Cinema and Second Person Knowing: The Presence of a Fictional Other and the Truth of Our Self

Abstract

This is a philosophical study of non-narrative, slice of life films favored by Filipino, independent, social realist directors. It will focus on the works of Brilliante Mendoza and explain why his works have been well received despite their unconventional story telling style. By using Eleanor Stump’s second person knowing and the conception of self as kapwa articulated in Filipino philosophy, it will explore how the slice of life films allow the viewer to deeply reflect on existential situations because these films allow the viewer to dwell on the life experiences and lived worlds of others, and in that way gain a deep knowledge of experiences that challenge human becoming. By reflecting on the experiences of the kapwa (or the other self as theorized by Alejo, Mercado, and de Guia) that are presented by the film, the viewer is given the chance to contemplate the lives of others and imagine their possibilities for authentic human being in the world.