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MIKA SANTOS

This scene captures my favorite moment in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" because it vividly portrays the evolving relationship between Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina. Sharing food and cigarettes, obtained by Molina from the warden in exchange for revealing secrets, symbolizes a rare instance of trust and camaraderie in the oppressive prison environment. This gesture underscores Molina's complex character and the depth of his growing bond with Valentin. It marks a pivotal point, illustrating themes of solidarity, sacrifice, and human connection. Molina's willingness to risk his own safety for Valentin's well-being intensifies the emotional depth of the film, showing their personal transformations and the blurring of boundaries between prisoner and informant. The prison setting is crucial in shaping their desires, as confinement and harsh conditions strip away societal roles and pretenses, forcing them to confront vulnerabilities and dependencies. In this isolated environment, their need for companionship and understanding becomes pronounced, amplifying their physical and emotional desires. The prison amplifies their suffering and connection, emphasizing the transformative power of human connection amid adversity.

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Love is a luxury a spy cannot afford, says the quote from the romantic movie that Molina tells the story of to Valentin, which is an eventual foretelling of the fate that Molina is about to suffer. Despite the intense yearning for a romantic partner, Molina just happens to be a homosexual man, leaving his chances low. In this scene, both Molina and Valentin start opening up about their lives before prison, laying the foundation for a rather ironic and unexpected connection to develop. Being made to spy on his cellmate, his desire is bound to take over, and the nature of his task being to get closer to a man to know more about him only makes this harder for him. A kiss and a phone number are what Molina acquires as farewell gifts from Valentin as he gets freed from prison, to which he continues to hold on to this despite being held at gunpoint, somehow still thinking of Valentin. Valentin shares the sentiment on his deathbed, somehow still thinking of Molina, even in the presence of another woman.

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The visual and narrative symbolism is why this scene became my favorite movie favorite. The warmth of a candle-lit cell and mutual vulnerability between Valentin and Molina cuts to the sterile lights from the office blinds and the intimidating glares of the authorities. In previous scenes, the three were all on the same level, trying to manipulate Valentin into a confession. Now, Molina and Valentin have shared such necessary moments of humanity with each other. They have experienced a special kindness in the brutality of prison and have been exposed to each other's heartbreak that their bond can no longer be read as transactional. Even if she doesn’t understand his cause to fight and suffer in the revolution continually, even after being beaten and imprisoned, Molina believes in Valentin to the point that they would willingly sacrifice themselves. Others may see Molina as even less than for making no progress or even siding with a "traitor". But Molina's mind has already been made and only focuses on that.

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Mojo Ramira

My favorite scene in the entire movie was the dream sequence or potential death sequence of Valentin Arregui with Marta. Specifically when while Marta unbuckles the lock within the bars of the prison, Valentin asks “What about Molina?”. This picture within the film showcases the hesitance and impression Luis left on Valentin, and even after all they went through, he would still remain an afterthought in comparison to Marta. This scene, though fleeting in the movie, strikes me and serves as my favorite scene in the film, because though Valentin had stated before that Marta was always with him in his dreams whenever recovering from his torture, it shows that Molina had a lasting impact on Valentin, one that penetrates even the deepest bastion of his subconscious. However, Molina, though free in real life, was left behind in Valentin’s dreams– showcasing one of the heaviest tragedies within the plot of the movie. Within the context of this scene, the prison serves as a means of connection between Molina and Arregui, one that cultivates their feelings for each other, and a setting where Valentin happily leaves to spend his remaining time with Marta, instead.

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Sebastián Drey Sy Marcaida

The most caputring part of the movie for me was when the French spider woman went to her female friend announcing the pregnancy she had from her love, who is a Nazi partner. Especially, on the part wherein she said that she would be a traitor of France and that "love has no nationalities." This scene reminds of the adage as to how people can be blind for love; even if it means betraying the expectations or norms of the family of one and breaking the sense of filial piety. Given that transgender Molina is the one telling this story, who seems to parallel his life; as rhetoric to the lack of acceptance of the people of his identity and vulnerability just like the spider woman is now a national traitor for her love to a Nazi. Perhaps, since Molina used the story of the kiss of the spoderwoman to express or metaphorise his life experiences to Valetin, to which he initially ridicules the excellence of storytelling and fantasies of Molina without realising the underlying sentiments of Molina deep inside.

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This photo shows Molina caring for the ill Valentin who was poisoned by the food he just ate. The best part about this scene is the fact that the kindness that Molina is portraying is very mother-like, a feminine aspect. A strong theme in this movie is gender roles and this scene shows how great the feminine traits can be. Valentin always preached about the great qualities of being a male. He even slandered Molina for not having certain male qualities. But this scene shows that males can be vulnerable and that the care of Molina, a feminine trait, is keeping him alive.

