This document summarizes and analyzes several Filipino films using communication theories. For the film Kabisera, it discusses how the film depicts the cognitive dissonance theory and elaboration likelihood model. For Woman of the Ruins, it examines how the film shows the elaboration likelihood model, social penetration theory, and interpersonal deception theory. For the film Shift, it analyzes how the film portrays expectancy violation theory, attribution theory, and uncertainty reduction theory.

1. CINEMA ONE ORIGINALS 2013 FINAL PAPER
Malacura, Remaflor D.
BACR 2-2
I.
From the six movies of Cinema One Originals 2013, the three movies I liked the most are:
Kabisera, Woman of the Ruins, and Shift. These movies have Communication Theories which
can be seen in some of the scenes.
KABISERA
Andres wants Ana and her soon to be husband to live in the province with them. Ana didn’t
liked his father’s decision because his boyfriend works in Manila. In order for Andres to force
her daughter to obey him, he decided to build a house in their backyard for them and told her
daughter that she will be handling their fishery business. This scenario applies the Cognitive
Dissonance Theory. It is Andres’ goal to persuade her daughter so that the reduction in
dissonance will result to what he wants to happen. In the scene where AJ wants to study in
Manila because her sister also lives in there but Andres refused and told everyone in the family
when they were having their supper that he is the father of the family so everyone is obligated to
obey him shows the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Andres used the authority cue that
automatically lead a person to the peripheral route. The peripheral route provides a quick accept
without deep consideration. The movie also showed the friendship between Andres and Jose.
They were friends since they were little and have gone to many obstacles and struggles. They
were very open to each other and knew each experiences in their lives. This somehow applies the
Social Penetration Theory because as relationship develops, communication moves from
relatively shallow, to intimate and deeper levels.
WOMAN OF THE RUINS
The Elaboration Likelihood Model can be applied in the scene where Pasyon was forcing
Maria to remember her past and insisting her that she was his long lost wife. Maria didn’t want
to, that is why Andres started hurting her and told her that he is her husband and she should obey
him. The authority cue was used in the peripheral route. At first, Maria and Sabel were not
friends but as time goes on, they became best friends and Sabel started to knew on what Pasyon
was doing to Maria so she helped her. This scene applies the Social Penetration Theory which
means that as relationships build, people are more likely to self-disclose intimate details in their
lives. When Sabel knew that Pasyon was treating her wife badly, he told Pasyon not to hurt
Maria when he saw him in the fields. Pasyon told her why would he do such thing and lied,
telling he never hurt Maria. This clearly shows the Interpersonal Deception Theory explaining

2. that communication senders attempt to manipulate messages so as to be untruthful, which may
cause them apprehension concerning their false communication being detected.
SHIFT
In the scene where Estela knew that Trevor broke up with his boyfriend, she expected that
Trevor will start liking her. But what turned out, Trevor met a new guy and became his new
boyfriend. This reaction was unexpected and negative that made Estela hurt and started avoiding
Trevor. This shows the Expectancy Violation Theory. The Attribution Theory can be seen in the
scene wherein Estela started avoiding Trevor. She never replied to any of Trevor’s messages so
Trevor thought he did something wrong to Estela or maybe she was only having personal
problems. Trevor, in connection to Attribution Theory, deals on how we attach meanings to
other’s behaviour. Due to a mentoring program initiated by their team leader, Estela and Trevor
started to become close. From that moment on, they started hanging out together and this
decreases the uncertainty between the two of them which caused Estela to like Trevor. This scene
shows the Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
II.
Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon
Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon is a classic film directed by Eddie Romero and
was digitally restored by the ABS-CBN Film Archives and Central Digital Lab. At first, it may
seem that this movie is just a story about a young man and his love interest but as the movie
goes along, you will realize the true lesson of the movie. Kulas, at the beginning, has no idea of
what a Filipino is. He was called a “Tagalog” at first. As he met Mang Tibor, a lawyer and Lim, a
chinese merchant, his mind was opened to different meanings of a Filipino. Mang Tibor told him
that a Filipino must be born in the Philippines and a well-educated man while Lim on the other
hand, claimed that he is a Filipino because he was born and raised in the country. In the end,
Kulas was able to define and call himself a Filipino as he realized that a true Filipino is someone
who loves the newly created country, which was born right after the Spanish Colonization. The
film clearly showed us the true happenings in our country during the Spanish Era. It was not only
the Spaniards who abused the Filipinos but also our fellow Filipinos too. This movie tries to
present to us that we, Filipinos, should learn how to be a true Filipino not just only by our names
but also by our acts. Being a Filipino doesn’t only mean the Physical bond we have with our
country. We, as individuals, should know that we are the ones who need to protect our country
and fellow countrymen. We should always keep and fight for our freedom which was fought by
our ancestors in the beginning. The movie represents the Filipino people by showing that the
Filipinos then have no sense of nationality. They let the Spaniards take control of their lives, and

3. our whole country as well. The theory that was evidently portrayed in the movie is the
Uncertainty Reduction Theory. As explained in this theory, “initial interactions between strangers
are characterized by information seeking in order to reduce uncertainty.” Kulas was seeking for
the true meaning of a Filipino and who they really are and as he interact with the people he met,
relationships were built which reduced the uncertainty between them.