On Black Saturday, April 11, moviegoers will be taken
to the world of engkantos (creatures of the netherworld)via the
Star Cinema horror film T2 (short for Tenement 2).
The Diamond Star Maricel Soriano will act opposite child star Mica dela Cruz, a
mainstay of the sketch comedy show Goin' Bulilit. Mica was actually the
first runner-up of Star Circle Summer Kid Quest, the reality show that
had Quintin Paredes as its winner.
When asked to describe her experience while working on T2,
Mica told the media during the press conference last night, March 18, "Sobrang
nagulat po ako na ako yung kinuha kasi sobrang tagal ko na pong hinihintay na
sila ang makasama ko. Kahit na isang project lang po basta makasama ko sila at
ma-experience ko na makasama ko si Direk Chito and Miss Maricel po."
What lessons did she learn from the veteran actress and director? "Dapat po pag
take, kailangan pong ma-practice tapos pag mali po yung nagawa ko, sinasabi
nila kung paano dapat yung expression ng face. Minsan po pag crying scene,
hindi po tama yung pag-iyak ko."
Miss Maricel praised the ten-year-old actress for showing her acting skills at
such a young age. "Napakahusay ng batang ito. Pag napanood n'yo yung pelikula,
dun n'yo masasabi na para sa kanya talaga itong pelikula na ito. Ganun siya
kagaling. Napakapowerful ng kanyang mga mata.
"At iba talaga ang mata niya. Hindi nagsisinungaling ‘yan,
e. Yun yung totoo talaga. At mahihiya ka talaga kung ife-fake mo lang ang
lahat."
Mica is the younger half-sister of Angelika dela Cruz, a former Kapamilya who
is now affiliated with rival TV station GMA-7. Angelika and Mica have the same
mother, an Austrian, who was present during the press conference held at the
Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN. Mica's father is Japanese while Angelika's dad is
Filipino.
Mica is 18 years old younger than Angelika. The Grade 3 student is now enrolled
at La Cabeccera de Montessori in Malabon.
Maricel was then asked to recall at what age she started appearing on the big
screen. "Husay na husay ako sa kanya na sa edad niyang ito, kumbaga itong
pelikula na ito, napakalaki ng role niya na hindi ako nabigyan before. Nakabawi
na lang ako nang may John en Marsha na. Nine years old na ako nun. Ako,
super bilib ako sa kanya kasi nakita ko yung dedikasyon ng bata.
"Pero there are times na siyempre, aminin natin, bata pa, di
ba? There are times na may times na nakakatulog na yung bata habang nagse-set
up. Pag ginigising yung bagets, aba, pumapadyak-padyak na ang bata! ‘Uwi na
tayo, Ma!' Gumaganun na siya pero makikita mo na pag narinig niya yung boses ni
Direk, game na!"
Incidentally, this upcoming horror flick marks the reunion of Miss Maricel with Direk Chito Roño, who has directed her in four films already: Separada (1994), Dahas (1995) and Nasaan ang Puso (1997).
Direk Chito then gave a brief summary of T2, which refers to unit 2 of Tenement, a cluster of old buildings in Manila.
"It's a road movie and umabot kami sa Samar, sa Naga, sa Sorsogon. Sinama nila [Maricel and Erik] si Mica sa Samar. Para sa isang batang ulila, they tried their best to connect the child to her distant relatives kung wala na yung malapit na relatives. Instead of total strangers, nilalapit muna nila yung bata sa relatives para kadugo. May hinatid silang bata at dun nila nadiskubre si Mica. Parang nagkaroon ng konting manipulation para mapunta si Mika kay Maricel."
For T2, Direk Chito has woven a story based on accounts from his provincemates'
encounters with engkantos in his native Samar. He narrates that there
are people who swear that they were sort of hypnotized and brought to the other
world without them being too inquisitive about the unfamiliar place.
How should people avoid being bewitched by engkantos? Direk Chito
replied immediately, "Sa April 11, isama n'yo lahat ng kasambahay ninyo at
manood kayo ng T2!"
SYNOPSIS. T2 is the story of Claire (Maricel
Soriano), a woman who is still reeling from the pain of breaking up with her
husband of five years, Jeremy (played by Derek Ramsay). The female travel
agency owner also happens to be a volunteer for the Save an Orphan Foundation
that is tasked to reunite children with their relatives. Because of her marital
problems, Claire decides to go to Samar to complete volunteer work for the NGO.
She brings a young boy to Samar but on her way back, the road was blocked so she and her fellow volunteer worker Elias (Erik Fructuoso) is forced to spend the night in an orphanage where she meets Angeli (Mica dela Cruz).
The nuns at the orpahanage ask Claire to take along Angeli so she could be
reunited with her aunt. Claire never suspects that she is entering the world of
engkantos as she and her driver travel to reach Tenement 2 where Angeli's
folks live.
Strange, unexplainable occurrences take place and Claire must come to terms with the real identity of Angeli. Can they all return alive to the mortal world?
T2 (Tenement 2) will open in cinemas nationwide on Black
Saturday, April 11.