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This photo captures my favorite scene because it is where Valentin's vulnerabilities as a man are finally laid bare. After opening up about how he ended up in prison and his fear of never seeing his loved ones again, Valentin takes Molina's hand and says, "I don't want to die, Molina. I don't wanna die. Don't let me die," to which Molina responds, "Of course not." Through these lines, we see how the relationship between the two evolved with growing affection. Valentin begins to appreciate Molina for being sensitive and nurturing (characteristics he initially criticized him for) and depends on Molina's help to keep him alive so that he may continue fighting, even after rendering him weak and ignorant of their political struggle. On the other hand, despite often being Valentin's emotional punching bag, Molina empathizes with him upon discovering that Valentin is also capable of sensitivity and love through his stories about Lydia and Martha. The relevance of the prison being their shared space makes sense of these contradictions. Confined in a single place and confronted with a seemingly opposing force, they discover a middle ground: both men, despite their differences, crave freedom. Valentin, the epitome of toxic masculinity, and Molina, representing queerness, realize that they are united in their desire to be free, and this makes them fundamentally the same.

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While it was difficult for me to choose only one scene from my list of favorties, I ultimately chose to write about the goodbye scene because it shows the pinnacle of their relationship. With Valentin's line of, "Promise me you'll never let anyone exploit you again," we see the evolution of his tenderness towards Molina, especially when we juxtapose this line with earlier scenes in the film where he himself was one of the people who showed temperamental cruelness to Molina. Considering this, I argue that the tense environment that is inherent to being in prison facilitated the growth of this bond between the two. That is, given the circumstance of being physically confined to a single cell for most of the day, they quite literally had no choice but to turn to each other to feel any semblance of normalcy and human connection.

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This frame is from the part of a scene early in the movie where Molina and Valentin exchange dialogue about the film that the former is narrating. As Molina narrates the story of a love affair between a French woman and an Aryan officer, Valentin interrupts noticing it is a Nazi propaganda film. Despite that Molina is ignorant and focuses on the romantic dynamic between the two characters in the film. Although it is more of an establishing scene it captured my attention because of how two characters can have different perspectives on the same thing--especially on a film. I think it's a simple but effective storytelling tool to provide exposition to the audience that doesn't lean on spoon feeding information. It also pays dividends as the film goes on as Molina's desires, sexuality, and Valentin's political background is fleshed out even more.

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My favorite scene is the first time that Molina brought food for Valentin. Before this, Valentin took the food poisoned meal and had diarrhea. Through this scene, a lot of my questions are answered and a lot of new ones emerged. Molina hands over the food poisoned meal, which he knew the existence of, to Valentin only after they fought. This scene made me question if it really is still strategy to get information out of Valentin or if it is that Molina fell in love with him and is now doing the spy work to feed him properly and treat him. I think that this is the turning point in the movie when Molina and Valentin becomes closer to each other and that this kindness is Molina's web that he's been utilizing to eventually capture the hearts of the men he likes. This is kindness that one does not expect in a place like a prison and I think that contrast alongside the proximity eventually led them to desire each other.

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This photo captures the part wherein Molina becomes ill after consuming the plate with a larger portion of beans. I really loved this scene because it is among the initial signs that show that Valentin is already starting to care for Molina, even urging him to narrate a movie to ease his pain. I think this scene is special because besides the fact that it was one of the starting points of Molina and Valentin’s relationship, it is also one of the scenes that made sense and hurt more upon learning about Molina’s role as a spy for the warden. In a way, it is painfully ironic that one of the first acts that Valentin did out of care for Molina (giving him the plate with more beans) turned out to hurt Molina because of the secret espionage endeavor of Molina.

I think that scenes such as this further emphasize how difficult it was for them, especially given their environment and circumstances in prison, to balance self-preservation and the desire to care for and protect the other. The prison world evidently shaped the connection that they had formed. Besides the fact that their isolation and forced proximity did not give them much of a choice but to interact, the time they had spent talking about their sufferings and backgrounds allowed them to sympathize with one another. Perhaps, their distance from their loved ones from outside prison, may have caused the sympathy and care they shared to transform into mutual desire.

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There’s not much going on in this scene, but what struck me the most was the words of Molina: “What is wrong with being like a woman?” Despite it being a simple scene, there is so much emotion in Molina’s face, looking up with his unwavering eyes at someone who looks down on him for acting like a woman. Then he added, “If more men acted like women, there wouldn’t be so much violence.” He saw strength in the sensitivity of women, to be able to express and voice out their frustrations. Men are so prideful that they would rather keep everything bottled up and expect the same for others. When someone tries to confront their emotions, they explode in such violent ways that they hurt the people around them, whether it be physically and emotionally. Being in a confined space, Molina and Valentin’s opposing personalities are bound to clash, but it also gives them privacy, to expose their vulnerabilities with one another until Valentin was able to properly express his emotions. In this cell, it was only Molina with him. He can trust and let go, because this space is only for the two of them. When they fought one more time, Valentin was able to let go of his pride and apologized for his behavior. And the more time they spend with each other, we see Valentin fully give in to his feelings for Molina.

