakers often removed to focus on the ‘big picture’. Take how Amanda’s mother linked her son’s multitasking abilities to the young Amanda, who draws, eats, plays with a Barbie, and watches TV all at the same time. This detail, though small, can explain the multifaceted nature of Amanda as an activist. 

The film, though, became heavier and heavier with each activist’s story, providing a strong and uplifting resolution which is complemented by the narration of Amanda’s poem, “Binhi ng paglaya”. An element that ensures the viewer is encouraged to join the resistance, even after the screen fades to black. 

Overall, Abao’s ability to harness the truth and give space to the people’s narratives through his film is commendable. A trait which can also be seen in another previous Cinemalaya docu-film, She Andes’ Maria (2023). 

Intimate and humanizing

‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ does not romanticize activism; it humanizes it. It speaks of those who choose to serve the people despite the odds — those who turn their professions, art, and lives into tools of resistance. The small details give weight to the truth that illegal arrests, harassments, and killings of progressives do not only aggravate their democracy, but also affect many aspects of their humanity. 

It shows how the system, through its relentless injustices, robs a woman of the opportunity to witness her child’s journey. It also highlights the child’s loss of peace of mind, the years that should have been spent protesting alongside a childhood friend, and the precious moments of warmth shared between an infant and his mother. These are all perspectives most documentaries miss: that human rights violations bring much unnecessary grief to the lives of people who strive for a better system. A heavy and unjust reality under a fascist government.  

By allowing Raymund, Randy’s friend, to share their friendship and his admiration for the slain peace consultant, the narrative becomes more personal. Including footage of Amanda’s mother and pictures of Amanda with her family further enhances this connection. Additionally, Gab expresses that while he understands the purpose of his parents’ work, there are moments when he yearns for the idea of a normal family. ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ effectively resonates with its viewers by revealing intimate details that are often kept behind the scenes.

To love is to resist

The interlacing of love and activism in the lives of these activists is the thread that ties the three stories together. Agnes, in her own words, summarizes this thought: “There’s nothing I would ever do to be separated from my child — except in service to the people, to the masses.”  She remembers crying on the bus every time she had to leave her son, Gab, to serve the community. As a mother, she acknowledges that it’s difficult, but she endures for the better future she hopes to create, not only for the masses but also for her own son–a reality of sacrifice which is both an aspect of love and activism. 

Amanda emphasizes that her son, Randall, has been her source of strength in persisting despite the limits of prison. The idea that one day, she’ll be able to caress her growing son and be present physically as a mother keeps her and her activism going. 

Abao effectively blurs the line between love and activism, revealing a reality that continues to ignite the passion of many activists to continue with the struggle despite the difficulty that they had to face. The film demonstrates that love motivates resistance, and this resistance is always grounded in love—whether for one’s nation, family, friends, or the pursuit of truth. Abao further elevates this concept by illustrating that resistance rooted in love will inevitably flourish – and bloom.

Because to bloom here, in this nation plagued by killings, displacement, and impunity, takes courage. It takes the kind of love that outlasts oppression, prisons, and bullets.

Filmmaking is activism

Abao’s film is just one of many progressive entries in this year’s Cinemalaya. The presence of this film, along with numerous others, underscores the important role that film and art play in the people’s movement. Just as Lino Brocka and other filmmakers have shown, art will always stand with the oppressed and strive to bring about change in the system.

In this sense, Abao’s progressive filmmaking for sure is well-received by the masses. Recently, it received an average of 4.44 rating, the highest among the full-length film line-up, so far. 

This rating is not just another victory for progressive cinema; it reflects the Filipino people’s desire for art that represents their struggles. As corruption sparks widespread protests, there is an urgent need for art and film that ignite this passionate uprising.

The people are angry and rising against decades of injustice. Film spaces, as vital platforms for propaganda, must contribute to this resistance—an area where Abao excels as a director. His portrayal of three activists from Cagayan Valley paves the way for justice, which often starts with truth-seeking. 

And when people seek the truth through this film, it will then be revealed that human rights violations are a complex issue. If human rights defenders face such challenges, it prompts a question: how much more do those at the grassroots level suffer, leading these individuals to risk their lives and comfort for the cause? Ultimately, this inquiry will be answered with the harsh truth that in Cagayan Valley and many rural areas, peasants are neglected, deprived of their land, harassed, and stripped of their livelihoods.

Bloom where you are planted

Abao’s interpretation of ‘Bloom where you are planted.’  a phrase attributed to Saint Francis de Sales, which means to thrive wherever you are no matter how difficult, is rooted in the political. 

Its message is simple, yet radical.  

The heart of the film screams that to bloom is to organize, struggle, and tirelessly resist whatever circumstances you may have. 

Protest where you may be. Stand with the masses despite the system’s brutal conditions. Serve them wherever you are. Arouse their militance with the expertise and the skillset you possess. Mobilize them to the streets, the countryside, the oppressed lands

Overall, it is not only a tearjerker but an eye-opener. That, in a semi-feudal, semi-colonial nation like ours, the act of loving and fighting for the people is not passive endurance-–rather it is an active defiance which will blossom even in the harshest conditions.

That’s why it inspires despite the heavy truth it carries. Amanda fights behind bars. Randy’s activism lives beyond death. Agnes resists despite the frequent threats of arrest. 

Their stories are not isolated; they are reflections of a larger truth that every act of resistance is a seed, and every seed of love for the people can bloom even in the most oppressed soil.

‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’ reminds us that being part of a societal revolution is not merely surviving — it is blooming together, even under storm and shadow, until victory. (RTS, RVO)