Si Mary May Crush Kay Tess, a short film on the burgeoning “Marites culture” in the Philippines, highlights the importance of information literacy in the country.
The movie, which runs for 20 minutes, follows the journey of a 13-year-old girl named Mary as she fights to keep her secret from the info-hungry world. In her quest, she finds herself challenging the three ruthless supreme beings in the barangay known as the Tatlong Reyna.
Si Mary May Crush Kay Tess, was inspired by the Filipino slang Marites, which refers to a person, typically a woman, who is exceptionally gossipy.
It was written by Rayshelle Lozada and directed by Jhun Monterde, both homegrown talents from the Digital Filmmaking (DFilm) Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of New Media Arts (SNMA).
With the support of the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival Grant, the duo utilized their creative platform to convey the connotations and prejudices behind the term.
With Si Mary May Crush Kay Tess, the filmmakers hope to encourage the audience to be vigilant about the details they accept as truth.
“Information can either help a person or destroy them,” Lozada stressed. “Be someone who can always see the ‘other side’ and not just the ‘side’ that feels more comfortable to you.”
“We hope that the viewers can think twice, give the benefit of the doubt, and be wise in their beliefs and opinions. In a world full of endless unsure information, how often do we check what is the truth?” Monterde added.
Si Mary May Crush Kay Tess may be watched through tinyurl.com/Si-Mary-May-Crush-Kay-Tess.