Tulad ng iba pang entries sa 6th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, ang full-length film na Magkakapatid ay ang kauna-unahang pelikulang idinirek ng baguhang indie filmmaker na si Kim Homer Garcia. Ayon sa kanyang director's profile siya'y "isang teacher and student of cinema."
Si Direk Kim ay isang college lecturer sa Batangas State University kunsaan nagtuturo siya ng film theories and production. Bukod sa pagiging alumnus ng nasabing unibersidad, graduate rin siya ng International Academy of Film and Television.
Sa kasalukuyan ay kumukuha siya M.A. course sa University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City at patuloy na nag-aaral ng mga dapat niyang matutunan sa mundo ng independent filmmaking.
Laking suwerte ni Direk Kim na ang kanyang isinumiteng script na Magkakapatid ay napili ng Cinemalaya Foundation para mapabilang sa sampung competing full-length films sa popular na indie filmfest sa bansa. Ito ay napili mula sa mahigit 100 scripts na lumahok sa competition.
SYNOPSIS. Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. and Quantum Films in association with the Film Development Council of the Philippines present a Crimson Light Production, Magkakapatid.
Magkakapatid is a story about a family that drifted apart due to socio-economic differences. Three siblings, three narratives, one tragedy, wherein a brother kills his own brother, a father struggles to accept a daughter's marriage, and a daughter who could not mourn. In a situation where even traditions can't pull them together, a tragedy drags them together.
Cast: Julio Diaz, Nico Antonio, Banaue Miclat, Racquel Villavicencio, Shamaine Buencamino, Soliman Cruz, Archie Adamos, Mercedes Cabral, Jerald Napoles, Kathlyn Castillo, and Ces Quesada.
Isa si Julio sa most competent actors of Philippine Cinema. For a time, nag-lie low sa paggawa ng pelikula si Julio, pero of recent years ay naging aktibo na siyang muli sa pag-arte, with Direk Maryo J. Delos Reyes as his manager.
Dalawang full-length films ang kinabibilagan ni Julio sa Cinemalaya this year, the other one being Vox Populi (Siya Ang Meyor Ko!) ni Direk Dennis Marasigan.
Si Nico Antonio naman ay huling napanood sa pelikulang Here Comes The Bride (bilang "love interest" ni Tuesday Vargas, at member ng Voizboyz), samantalang si Banaue Miclat naman ay isang theater actress at lumalabas na rin sa ilang short films (Giving Care, 2008) at iba pang independent films at TV guestings.
Of course, kapwa mahuhusay at mga dekalibre na character actors ang iba pang nasa cast ng Magkakapatid, tulad nina Racquel, Shamaine, Soliman, Archie, at Ces. Si Soliman ay nagwaging Gawad Urian Best Supporting Actor for 2009.
"I am blessed with such talented actors sa pelikula naming ito. Kadalasan, I give them the liberty to interpret the scene the way they see it, at pagkatapos noon, lagi silang nakakapagbigay ng magagaling na performance," pahayag ni Direk Kim sa panayam ng Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP).
Ayon sa baguhang filmmaker, wala umanong lead character sa kanyang pelikula, dahil multi-character ang narrative nito.
"Ang istorya ng Magkakapatid, sa three siblings, ang panganay dun ay namatay na recently. Pero nire-represent siya sa istorya ni Racquel Villavicencio. Ang middle daughter ay si Ces Quesada. Youngest son is played by Julio Diaz.
"Actually, wala po talagang lead character, kasi po multi-character ang film. Kung perspective naman po ang tinatanong ninyo, nangingibabaw yung characters nina Julio Diaz, Nico Antonio, at Banaue Miclat.
"Nico plays the youngest son of Ces while Banaue is the only daughter of Racquel. Towards the end of the film, yung burden ng narrative ay malilipat po kay Ces, kaya yung perspective ay sa kanya naman," paglalarawan ni Direk Kim.
PRODUCTION STAFF:
Writer and Director: Kim Homer Cabaguio Garcia
Executive Producers: Atty. Josabeth "Joji" Alonso and John Victor Tence
Producers: Joenathann Alandy and Kim Homer Garcia
Line Producer: Jed Medrano
Associate Producer: Rea Velazquez
Associate Directors: Kiri Dalena and Aleta Joy Acabado
Director of Photography: Hermann Claravall
Editor: Chaliebebs Gohetia
Musical Scorer and Sound Designer: Diwa de Leon
Production Designer: Petrick Franco
Production Manager: Hai Balbuena
1st Assistant Director: Kiri Dalena
2nd Assistant Director: Joenathann Alandy
3rd Assistant Director: Aleta Acabado
Casting Director: Zigcarlo Dulay
FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD. Ano nga ba ang background ng paggawa ni Direk Kim ng script ng Magkakapatid bago niya ito inilahok sa Cinemalaya 2010?
"Noong May 2009, isang unusual murder case ang na-record sa isang rural area sa Batangas na talagang nakakuha agad ng curiosity ko—a brother killing his brother dahil lang sa pagkain.
"Nagdesisyon akong pumunta directly sa particular na rural barangay na yun kunsaan naganap ang crime. I listened to the story that circulated in the community.
"Na-discover ko na on the same day, a funeral and a wedding took place while the murder was being committed. I chose not to go directly to the source of the information, the families, rather I centered on the story told by the members of the community," kuwento ni Direk Kim.
Sa paghahagilap niya ng kanyang mga materyal sa pamamagitan ng kanyang mga panayam sa iba't ibang tao sa nasabing lugar, napagtagpi-tagpi niya ang mga koneksiyon ng nasabing krimen, ang libing, at ang kasalan.
"From the stories that I collected I was able to weave together a complex relationship between the murder, the funeral, and the wedding. It became a transcendence of a circulating rural story into a perspective on family and society.
"I fictionalized what seemed to be a mere or possibly a future urban legend into the story of Magkakapatid."
Gaano kahirap gumawa ng debut full-length film?
"Like most film productions, naka-encounter kami ng ilang difficulties in the process, but in those difficulties emerged a deep sense of education.
"Noon pa, naniniwala na akong ang isang pelikula ay never naging individual work, but a convergence of various artists and technicians. Lagi kong sinasabi sa team ko that this is not my film, but our film.
"Since I was directing my first full-length film, I felt some sense for cut, it started getting comfortable."
Sinabi pa ni Direk Kim na mahigit kalahating buwan daw silang magkakasama ng kanyang staff, sa iisang bubong kung kaya't parang magkakapamilya na sila't naging close sa isa't isa.
"Naramdaman ko na kami sa production staff, we developed a sense of familial ties, dahil siguro we were housed under same roof for more than half a month.
"Though often I chose to detach myself to keep my emotions and vision in focus, I still felt this very tight bond. Nare-resolve agad ang misunderstandings. Yung mga logistical problems, they are addressed instantaneously, because everybody kept the communication line open.
"Ang production design team, sila ang nakaharap ng most challenges habang ginagawa namin ang pelikula. Isang insidente nito ay noong kinailangan nilang mag-build ng isang buong ground floor ng isang bahay, dahil yung unang na-acquire naming location ay nag-back out! They always pulled through for us."
Since may tragedy sa kuwento, masasabi ba niyang drama-suspense ang genre ng pelikula?
"Hindi po, drama pa rin," sagot ni Direk. "Siguro, masasabi kong Magkakapatid brings to the screen the heavy side of life. Ang parang message nito, tragedy makes blood even thicker."
Ang 6th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival ay nakatakdang itanghal sa July 9-16 sa Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.