JERRY OLEA:
Pang-award ang pagganap ng 62-anyos na si Demi Moore sa body horror film na The Substance. E, sa Hollywood, hindi masyadong pinapansin ng mga award-giving bodies ang horror genre.
Kaya sa press junket ng horror movie na The Caretakers noong Pebrero 6, 2025 sa Valencia Mansion, Quezon City, inusisa ang dalawang bida na sina Dimples Romana at Iza Calzado kaugnay rito.
Pakiwari ba nila, hindi masyadong pinapansin ng mga award-giving body ang pagganap nila kung sa horror suspense iyon?
Pagmamatwid ni Dimples, “I think for us, at least, I’d like to speak for myself na in terms of being recognized, it is something that just follows. At least for me.
“The main goal for me is really to affect the audience. Mas yun yung lagi kong iniisip.
“Pag inisip mo kasi, OK, you come on set and you think, ‘Kailangang mapansin yung pag-arte ko dito,’ or ‘Kailangang ma-recognize yung pag-arte ko dito’…
“Mahihirapan ka talaga to be at par with the kind of stand that you’re putting up for yourself.
“I’d like to think that any particular project, movie like ours, is always a collaborative effort.
“So, while I want to top the best that I have done prior to this project, I also don’t want to take away the amazing abilities of those I am working with at the moment, no.”
Hurado si Dimples sa International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, ganoon din sa Asian Academy Creative Awards.
Pagpapatuloy ni Dimples, “When you are part of an academy and award-giving bodies that are international, you get to see the whole different world that they can also offer.
“So, makikita mo yung pagkakaiba ng mga gawa natin dito sa Pilipinas, at pagkakaiba ng sa lahat, no.
“And while Demi Moore has been recognized now for The Substance, which is a super-amazing film… iba rin talaga yung timing ng lahat.
“And much as I want to compare my timing to theirs, and even our timing, our film industry in the Philippines to theirs, malayo pa talaga tayo dun, sa totoo to be frank, in terms sa technicality.
“Ang hirap niyan. Yung mga gamit nilang equipment. We are striving always for that.”
Singit ni Iza, “Oras. Which means money.”
Pagsegunda ni Dimples, “Oras, yeah, and training. Kasi sa Hollywood, di ba, pag nandun ka, they only take one film a year? Two [years] maybe the most.
"They have time to prepare, lose the weight, gain the weight, transform. While in the Philippines, we’re not as fortunate just yet.
“I’d like to believe na darating din tayo dun. Kasi tayo naman, ambilis nating mag-adapt. Kailangan lang talaga natin ng mga taong magtitiwala sa atin.”
Pagdating sa usapin ng akting sa Hollywood at sa local industry, ang pananalig ni Dimplew, “Mas hindi mo siya maiko-compare on how they do it abroad.
“Kasi their stories are different. The Substance, pag dito mo yan ginawa, medyo iba pa ang reception natin, I would assume, no.
“Different talaga. Kasi nga, iba ang kultura nila. Iba rin sa atin. At iba rin ang gauge ng galing natin.
“I’d like to think ang mga Filipinos, it’s not the same playing field, e. Hindi siya mas mataas, hindi rin siya mas mababa. Hindi siya pantay, pero magkaiba siya.
“Kasi yung storytelling natin as people, as actors, is so different from how they tell their stories.
“So, once we get a hold of who we truly are as artists, as creatives, as Filipinos, and not be able to compare our work with the kind of work that they do, what they achieve, what gets recognized there, that’s when we will all truly thrive as a film industry.
“Kasi mae-embrace na natin fully kung ano yung puwede nating ibigay.”
Ang The Caretakers ay joint venture ng Rein Entertainment at Regal Entertainment. Palabas ito sa local cinemas umpisa Pebrero 26.
Read: Iza Calzado, ipinaliwanag bakit ayaw munang gumawa ng teleserye
NOEL FERRER:
Sang-ayon si Iza Calzado sa mga sinabi ng co-star na si Dimples Romana.
Sabi pa ni Iza, “This is partly my main genre, horror and suspense, perhaps. And I have been recognized — and I say this with all gratitude and humility, not arrogance, please.
