Small Voices

Group 8 LS 306

I. Introduction
Small Voices (Munting Tinig) is a heart-warming and inspiring film that depicts the typical
situation of Filipino society in barrios. It gives us a glimpse of the experiences of the children in
a rural community, living a simple life, yet full of hardships, surrounded with illiteracy,
hopelessness, and insurgency. It talks about the system of education in rural areas wherein
children pay less attention to studies due to the influences within the community. The film,
directed by Gil M. Portes and produced by also Portes, along with Cresencio Bendijo, Marissa
Dames, and Ray Cuerdo, was made into life by famous actresses in the film industry like
Alessandra de Rossi, Gina Alajar, and Amy Austria. A colorized version was premiered last
2002. It was a candidate for the Toronto Film Festival. The critics, with the help of the World
Wide Web, were able to watch the film, but in different places and time.
The movie, having moved the critics, was an original idea of one of its writers, and its
director, Gil M. Portes. He based the movie from the teaching experiences of his niece during
1980s. The story, a breath of fresh air in the movie scene, gives viewers a new and different
meaning to movies. It provides the people a new perspective about movies that it can and
should be a medium to wake up and remind them of the present situation of their society. It
offers a rare insight into a culture we rarely see depicted on film. This kind of innovative film is
helpful in making a difference... even a small and simple difference.