Serbis: An independent film by Brillante Mendoza

Serbis is a film about men who offers sexual services to gays in an old movie house (Family) in an unknown Philippine city. But I am guessing the setting is in Pampanga as depicted through the characters’ native tongue dialect spoken in certain scenes. “It has been invited to the official competition of the 61st Cannes Festival in France and was regarded as the most controversial in Cannes for the year 2008” (source: http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Serbis_(film)).

Film cast includes two of Philippines’ premier actresses, Ms. Jacklyn Jose and Ms. Gina Pareño. They are joined by then rising star and RP’s prince of indie films, Coco Martin. The cast also includes Dan Alvaro, Mercedes Cabral, Julio Diaz, Kristoffer King, Bobby Jerome Go, and Roxanne Jordan.

Setting aside its graphic and bold illustrations, Serbis’ plot focuses on a rural family (Pineda family) who runs a prostitute service in the guise of a movie house. The theater shows dated sexy double-feature films (aka bomba films). The building also serves as the family’s residence. Nanay Flor (Pareño), who is also the matriarch of the family, owns the movie house. The family members are her employees.

Daughter Nayda (Jose), her husband, Lando (Diaz), and adopted daughter, Jewel manage the ticket booth and the canteen. Alan and Ronald (Flor’s nephews) serve as the projectionist and billboard painter.