ABSTRACT
This chapter examines three, interrelated objects for writing about exhibition and moviegoing from a cultural perspective: spaces, discourses, and performances. The Philippines was an especially rich site for studying film, as the country has a long history of film production and consumption, and cinema was once called the national pastime. Experimental and independent films have flourished on the international festival circuit, while finding few venues for exhibition at home. The history of the space became integral to its more recent incarnation as a hub for gray market DVDs. Public discourse about Quiapo appeared in many forms in early-2000s Manila, forming a rich archive of materials for analysis. A student-led study of contemporary film consumption practices might combine interviews, discourse analysis, and participant-observation. Studying cinema as an event that takes place in time and space means being open to a wide range of theoretical tools, some from outside the discipline of cinema and media studies.
