Beyond the Mainstream: The Films of Nick Deocampo

An honors graduate of theater arts from the University of the Philippines, Nick Deocampo went to Paris as a scholar to study filmmaking. Upon his return, he made Oliver, a film that helped spark the creation of a short film movement in the country. With unflinching view of poverty and prostitution, he had struck on the sensitive theme that only a few dared tackle at the height of the Marcos regime. The film was the first of the super 8 trilogy – equally bold and on compromising views of child prostitution (Children of the Regime, 1985) and revolution and social change (Revolutions Happen Like Refrains in a Song, 1987). Since then he has made other prize-winning works.

The country's most prolific and multi-awarded documentarist, Deocampo has also written Short Film: Emergence of a New Philippine Cinema (1985), a book tracing the history and practice of documentary and short filmmaking in the country. Short Film not only prophesies emergence of this new form cinema but also helped realize it.

Published in 1997 by Anvil Publishing, Inc.