By Marjorie Gorospe
INQUIRER.net

ADVOCATING children’s rights and mainstreaming classical music is not that easy.

Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, however, has done just that through her film “Boses.”

Boses is a story of a battered child, Onyok. Abused by his own father, he later finds solace in a shelter. Onyok also learns the violin through his “wounded” mentor.

The film is a story of friendship between two wounded people: one physically after being beaten up by his father and the other wounded due to the passing of a loved one.

The film’s music – mostly coming from the violin — sets the tone of story.

Touching on issues of child abuse, Boses gives a realistic perspective on violence in our society, especially those directed at young ones.

In her film, Marfil hopes to explain the “roots” of violence involving children. Sometimes, parents burdened with life’s concerns blame their children for their misfortunes.

Throughout the movie, Onyok does not utter a word, a metaphor of a generation of children suffering in silence.

In an interview, Marfil reveals that Onyok (Julian Duque) is actually a musician turned actor.

“The issue [which the film hopes to tackle] is that children are abused. But there is a way out and that’s what we need to know,” says Marfil says who hopes that the film can open the eyes of viewers to realities of violence against children.

After watching the film, a striking message delivered by one the characters was stuck in my head.

Cherie Pie Picache, who played the role of administrator in the shelter, declares: “Wala kang karapatang saktan ang anak mo kahit anak mo siya at higit sa lahat dahil anak mo siya [You have no right to hurt your child just because he is your son. He is your son).”