Director Maryo J. delos Reyes would rather not speculate on how the father-daughter tandem of Gabby and KC Concepcion related to the story of Star Cinema's upcoming presentation, I'll Be There.
"I don't know how much research the creative team who wrote the script did in terms of trying to interview Gabby or KC... But I feel that there might be scenes that maybe touched on their real-life experiences. But again and like what I've said in the VTR interview, I don't really want to pry into their private lives," Direk Maryo said at the press conference recently held at TYA bar and restaurant in Quezon City.
But the highly-respected director is certain that the "emotions" channeled by both actors in carrying out the scenes perhaps were inspired by raw feelings related to their past.
"I agree with direk na dun sa emosyon totoo kasi may mga eksena kami dito na iniisip mo pa lang napapaluha ka na," said Gabby.
"Pero hindi naman ganun 'yong istorya talaga ng buhay namin. Ayaw rin naman namin na 'yong buhay namin ang isasapelikula. The story was not patterned sa buhay o pinagdaanan namin. Karamihan nga diyan baliktad, like sa story si KC ang nasa Amerika and ako 'yong nasa Pilipinas at hindi naman masungit si KC in real life. Pero meron din naman diyan na maaaring may kaugnayan sa totoong buhay namin."
KC admitted feeling uncomfortable in some of the dramatic scenes, knowing fully well the history of their father-daughter relationship during her growing-up years.
"Wala naman po kasing nangyaring sagutan sa amin sa totoong buhay," KC clarified. "Pero natatakot din ako na baka meron akong maramdaman na dati hindi ko naman naramdaman tapos biglang mag-make sense sa akin 'yong eksena then may ma-develop na galit. Pero wala naman po."
FINE ACTING. Direk Maryo praised Gabby's refined acting in the movie, saying that the former matinee idol improved even more despite taking a leave from the industry.
"Si Gabby has mellowed but at the same time mas na-feel ko 'yong acting niya ngayon mas hinog. Pag nagbitaw siya ng linya sigurado na 'tsaka malalim kasi may pinaghuhugutan siya."
But how did KC fare in acting together her award-winning actor- father?
"Si KC, sa workshop pa lang nakitaan ko na nang honesty. For me, an actor expresses an honest emotion may mahuhugutan naman. Basta malinaw 'yong gustong ipakita niyang emosyon, I'm confident," Direk Maryo remarked.
"Hindi ako nahirapan sa kanya," he continued. "Nahirapan lang ako sa kanya because of her theater background, which elicits some big movements and she has to tone it down. Siyempre, she has to lessen certain expressions dahil sa camera mas detalyado and mas nakikita mo pag close-up. Si KC, kahit anong sabihin ko sa kanya hindi siya tulad ng ibang artista na nasasaktan, nagtataray o nagre-react... She's very down to earth."
There's no denying that the project's biggest draw is the Gabby-KC team-up but Direk Maryo emphasized that the storyline—touching on unconditional love, estrangement, sacrifice and forgiveness—makes the movie stand on its own.
"More than the actors, tanggalin mo 'yong Gabby-KC element, the movie is still good and I'm sure many of us would be able to relate to the story and the background of the characters dahil lahat tayo may magulang and most of us ay may anak din na maaaring nagkaroon tayo ng pagkukulang o gusto nating ituwid kung anuman 'yong relasyon natin sa kanila," explained Direk Maryo.
SYNOPSIS. New York-based Maxi dela Cerna (KC Concepcion) is an up-and-coming fashion designer who has been sponsored to open her own boutique. Her recently deceased mother left her with a piece of land in the province, part of the conjugal property she shared with her estranged father Poch dela Cerna (Gabby Concepcion).
Maxi hopes to sell the land because she needs the money to pay off her debts. She is now forced to return to the Philippines to meet her estranged father but it would mean having to spend an entire month with him—a father she hated form the time he walked out on her and her mother 15 years earlier. Her father was unable to cope with the American lifestyle and opted to live a simpler life in the province.
The uptight and guarded Maxi struggles to immerse herself in life at the farm where she meets Tommy Santibañez (Jericho Rosales), her childhood friend who is mending his immature ways with his seven-year-old son.
Through Tommy, Maxi learns to open up, allowing herself to love the town, its people and eventually Tommy. But as she slowly begins to reconnect with her father, Maxi is faced with the ghosts of her past, the mistakes her father made for which she never forgave him.
With her growing attachment to the land and its people, will Maxi be ready to sell the property and give it all up, settle her debts and return to the States?
Catch Star Cinema's special Father's Day offering, I'll Be There, opening on June 16 in over 100 theaters nationwide.