IT was serendipitous that a brief role in an indie film was offered to me and I said, “Yes.” After all, the director himself had sent me a private message that I was recommended for the haciendera role. I thought that it would be exciting to be in front of the camera again.
When I left Bacolod at midnight with the other members of the cast, I realized that I did not know where the exact location will be; I did not even have a script, nor have I even met the director. I would have two scenes – one without speaking lines I was not worried about flubbing them. *Wink*
I did study my lines during the two-hour commute to Sagay City and practiced with Mandy Alimon, the actor who would play my distraught husband. I wanted to be ready when my scene came I badly wanted to make my director happy. Kurt Soberano is only in his late 20’s, but he has a substantial background acting in theater and film, and film directing. He has been acting since he was 12 and went into directing at 18 because “nobody was making films when I was 18 or had available roles that made me fit the part. “ I explains that he “decided to write the stories that no one else writes about, making the films other people do not have the inspiration to create.”
Although he first made amateur films, his professional experience includes working for media giant ABS-CBN. In 2018, Kurt went back to film-making via “JAMESON,” a film inspired by his grandfather’s passing in 2016. “JAMESON” was Kurt’s way of honoring him.
“Jameson” was the Chinese national Yu Kim Cheong who fled Communist China in the 1940’s, ended up in Bacolod and became an established retail merchant. It was a coincidence perhaps that Sine Negrense was just around the corner and Kurt decided to submit “JAMESON.”
It was fate that made “JAMESON” win 8 awards out of 12 nominations, i.e. Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound Design, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Film. Then, there’s more! “JAMESON” was submitted to CineKasimanwa: Western Visayas Film Festival and brought Kurt these awards: Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Jury Prize Award.
The movie that I shot was to be Kurt Soberano’s last film and is meant for viewing only at CineKasimanwa. Our young director is leaving the arts for a while. I await eagerly for his return. /PN
