NOEL FERRER
Jesuit Communications (JesCom), the media arm of the Philippine province of the Society of Jesus, has announced that they have begun work on GomBurZa, a new film based on the lives of Catholic priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora who were executed by Spanish authorities through garrote on February 17, 1872.
The three were falsely accused of treason.
GomBurZa is JesCom’s second major motion picture after Ignacio de Loyola (2016), the biopic of Society of Jesus founder St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Nitong Pebrero 17, Huwebes, inanunsiyo nina JesCom Executive Director Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Alfonso, SJ, at JesCom Creative Director Pauline Mangilog-Saltarin na napagsama-sama nila ang Venice International Film Festival Orrizonti Prize director Pepe Diokno, ang award-winning screenwriter Rody Vera, hall of famer cinematographer Carlo Mendoza, at premyado ring production designer na si Ericson Navarro para sa ambisyosong proyektong ito.
The endeavor is JesCom’s contribution to the Filipino Catholic Church that marked its quincentenary in 2021.
Fr. Alfonso explains, “In many places, Christianity failed to bloom. But here in the Philippines, the Christian faith grew and is now giving back to the Church all over the world. Five hundred years, therefore, is a big deal…
“As Ignacio was JesCom’s gift to the Jesuits, GomBurZa is our gift to the Philippine Church and all patriotic Filipinos.”
JesCom’s GomBurZa will also highlight the impact of the three priests on the country’s political history.
“Their martyrdom in the 19th century inspired many of our heroes, including Jose Rizal,” Fr. Alfonso says of GomBurZa.
“Without a doubt, the Church has been part of the emergence of the Philippine nation,” he points out.
Since the execution of the three priests happened 150 years ago, it will be quite a challenge to make it relevant today.
We would like the story to be relatable to our young audience and we are confident Pepe and the rest of the team will be able make an excellent film, one that will make a lasting impact on the Filipino audience.
GORGY RULA
Napakaambisyoso nga ng project na ito. Sana maganda ang kalalabasan, lalo na’t kung maganda ang casting.
Magaling na direktor si Pepe Diokno at sa tingin ko, iba ang atake niya rito at kumpiyansa akong maganda ang kabuuan ng pelikula.
Huwag lang siguro gaanong i-hype dahil tumataas ang expectations. Ituloy lang nila ang pag-shoot at abangan na lang natin ang showing nito.
Sana tanggapin ito ng mga manonood kagaya ng pagtanggap sa Heneral Luna (2015) ni Direk Jerrold Tarog na siyang nagluklok kay John Arcilla at napabilang sa mga magagaling na aktor ng bansa.
JERRY OLEA
Sa casting, dapat ikunsidera ang edad ng tatlong pari nang sila’y bitayin sa Bagumbayan (Rizal Park).
Seventy-two (72) years old noon si Mariano Gomez, 35 anyos si Jose Burgos, at 36 anyos si Jacinto Zamora.
Dedicated ni Jose Rizal sa GomBurZa ang nobela niyang El Filibusterismo (1891). Siyempre pa, ang tatlong artista ay dapat mag-aral ng Español at hindi mukhang indio.
Aba! Nang magbida si Cesar Montano sa pelikulang Jose Rizal (MMFF 1998) ay nag-aral siya ng pagsasalita ng Kastila. Mabusisi ang direktor ng Jose Rizal na si Marilou Diaz-Abaya, kaya hindi tayo nagulat na humakot ito ng 17 awards sa MMFF 1998.
Itong GomBurZa na magsusyuting sa Hulyo o Agosto ay balak isali sa MMFF 2022.
Nai-suggest ang 30-anyos na si Alden Richards para gumanap na Padre Jose Burgos o Padre Jacinto Zamora. Gumanap si Alden na Jose Rizal sa Kapuso mini-series na Ilustrado (2014).
Malabong makasali sa GomBurZa movie si Alden dahil sa pelikula at teleseryeng pagtatambalan nila ni Bea Alonzo.
Para sa septuagenarian na si Padre Mariano Gomez, pwede si Christoher de Leon (65 years old na), Edu Manzano (66 years old), Phillip Salvador (68 years old), Bembol Roco (68 years old), Tirso Cruz III (69 years old), Ronaldo Valdez (74 years old) o Dante Rivero (75 years old).