A Film Review
Set in the 1980’s, the film is reflective of the social issues that were confronting Philippine society during the martial law era. The country was still under Marcos rule, but surprisingly, the film despite its activist’s orientation, was allowed for exhibition. Perhaps, Mike de Leon’s treatment of the social issue in this particular film was not overtly critical of the government as it was of the corporate world.
Sr. Stella L. is a woman’s film, told from the perspective of a woman. All the women in this film are strong women, with the exception of Gina Alajar, who played the role of a pregnant and emotionally distraught woman, in need of counseling. The two Stella’s, nuns working for the underprivileged, became participants and leaders of a group of factory workers who are protesting for just compensation and fair working conditions. Just compensation and positive working conditions have long been regarded as a feminist issue in contemporary society where women generally do not get the same benefits and treatment men normally received or accorded to in the workplace. In the film, the issue of just compensation being waged upon by the striking workers was given a feminist perspective when the two Stella’s joined the strikers.
However, this is not to say that the film does not have any scene that runs contrary to feminist idea of how women should be represented in cinema. As a matter of fact, those scenes exist.
Cinema’s representation of women has always been stereotyped. Haskell and Rosen’s studies on reflection theory posit that film does not simply reflect the social reality of women but also perpetuate male’s point of view that women are inferior to men. (Petro, 69)
The idea of a woman becoming a nun has always been somewhat of a puzzle to many simply because society has created this image or understanding that a woman’s place is beside a man, in the home, with the family. Thus, becoming a nun is not a matter of choice, or calling, that the person believes in, but a desperate act of running from reality and challenges from the world. Obviously, this is what the character of Jay Ilagan believes in his heart. He is the typical macho image who opines that women should not make choices opposite to what they are supposed to become.
This clichéd representation of women in films, whether in Hollywood or not, became the target of feminists’ attention and critique. Feminists criticize images of women being portrayed in films pointing out the inconsistencies of those portrayals in real lives. (Mayne, 49)
Contemporary films, whether at home or abroad, usually portrayed women in traditional roles, or objectifying them, thus perpetuating patriarchal ideology.
Sr. Stella L. is a departure from the common notion by society that nuns are women detached from the realities of the world. On the contrary, they are very much aware of the societal realities around them. And they are strong women who are deeply perceptive of their feminine gifts. Quite obviously, Mike de Leon understood this fact. Nevertheless, the film also manages to convey that Stella L. still moves and lives in a patriarchal society. Jay Ilagan’s character for instance, argues with his editor that he knows Stella well; that her decision for joining the protesters was not her own volition as much as her motives in entering the convent was not clear to her. This is once again putting women in a box, categorizing them as weak and incapable of rational thinking.
The protest in the film went on for a long time, and at night, the women serve coffee and snacks to the men. Again a typical representation of what women should be doing – to serve the needs of the men.
When Stella L. and Jay’s character were abducted by the factory owner’s henchmen, the men tried to break Stella’s resolve by instilling fear in her while attempting to molest her. Again, the patriarchal idea of subjugating women by treating them as sexual objects, thus reinforcing male domination of women.
Stella L.’s involvement with the protesters was a divergence from the traditional concept of a woman’s role. From a counselor (typically considered a woman’s job) to pregnant Gina Alajar, she became a main player in the workers’ union, which was a male group. At the end of the film, Stella L. talks to the audience and narrates her ongoing commitment in helping the union achieve what they are fighting for. She became a strong force for them in fighting the existing oppressive social structures.
A feminist reading analyzes two different representations of women in this film. One representation is that women (the two Stella’s) are presented as liberated and independent, with leadership qualities normally associated only with men. Are their being nuns represented a caricature of the religious life? Not at all. Although not all nuns are activists on the street, but activists and rebels they are in a way, because they dare to break the usual mold traditional society has for women.
There is also a strong bond of friendship that exists between the two women, which is presumably connected by their common calling. Although the two Stella’s connectedness with one another cannot be classified in the same way Arbuthnot and Seneca (113) describe the close relationship between Dorothy and Lorelei in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the strength that springs from their friendship led one to embrace what the other believed in. The older Stella took on the role of a mentor to the younger Stella L.
Stella’s strong arguments with her former boyfriend regarding her choice of becoming a nun, emphasizing that it was her decision and no one else’s, is symbolic of a woman’s emancipation from male domination. A woman can be herself, and emerged as a strong person, without needing a man to achieve such.
Another representation of a positive woman’s role is the lady editor’s. In a patriarchal society, editorship is typically regarded as a man’s job. However, there is a reversal of roles here. In the film, it is the lady editor calling the shots, trashing Jay’s stories, while Jay (as the reporter) giving in (although with much anger) to the decision of the editor.
Another representation shows the traditional concept of woman as normally depicted in films – weak, irrational, incapable of living without a man. This role is typified by the character portrayed by Gina Alajar.
Gina Alajar’s character is what Fischer (166) calls in her essay, Seduced and Abandoned, a person who had no options left in life. Alone and pregnant, she thinks of ending her life in order to stop her suffering. She is the exact opposite of Stella who constantly challenged her to rise above her situation.
The phallic symbol of the knife that ended Gina’s life is a representation of male domination in her life. Symbolically her death came earlier when she was left alone and pregnant. The actual suicide is just a physical representation of the emotional and psychological death she experienced before.
Works Cited:
Arbuthnot, Lucie & Seneca, Gail. “Pre-text and Text in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
Issues in Feminist Criticism. Ed. Patricia Erens. Bloomington: Indiana
University Press, 1990. 113.
Fischer, Lucy. “Seduced and Abandoned Recollection and Romance in Letter From
An Unknown Woman.” Issues in Feminist Criticism. Ed. Patricia Erens.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990. 166.
Mayne, Judith. “Feminist Film Theory and Criticism.” Multiple Voices in Feminist
Criticism. Eds. Diane Carson, Linda Dittmar & Janice Welsch. Minnesota:
University of Minnesota Press, 1994. 49.
Petro, Patrice. “Feminism and Film History.” Multiple Voices in Feminist Criticism.
Eds. Diane Carson, Linda Dittmar & Janice Welsch. Minnesota: University of
Minnesota Press, 1994. 69.
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