What does it take to be a woman in the 21st Century? What does it entail to be a “Ganap na Babae”?

Three women filmmakers - Ellen Ramos, Sarah Roxas and Rica Arevalo explore this subject in “Ganap na Babae”. 

In celebration of the International Women’s Day, Hubo Productions in partnership with the UP Sigma Alpha Nu Sorority, present a film about women by women film directors, “Ganap na Babae (Garden of Eve)” on March 8, 6:30pm at the UP Film Center.

A prostitute, two sisters, and a widow come together to tell their stories about womanhood. A woman (Mercedes Cabral) shares her soul as a prostitute in front of the camera. A survivor, she looks back at her life as a mother. Milagros (Sue Prado) and Elena (Jam Pérez) are sisters tilling camote (sweet potato) in a dry land. Poverty provokes Elena to migrate as a mail-order bride in Japan while Milagros stays to take care of the family. Eos (Boots Anson Roa) is a widow who falls in love with a younger man, Rodrigo (Rome Mallari). They try to make the relationship work amidst the pressure of their family and the society. Three stories are interwoven to see the plight of Filipino women from the sensitive eyes of three contemporary women directors. 

The film is presented by the Sigma Alpha Nu Sorority (ΣAN), a UP based sorority founded upon the principles of Truth, Reason and Justice and promoting the goals of nationalism, academic excellence, leadership and the uplift of women. True to its calling, the sorority produced 3 TOWNS (The Outstanding Women in the Nation's Service) awardees last year, namely, Kara David for Broadcast Journalism, Dr. Stella Alabastro-Quimbo for Health Economics and Jean Enriquez for Anti-Trafficking for Women.

The screening will also honor the three women filmmakers and the three TOWNS awardees for their outstanding contribution in the struggle for the uplift of women in society. 

Proceeds of the screening will benefit Women’s Day Off (WDO), a woman-oriented NGO supporting working class women through training and livelihood programs and services.

The film screening is part of the series of events and projects being held in the Diliman, Manila and Los Banos campuses in celebration of the sorority’s 30th anniversary and the International Women’s Month. Ganap na Babae will also be screened in UP Los Banos on March 10, 2011 at the DL Umali Hall.

Ganap na Babae was selected as an Official Competition Entry by the SoHo International Film Festival NYC.