GORGY RULA
Makadurog-puso ang pagganap ni Iza Calzado bilang Muslim na si Farida sa Cinemalaya 2026 feature film na Hand of God, sa panulat at direksiyon ni Mark Duane Angos.
“I got the call from one of the producers, Ranvel Rufino,” salaysay ni Iza sa talkback session matapos ang screening ng football drama noong Agosto 9, 2026, Linggo, sa Cinema 1 ng Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City.
“And sabi niya, ‘May materyal, Mark Duane Angos.’ At gumanap na po ako sa isang isinulat ni Mark before, sabi ko, ‘Kilala ko siya, gusto ko ang trabaho niya.’
“Sinabi niya ang premise. At ngayon bilang isang nanay, I have a three and a half-year-old daughter, I immediately understood. I wanted to do the film. Premise pa lang.
“Pagkabasa ko ng materyal, nadurog ang puso ko.”
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF A MOTHER
Batid ni Iza na kailangan niyang gawin ang pelikulang Hand of God.
Pagpapatuloy ng premyadong aktres: “And what sets it apart for me, is now I have a deeper understanding of how incredibly heartbreaking it is for a mother like Farida to go through that.
“And I have a deeper understanding also of how every human being, especially a mother, just wants the best for their children.
“And in this film, the transformative power of football — but it can be anything. It could be dance, it could be music.
“It could be something that just gives these kids something to look forward to.
“And ang sakit na parang… andoon na. Pero parang hindi ka makawala doon sa sistema.
“I think yun yung point for me and we have to believe that these things are possible.
“And siguro in our small corner of our world, try to make it possible for these children.”
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NOEL FERRER
Nag-shooting ang pelikulang Hand of God sa Lamitan at Isabela sa Basilan.
Pahayag ni Iza Calzado: “The experience also of being able to visit Basilan, Lamitan, just added that layer of… I guess, opening your eyes to what is actually out there.
“Kasi we live in a bubble, e. We live in this bubble and you realize that there are so many who do not have the advantages and the privileges that we have.
“So we really have… again… to make life a little more fair in our small sphere of influence.”
Co-stars ni Iza sa Hand of God sina Ruru Madrid, KD Omalin, Jhong Hilario, Ronnie Lazaro, Sue Ramirez, Cholo Barretto, Edwin Nombre, Rosh Barman, at Tyke Sanchez.
Dagdag ni Iza: “Sa amin pong eksperyensa, mainit po ang pagtanggap ng ating mga kababayan sa Basilan sa atin.
“So let’s give them a chance, and you know, let’s give them hope, something to look forward to as well.
“They’re really doing their best to push for progress, for peace. Let’s support them in that journey, ang mga kapatid natin sa Mindanao.”
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JERRY OLEA
Lubos ang pasasalamat ni Iza Calzado sa writer-director ng Hand of God na si Mark Duane Angos.
Ani Iza: “Salamat po sa aming direktor na si Mark Duane Angos sa pagsulat ng isang napaka-powerful na story.
“Na sana ay talagang makapagmulat sa napakaraming mga mata, at makaliyab ng napakaraming puso’t damdamin.
“Para talagang magkaroon ng mas maraming pagbabago. Magkaroon ng pag-asa sa ating lipunan.”
IZA'S BIRTHDAY GIFT TO HERSELF
Ang gala ng Hand of God ay bukas, Agosto 11, Martes ng 5:30 P.M. sa Cinema 1 ng Shangri-La Plaza.
Ang gala screening ng Hand of God ay birthday gift ni Iza para sa sarili. Ang kaarawan niya ay sa Agosto 12, Miyerkules.
“Gift ni Lord, oo!” bulalas ng multi-awarded actress.
Sabi-sabi, lumalaban ang Hand of God sa 2 Valid IDs at Status: Rejected bilang topgrosser ng Cinemalaya 22: Reel Reflections?
“Talaga ba? I’m just grateful,” sambit ni Iza.
“From the time na nakuha ko yung tawag kay Ranvel, na makatapak ako sa set hanggang matapos namin ang pelikula, hanggang ngayon, I just feel that God really put all of us together to create this film.
“So, I’m really just happy that it’s getting positive reviews… Ang hiling lang naman natin ay makapukaw ng damdamin.”
Si Direk Mark ang nagsulat ng iWant limited series na Loving Emily (2020), kung saan katambal ni Iza si Jameson Blake.
IZA ACCEPTS HAND OF GOD AT "CINEMALAYA RATE"
Andaming in-offer na TV show at pelikula kay Iza, pero ang ginawa niya ay itong Hand of God.
Ibinunyag ni Direk Mark na nagbaba pa ang aktres ng talent fee. Cinemalaya rate, ika nga!
Napangiti si Iza: “Nagkataon siguro, ito na ang proyekto at ready na. Oo, ready nang bumalik ulit, at magtrabaho ulit.
“Talagang binigay ni Lord para siguro talaga sa akin.”
Kumustang katrabaho si KD Omalin, gumanap na 10-anyos na si Khaleel, anak ng karakter niyang Farida?
“I love him! Mabait na bata, sincere, paladasal. He has a long career,” sabi ni Iza.
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