Ang bagong gay film na Ben and Sam ang magsisilbing opening film sa gaganaping Queer Love Fest na handog ng The Philippine Independent Filmmakers Multi-purpose Cooperative at ng Robinsons Movieworld. Produced by Imaginative Media Productions at OXIN Films, ang indie film na ito ay pinagbibidahan nina Ray An Dulay (as Ben) at Jess Mendoza (as Sam).
Ipapalabas sa IndieSine ng Robinsons Galeria ang mga contemporary "queer Pinoy films"--o mga pelikulang may tema ng kabadingan--from February 17 to 23, 2010. Ang mga ito ay itinanghal commercially within the past two years.
Ang first public screening ng Ben and Sam ay gaganapin mamayang gabi (10:00 PM with cocktails before the screening).
Nakapanayam ng Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) ang director ng Ben and Sam na si Mark Shandii Bacolod, na siya ring may likha ng istorya. Second full length film niya ito as director, with Fidel as his directorial debut.
Tampok sa cast sina Ray An Dulay (as Ben), Jess Mendoza (as Sam), Micah Munoz, Tara Cabaero, Angeli Bayani, Malou Crisologo, Jerri Barrios, Dido dela Paz, Simon Ibarra, and Ana Abad Santos Also in the cast sina: Raymond Lim, Arpee Bautista, Andro Morgan, Anton Gomez, Nico Taverna, Jonathan Neri, Tony Lapena, Ace Ricafort, Cai Cortez, Bong Cabrera, among others.
Paano nga ba nagsimula ang pag-conceptualize niya ng Ben and Sam?
"I have always wanted to direct the 'perfect' gay film," simula ni Direk Shandii (as he's called). "The perfect same sex love story that is. Boy meets Boy. Boy falls in love. They live happily ever after. I wanted to get out of the box in telling this story. Get out of the conventional pre-conceived notion and stereotype portrayal of homosexuals in cinema today.
"Love in its very essence is the main reason of living. Love is stronger than death. When it strikes you... it strikes you, no explanations needed, no reasons at all. Ben and Sam takes us to a journey of unconditional love, friendship, self discovery and acceptance. The perfect love, at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
"Is it too much for me to show that homosexuals are just like men and women? We get hurt. We struggle. We fight to survive. We fall in love. We feel pain. We even get lonely at night. And we dream of a happy ending to our so-called 'perfect love story.'"
Ayon pa rin kay Direk Shandii, about three to four years ago ay ginawa na niya ang screenplay ng Ben and Sam, ngunit nabura 'yun sa kanyang computer nang ito'y mag-crash, kasama ang iba pa niyang scripts. Contributing writer pa lang siya noon sa ABS-CBN.
Hanggang sa nakusap niya ang kaibigang si Jazmin Trinidad-Tecson, na bakit hindi sila gumawa ng isang gay film na mura lang ang production cost.
"Sabi kasi nila, kahit maganda o hindi ang istorya, basta gay film, kikita. Kaya ayun, pinanganak uli ang Ben and Sam, pero I asked Archie del Mundo na to write it.
"I gave him the detailed story line and treatment and he wrote the script for me. I entrusted him a very personal belonging. Jazmin became my producer. And we found a love story along the way. Die hard fan ako ng Romeo and Juliet ni William Shakespeare. Gusto ko 'yung so-called Shakespearean tragedy sa film ko.
"Inimbitahan ako ni Ana Abad Santos sa kanyang second directorial stage play na Bare, at doon ko nakita ang sign na dapat ko talagang gawin ang Ben and Sam. Pinaiyak ako ng play. And I knew right there and then that Ana will play my eccentric/bi-polar character, my very own Blanche Dubois [played by Vivienne Leigh in the film A Streetcar Named Desire]. That night, I fell in love again. Romeo and Juliet and Bare were my inspiration.
"Good things happened.. Ang isa ko pang kaibigan, si Sean Lim, joined the team as my co-producer. 'Yung bestfriend ko since my ABS-CBN days na si Eduardo Roy, joined as the production designer. It was perfect!
"Of course, ang isang magandang love story ay kailangan ang isang magaling na kontrabida. Finding the perfect antagonist was the hardest. Thank you to Ricky Gallardo for giving us Micah Munoz—the perfect George. He played his character with conviction and pure honesty. Ana always renders us speechless. They are just two of my precious gems sa pelikulang ito."
In a nutshell, ano nga ba ang kuwento ng Ben and Sam?
"Love. Ben and Sam is about this strong-universal word. As my major characters represent loneliness in all its essence, love teaches us that even in loneliness, there is hope. And that in the end, love is the only thing that matters.
"Sinasabi ng pelikula kong ito na ang mga bading tulad ko ay tulad rin ng mga lalaki at babae. Nasasaktan. Nagmamahal. Lumalaban tayo upang mag-survive. We get lonely at night.
"My story has always been about love. Ang personal journey kong ito ay hindi magiging successful kung wala ang support, help and love of my friends, wonderful actors and Staff. Thank you to my wonderful assistant director and soul sister Karla Pambid, Cinemalaya Cinco Best Editor Charliebebs Gohetia, at lahat ng staff ko.
"As for all the Bens and Sams out there, don't be afraid to love!" sambit ni Direk Shandii.
SYNOPSIS. What could be more tender and passionate than a love that is found during the times of unfathomable longing? At times when everything is unreal, superficial, and uncertain—if love is genuine, it will cross boundaries and will know no limits and sexual categories. But how does unconventional love carry on in the modern world where patterns of morality are still as ironically primeval as the people who creep around it?
Ben (RAY AN DULAY) is a college student who seems to be the most popular guy in campus. He lives a very luxurious life. And everything seems to be perfect and grand. Not really. He has never recovered from the horrors of his childhood under the hands of an abusive father (TONY LAPENA).
