One of this year's Metro Manila Film Fest entries is a tale
of love overcoming odds in the midst of war. Fans of Anne Curtis and Jericho
Rosales are eagerly awaiting the onscreen romance of these two young stars.
Both of them have recently come from break ups. Sam Milby recently announced
that he and Anne Curtis are no longer exclusively dating. Echo, on the other hand, has been
moving on from his break up with Heart Evangelista for some time now.
Baler is the story of love between a young Filipina named Feliza Reyes (Anne Curtis) and Celso Resurrecion (Jericho Rosales), a Spanish-Filipino soldier. Their love story is set in the backdrop of 1898 wartime action between the Spanish military and the Filipino forces, more popularly known as the Seige of Baler.
Feliza is the beautiful daughter of Nanding (Phillip Salvador), who is a member of the rebel movement. This is the very reason why she and Celso have to keep their love a secret. Nanding, whose primary goal is to completely wipe out the Spanish soldiers stationed in the town of Baler, can never accept Celso, a half-Indio, half-Spanish soldier who chooses to serve the enemies more than the Filipino insurgents who are struggling and fighting for their independence, their freedom.
What makes the film unique is the sympathetic viewpoint towards the Spaniards during that era. A number of our historical epics like Rizal (by Marilou Diaz Abaya) and Sakay (by Raymond Red), understandably deal with the Filipino's struggle for independence. This MMFF entry, however, is the historical account of the Spanish Army's last stand in the church of Baler. The movie chronicles their heroic defense of the church while battling the Filipino forces.
The film attempts to show that prejudice and the ravages of war affect all sides, whatever race is involved.
During an interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) last Sunday, October 19, Echo praised the ensemble cast which include Joel Torre, Bernard Palanca, Michael de Mesa, Jao Mapa, Carlo Aquino, Mark Bautista, Ryan Eigenmann, and Alvin Anson. Baron Geisler is also cast as a Spanish officer.
Production design includes the construction of a replica of Baler Church and a whole village. There were quite a few shooting locations. The sets were constructed in the towns of Tanay, Rizal. A romantic scene was also shot in the shores of Calatagan, Batangas. And, of course, the town of Baler itself is included. Baler has retained its turn of the century charm, with its old houses, hills filled with palm and coconut trees, calesas, cobbled stone streets and alleyways.
Echo claimed that it was the first time he was part of a
film in this grand scale. "As far as I can remember I haven't been in
anything like this. Na pa-nganga ako sa laki nung set. The first time I saw
that set in Tanay, nagbuo sila ng church almost to the last detail parehong
pareho nung original church. Interior namin is in another location. I even
invited my father just to see what they did there."
Anne added, "Maraming huts, they recreated a whole village. Alam mo,
before this film I didn't have as much an appreciation for the ingenuity of the
nipa hut! The strength of the structure and how cool it is inside, it's really
perfect for our weather and needs. I'm proud to be involved in a film that
helps us think about our culture and history."
Costume designer Joel Bilbao recreated the fashion during the period. Regarding thir costumes, Anne pointed out, "It definitely adds to our performance when we're wearing our costumes. Especially when we see the cast members and the other people around you, you can start to think you're in that era. When you see the Filipiniana, it takes you to that place."
Produced by Viva Films, Baler will open in theaters nationwide by December 25, 2008.