Napuno ang CCP Little Theater nang ipalabas kagabi, July 22, ang Handumanan, entry for NETPAC Award sa ginaganap na Cinemalaya Film Festival sa Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Ang Handumanan din ang first attempt ng Brazilian-Japanese model na si Akihiro Sato sa pag-arte. Ginagampanan niya rito ang papel ng isang modelo na hinahanap ang kanyang Filipina mother. But instead, he found romance with a novel writer, played by Chin Chin Gutierrez.

All smiles si Akihiro nang makausap siya ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal). In fact, matagal pa bago namin siya nakausap after the screening dahil sa dami ng nagpapa-picture sa kanya.

"This is my first movie. There's a lot of pressure, a lot of nervousness. But I'm excited to do it because this is my dream—to be an actor in the Philippines," sambit ng model turned actor.

Ano ba ang mga naging preparation niya since first time niyang sumabak sa pag-arte?

"We did a lot of workshops and voice language. All the preparations, one month before I did the movie."

Sinabi ni Akihiro na late last year daw nang i-shoot niya ang movie. Inamin din niya na next to modeling, ang pag-aartista ang isa sa mga pangarap niya, na feeling niya ay nagsisimula na rin niyang magawa.

Aware naman si Akihiro na kung may limitation man siya ngayon in terms of acting, ito ay ang pagsasalita niya ng Tagalog. Pero desidido raw siyang matuto nang mas mabilis.

"The teacher comes to my home and I study at least two hours a day. And it keeps going and I have friends who also help me with my Tagalog," sabi niya.

Pagkatapos nito ay nag-sample si Akihiro ng konting alam na niya na Filipino words.

"Medyo lang...naiintindihan ko, konti," nakangiting sabi niya.

Mukha namang walang inihibition si Akihiro sa pagpapa-sexy dahil sa Handumanan, karamihan ng eksena niya ay topless siya.

"If you become an actor, I have to do whatever you want. Actually sexy, not expose so much. Beautiful movies, of course. I will follow the director," aniya.

How far can he go?

"Actually, basically, I'm a very conservative person. But I will follow the director as long as it's a good movie," sagot niya.