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This specific scene captured my attention and became my favorite in the movie because the genuine kindness that Molina offered to Valentin was not shocking for me, yet heartwarming and endearing. Even when Valentin acts selfishly and somewhat restrictive, Molina continues to be kind, respectful, and natural, even though he was given this spy role to observe Valentin. This scene encapsulates Molina as a cellmate and person, regardless of his gender and dispositions in life. His kindness contributed to or led him to fall in love with Valentin as they both confessed later in the film. Firstly, when Molina got sick, Valentin offered to help, and yes, he did help by calling a guard and taking Molina to the clinic, but when Valentin got sick and refused to go to the clinic, Molina stepped in to physically clean up his dirt, helped changed his clothes, and offered tea. Moreover, the prison setup helped mold the desire between Valentin and Molina with the conversations, kindness, and decisions they shared in their cell. The storytimes of his favorite films helped alleviate the stresses of Valentin and their feasts together with the help of his resourcefulness to the ward made them eventually open up to each other.

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REYJIE GABRIEL ROSIQUE

The ending sequence itself was my favorite part of the film, particularly this screengrab. Luos Molina dying and being thrown in a ditch and Valentin Arregui dying in his cell show the tragedy of the film. The tragic death of Molina to the idyllic afterlife of Valentin stirred a sense of helplessness in their situations as they were in between a conflict beyond themselves. The blue, dreamlike state of the scene has the same filter as the scene with the spider woman. It made me think now who truly was the spider woman, was it Molina, in his web of lies and crying at the tragedy of their situation, was it Valentin, with his kiss poisoning Molina, or Marta, the bourgeois savior? Molina and Valentin are characters that functions as foils of each other and in a situation that forces cohabitation, reveal the complexity and the web of the ideologies of the characters. It paints where they converge and diverge and shows a picture that is more interconnected than anything.

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My favorite scene is where the doctor, even at risk with his job, decides to relieve Valentin with his pain by injecting him with morphine. This is because in this scene, shows the good side of one's humanity of bringing comfort to someone and relieving their pain especially in their final moments even if you are supposed to be enemies and at the risk of losing something important. It is also in this scene afterwards that Valentin finally escaped the pain of living in a discriminating society and be in a happy place with his loved one in the afterlife. And it makes the audience hopeful that Molina has also arrived in his happy place afterlife. This scene symbolizes the transition from the end of a painful prison life to the start of a new and happier beginning of the afterlife. Dareene Palapar

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This image captures the scene wherein Molina takes care of Valentin as he suffers the same ailment that Molina had a few days prior. This is my favorite scene in the film because it depicts a moment of vulnerability between the two, especially given that Valentin rarely showed this side of himself to Molina. Another reason why I find this scene so memorable is because of the fact that later into the film, we learn that Molina is working with the prison wardens to gather more information about Valentin, which led me to question the sincerity of Molina's actions, despite his growing affection for Valentin. It could depict the characters' intricate entanglement because Molina's acts are contradictory, as we witness how, even if they gradually grow fond of one other, Molina may be breaking whatever trust they have through his conversations with the wardens. Molina's aid in alleviating Valentin's pain, when the latter is left with nothing to do but accept it, requires a certain level of trust and understanding built by their time in prison together. Their limited resources and poor prison conditions allowed them to naturally gravitate towards each other and deepen their bond further, developing into a mutual affection we see as the film progresses.

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This photo takes the spot as my favorite scene because it shows the first real conflict between Valentin and Molina. It captures a moment in the film wherein Valentin angrily confronts Molina by shouting “Stop this, you’re crying like an old woman? What’s this between your legs, huh?” and stating that even if Molina were to cut off his genitalia, he would still be a man. Molina retorts with the words, “If he had the courage to, he would do so.” This scene proves vital to the story because it paints Valentin as this hyper-masculine, traditional man who does not accept compassion from others and deals with emotions through anger. Later in the film, Valentin initiates sex with Molina, signifying liminal development of hate to friendship to eventual homosexual affection which one may even describe as love. Without this scene, would the sex scene elicit as much surprise as it did? I think not. The prison Valentin and Molina are in separate them from the outside world and the relationships they formed. In pursuit of the emotional bonds they were cut off from, they find solace in each other and in their shared thirst for freedom. For Valentin, it is the hunger for political justice and lasting peace while for Molina, it is the yearning for acceptance of his sexual orientation.

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Identify your favorite scenes in the movie, Kiss of the Spider Woman. Take a screenshot of your favorite scene and paste the photo on this tablet. With your photo, answer the following questions:

1.        Why does this photo capture your favorite scene in Kiss of the Spider Woman?

2.        What makes this scene special in the film?

3.        How relevant is the prison world in shaping the desire shared between Valentin Arregui and Luis Molina?

Directions:

·      Answer the guide questions in one paragraph within 100-250 words.

·      Make sure that you include a photo of your favorite scene.

·      Ensure also that your name is included in your Padlet submission.