Salansang sa Lansangan: A Gender and Sociological Examination of the Movie Barber’s Tales
- deskvalor
- Mar 26
- 4 min read
By: Andre Santos
Introduction
Barber’s Tales (Mga Kuwentong Barbero) (2013) is a film directed by Jun R. Lana that portrays the expectations of society on women, especially in the regime of Former President Ferdinand Marcos. The film revolves around a widowed woman who lost her barber husband to a chronic illness, which later revealed that she continued his legacy as the town’s barber (Quilingguin, 2014). The story depicts the hardships that people had to endure during 1975, where opposing the government was seen as a sign of rebellion against the country and often punished by execution. Using the combination of gender and sociological approach, the film’s overview can be analyzed to examine the relation of the story to current world problems concerning gender inequality, social disparity, and political influences.
Body
The movie not only addresses these issues, it also pushes the boundaries of filmmaking in producing a well-defined story showing the impact of storytelling on the perception of the viewers. As the movie unfolds, it is revealed that there is more to the life of Marilou, who once had a peaceful life before everything went into shambles after her husband died. Her story showed the life of a widowed woman living in a rural area during the time of martial law in the country where his godson, Edmond, was forced to hide in her barbershop because he participated in the rebellious group opposing the current administration.
The period of the work became the focal point of the whole film ensuring that there is an evident correlation between the pre-written historical facts to the on-the-screen adaptation during Marcos’ reign. Beyond this, the story also runs along the passage of boosting women’s capabilities in societal norms; the title Barber’s Tales is both a literal and illustrative way to tell the story of a female barber as well as to show the parallelism to the appointment of Cory Aquino as the replacement of Marcos Sr. (Tsui, Barber's Tales (mga kuwentong barbero): Tokyo Review, 2013)
Moreover, the film exposes the underlying issues that amplify society’s experience in terms of: (1) societal expectations of women who are working in a male-dominant environment, (2) the prevalence of oppression in the country due to political presence, and (3) raising awareness to Martial Law in the current time; these themes inflicts a sense of awareness for the viewers and suggests a timely motif of the work.
Critical Analysis
Analyzing the film through the gender lens exposes the machismo mentality during the late 70’s, wherein Marilou was questioned by the townspeople on her abilities as a woman in continuing the work of his dead husband. Helped by her accomplice, Rosa, a female prostitute, gave her assistance in her growing business. The pacing of the film commentates on how the marginalized community is being shaped to adapt to the toxicity that their male counterparts act towards them, leading them to be a support system for each other. Though the film highlights this in a negative connotation, it can still be seen as a powerful move in protesting for women’s right as well as breaking the patriarchal stereotypes that society has established.
While gender experiences were greatly emphasized in Lana’s work, the use of an in-depth realization and symbolism of the patriarchal environment was not fully highlighted and focused on. The film's focal point underlines different socio-economic issues which lead to a lack of depth realization on how gender normalities were viewed before and as of now (Bartolome, 2014). However, due to the message that Director Lana wants to convey, the film remained a relevant work of art portraying the negligence of society in perceiving gender equality as an important factor, highlighting the struggles faced by marginalized communities and challenging the audience to rethink their perspectives on inclusivity and fairness.
Similar to its relevance to the standards of society in terms of recognizing gender expectations, the film also tackles the social disparity that is still experienced up to this date. The character of Nonie Buencamino symbolizes how the government uses its power to abuse the innocent in their community, proving that exploitation of power has been evident since the 90’s. During the dictatorship of Marcos, people in rural areas were deprived of knowledge which still relates to the present times where education is being denied to those who lack public service due to geographic inequalities (Buchholz & Linke, 2023). The film created a narrative that reflects on historical realities which also offers a lens through which contemporary societal issues can be examined by the viewers.
Conclusion
Mga Kuwentong Barbero depicts the societal issues that the Philippines encountered during the term of Marcos Sr., providing insights into the social injustice and gender inequality experienced by the people during this time. The film not only highlights these issues but also creates a platform to portray the harsh realities that people had to endure up until now.
Throughout the whole film, the characters, plot, and cinematography align with the director's vision to empower the marginalized community, especially provincial residents in the country. While the amount of issues presented limits the film to further analyze an in-depth critique of the movie, it remains an impactful masterpiece advocating for the change that the country has been working towards achieving.
Reference List
Bartolome, B. (2014, August 12). Movie Review: Eugene Domingo-Starrer Barber’s
tales: A treasure of Philippine cinema. PEP.ph. https://www.pep.ph/news/local/14290/movie-review-eugene-
Buchholz, K., & Linke, S. (2023). Left behind in a public services wasteland? On the
accessibility of public services and geographical polarization in Germany. Political Geography, 103, 102779.
Magpantay, J. (2024, September 21). Explainer: Before and behind the powers of Martial Law. Explained PH. https://www.explained.ph/2024/09/explainer-before-and-behind-powers-of-martial-
Quilingguing, U. (2014). “Barber’s Tales” set for local release. SunStar Publishing
Tsui, C. (2013, October 18). Barber’s Tales (mga kuwentong barbero): Tokyo Review. The Hollywood Reporter.
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