"Nawala na ito sa isip ko ito," said producer Imee Marcos about her film Pintakasi, which got included in the New Wave category of the 37th Metro Manila Film Festival.

"Di namin alam, e, na pasok kami. Nakalimutan na kasi namin...

"Yung mga artista namin nung mga panahon na yun, ang sikat lang sina Tita Boots [Anson Roa], si William Martinez, si Giselle [Sanchez]...sila lang ang sikat nun."

She could no longer tell the exact date when they started working on the film. "Mga three and a half years?

"It's been going on forever, not only in time but also in space," the governor of Ilocos Norte quipped during the movie's press con held last December 14 at Mario's restaurant on Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City.

But fast forward to 2011, Pintakasi stars Erich Gonzalez and JM De Guzman have come a long way.

Some people asked, "Bakit hindi kayo nag-mainstream?"

But Imee's simple target then was to create a movie out of hip hop, which--according to her--is the "lenggwahe ng kalsada."

Moving on, she resumed, "Pero hindi naman namin akalaing na yung kinakalampag ko sa Dulaang UP na si JM, si Erich, na isang diyosang taga-Davao na binibiro-biro lang namin, nagsikatan na sila..."

Both are now under Star Magic. Erich is presently the female lead of Maria la del Barrio, while JM topbills Angelito: Batang Ama.

Imee recounted how she discovered JM, "Nanood lang ako [ng play], naghanap ng mukha na kamukha nung drawing. Dahil kung artista, ang gaganda, e, hindi sila squatter. He was struggling actor in U.P."

As for Erich, "She was still a very, very new star [back then]...Ngayon, well established na siya at leading lady.

"Everybody was totally in love with Erich dahil nagbi-beat box. Ang tapang ng budhi. Kayang-kayang mag-beat box kasama ng mga lalake."

ABOUT THE FILM. The title took its inspiration from three things.

The first is "sabong."