“It was in Sigaw (2004) that I received my Urian award for best supporting actress. I haven’t had another one since then. I’ve done a lot of drama films…
“And then in Bliss (2017), that was when I received a citation in Osaka. And that is like a suspense horror kind of film.
“So, it’s not really always about the genre. It is about the story. It is about how you did in that film, you know.
“It’s the role, it’s the timing, it’s a lot of things…”
Sa nakaraang MMFF 2024, ang best actress ay si Judy Ann Santos para sa horror film na Espantaho.
Kaya hindi totoong mas mahirap sa local movie industry na i-recognize ang pagganap ng artista kapag horror suspense ang genre ng pelikula nito.
Bravo to Iza and Dimples for doing this project.
Co-producer ang Rein Entertainment with dear friend Lino Cayetano, Shugo Praico, and Phillip King and Charm Guzman; along with Regal Films ni Roselle Monteverde, na masaya kong nakakausap lately at ang kanyang anak na si Keith.
Alam kong mahirap at walang kasiguraduhan ang kita sa paggawa ng pelikula ngayon, pero patuloy pa rin silang nagpo-produce at nagtitiwala sa manonood ng pelikulang Filipino.
Suportahan po natin ang The Caretakers!
Read: Dimples Romana, suportado ang showbiz hiatus ni Angel Locsin
GORGY RULA:
Noong nakatsikahan namin sa set ng The Caretakers sina Dimples Romana, Iza Calzado kasama sina Direk Lino Cayetano at Direk Shugo Praico, bumalik sa alaala ni Dimples si Deo Endrinal.
Si Sir Deo ang isa sa itinuturing niyang mentor at talagang naghubog sa kanya para maging bida.
Pinagkatiwalaan siya ng magagandang projects at iyung dating pa-support-support ay lead actress na siya sa mga magagandang projects kagaya nitong The Caretakers.
“Nung dumating po yung offer nina Direk Lino, it felt good kasi sa movies ang hilig ko rin mag-horror.
"Lagi akong gumagawa kina Ms. Roselle, kina Mother Lily. Ang dami ko pong ginawang Shake, Rattle and Roll.
“Kasi gusto ko lagi moomoo ako, gusto ko yung nagbabago, parang na-excite ako sa ganun. At siguro na-train din ako na ganun.
“Siyempre, hindi naman bida yung aking roots. As you know, I really started na support. Until of course after Kadenang Ginto. I felt na, ‘Ay! Ganun pala!’
“And si Sir Deo din nagsabi sa akin na, ‘Dimps, alam ko ang tingin mo sa trabaho, pare-pareho. Pero the way na pina-plot namin yung career mo, kailangan pipili ka. Kasi kung ayaw mong piliin dahil sa proyekto, piliin mo dahil ito yung oras na kukuha sa oras ng pamilya mo.’
“Ay! Nag-iba yung perspective mo. Lalo na ngayon, ang daming namamatay. Sa industriya natin, napo-pronounce lalo na kasi pillars na, e.
“When we came to the offer po, sabi ko kay Direk Lino, ‘Direk, parang it’s time talaga no to do something like this.’ And then, parang Caretakers came alive."
Eco-horror itong The Caretakers na kung hindi mo mapangalagaan nang mabuti ang iyung kapaligiran, sila rin ang babalik sa iyo at ipaparamdam na mas makapangyarihan silang nilikha ng Diyos.
Sabi nga ni Direk Lino Cayetano, “At the end of the day, the idea is we’re all caretakers.”
Sa San Miguel, Bulacan ang location ng shooting. Maayos sila sa location, at talagang may sistema para mapangalagaan ang ating kapaligiran.
“Habang sino-shoot namin, nag-iiba yung sistema, nag-iiba yung feel niya. Kasi, ramdam mo na rin yung bahay.
"Ramdam ko na rin si Iza. Hindi ko pa po kasi nakakatrabaho siya,” pakli ni Dimples.
Nung sinu-shoot nila ito ay kagagaling lang ni Dimples sa High Street, ang youth-oriented Kapamilya series na dinirek ni Lino Cayetano.