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International screening beckons MMFF Best Picture "Baler"


Baler director Mark Meily (not in photo) hopes to see more films tackling the country's rich history and culture in the future. This Metro Manila Film Fest entry is topbilled by Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales.      

Enie Reyes

International screening beckons MMFF Best Picture "Baler"

Bong Godinez

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
03:25 PM

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Viva Entertainment's recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry Baler is gaining attention both here and abroad. The movie is based on the historic Siege of Baler in 1898 and focuses on the love story between a Spanish soldier played by Jericho Rosales and a native lass portrayed by Anne Curtis.

 

Director Mark Meily proudly informed PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) that invitations from various countries poured in immediately after Baler's strong showing on local theaters. Our conversation took place at the press conference of Q11's upcoming snack comedy show Ü Women, held at Dulcinea restaurant on T. Morato Ave., Quezon City, yesterday, January 7.

 

"We got invitations already, two from the U.S. tapos isa from Spain. I'm sure marami pang follow-up and then, ang daming Filipinos from other countries who are writing to Viva, who wrote to me they're asking baka puwedeng magkaroon ng special screening in Canada, Middle East." 

 

BITTERSWEET TRIUMPH. Baler raked in a total of 10 awards at the Gabi ng Parangal of the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival staged last December 27 at the Sofitel Harbor Tent in Pasay City. The soft-spoken director singled out Anne's unexpected victory as the highlight of all the awards that the movie garnered.

 

"Malaking bagay si Anne Curtis winning Best Actress, kasi ang daming nagsasabi, ang daming critics na kesyo hindi siya [Anne] bagay, hindi siya marunong mag-Tagalog, baluktot ang dila niya—and you proved otherwise nung nanalo siya," said Direk Meily over a cup of coffee.

 

Lead actor Jericho Rosales, however, fell short of winning the Best Actor award, which went to Christopher de Leon for Magkaibigan. Many felt that Jericho, with all due respect to Christopher, should have won, a sentiment shared strongly by Baler's director.

 

"I would think, ang daming nagsasabi sentimental favorite si Christopher de Leon. Sa akin, on my opinion, Christopher de Leon is a good actor, is a great actor. But Jericho Rosales had a bigger challenge kasi ‘yong character ni Boyet is a dying person, kayang-kaya niya ‘yan, e. I'm sure he's done that somewhere before. Pero si Jericho, ‘yong progression nung character niya spans more than a year, nag-iiba ‘yong hitsura niya, nag-iiba dapat ‘yong characterization niya. Plus he has to act Spanish so mahirap ‘yong ginawa niya."

 

Mark has done three full-length commercial movies: Crying Ladies (2003), La Visa Loca (2005), and Baler (2008). All these films were critically acclaimed and the recent success of Baler only proves that Meily's winning streak is far from over.

 

"Bihira ako gumawa ng pelikula," Mark stated candidly. "The last film I did was in 2005, so three years ago. La Visa Loca, ‘yon naman natuwa ako dahil ang daming nagsasabi si Robin Padilla hindi marunong umarte, pero he practically swept all of the Best Actor awards. Nakakatuwa na bihira ako gumawa ng movie, and yet, when I do something, at least critically acclaimed or nananalo ng awards."

 

HOPING FOR THE BEST. We asked Mark if he's choosy  about his film projects. 

 

After a short pause, Meily enthused: "Kasi I do TV and TV commercials, ‘yon yung pinaka-bread and butter ko, and I make a good living doing these things. So kung gagawa ako ng pelikula, gusto ko it should be worth my while para sulit naman. Siyempre gusto ko din kumita, e, lalo sa pelikula ngayon, ang hirap kumita sa pelikula.

 

"I have great respect to people, to everyone doing feature films kasi sila 'yong bumubuhay ng industry, considering kokonti na lang ang ginagawang films ngayon. So, on my part, kung gagawa ako ng pelikula, sana lang may laman, may katuturan. Not necessarily historical lagi, pero hindi lang para kumita."

 

He paused once more before contradicting his last statement, carefully weighing his personal stand on the subject of artistic against commercial merit.

 

"Siyempre gusto ko din kumita. Sa ‘kin importante na kumita ang isang pelikula," he said seriously. "May ibang director, for them, ‘Wala akong pakialam kahit hindi naintindihan ng audience.' Kasi sa akin naman, utang ko ‘yon sa producer, e. The fact na nagtiwala siya sa ‘kin, kelangan kahit papaano may maibalik din ako sa kanya."

 

With Baler, Mark is hoping that more producers would start digging deep into the country's history and come up with related projects to offer to the viewing public.

 

"Ang daming takot gumawa ng pelikula, lalo na takot gumawa ng historical movie. Pero ang maganda kasi sa historical movie, ‘yong nangyayari lagi diyan, ‘yong situation—love, war, pain, struggle, survival—universal ‘yan. Sa lahat ng bansa, sa lahat ng cultures, maiintindihan 'yan, e and yet you're presenting it sa point of view ng Filipino. So, ‘yong ibang bansa, mas nakikila ang Philippines kung makikita nila ‘yon," Mark pointed out.

 



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