Guns in Roses

There are many things behind the thousand pair of shoes that Imelda had. 

From being a village girl, Imelda Romualdez aspires. With beauty and mind as her capital, she went out in the world. She has dreams. She has courage. And then she met Ferdinand Marcos. One of the character in the film said that it was “the beginning of the end”.

The title of a beauty queen can surely be used to gain power. Ferdinand Marcos was elected as the president of the Philippines, high credits to the campaign of her wife, Imelda. Her voice really made great impact on the people of the Philippines. Though Ferdinand Marcos was president, Imelda was a greater celebrity. She became a model for the people; she was the star. And she was not contented by just being the first lady; Imelda, herself, is thirsty for power. With what she possesses, she knows she can achieve more. She was eccentric, but that doesn’t make her less human. The flow of political events during the time of Ferdinand Marcos is not far from the personal things that happened beyond the eyes and ears of media. In the film, Imelda was asked about the imposition of martial law and the death of Ninoy Aquino. The answer of the old Imelda (the Imelda in interviewed in the film) is still the same from her stand on the time it happened. And I believed that a thing once said may be caused by defensive mechanism, but to repeat it after a long time would make it the truth. But for her, it’s not necessarily the truth, but it’s what she believes.

‘Imelda’ features many things that happened in the time of Ferdinand Marcos. But the film does not revolve on the political history, it spun on the Beauty, as described by Imelda, is not expensive and it only needs a little effort. And for her, beauty should be first to be considered. She even said that if somebody wanted to kill her with a dagger, the dagger should have ribbons, it should be beautiful. Imelda illustrates the power of beauty. The film is about beauty, how it can affect one’s self, one’s family, and even her country.

                                                                                                                                     

   Xavier Noel Briones

                                                                                                                                         2013-41022