Aiko Melendez on her much awaited comeback for Cinemalaya 2014: Asintado

Aiko Melendez makes her biggest comeback on the big screen via the Cinemalaya 2014 entry Asintado. This is her first movie with Cinemalaya. which tackles a mother's love for her child, how she forced to make one of the biggest and most difficult decisions of her life for the sake of her children. She hopes to win the coveted Best Actress in the film. When asked, whats the best scene that would earn her the award, she told the media " yung prayers ko sa later part ng movie, bukod sa sobrang putik, nakababad po ako sa ilog ng matagal,  na umiiyak, na nagsasalita ng may punto, ayun po yung best scene na pinalakpakan nila Direk sa akin". Aiko Melendez was a personal choice of Direk Louie to play Julia in Asintado.


Asintado (‘Between the Eyes’)  is directed by Louie Ignacio, and is competing in Cinemalaya’s Directors’ Showcase. Produced by Ferdinand Lapuz and Dennis Evangelista, with a story and screenplay by Soccorro Villanueva, it stars, aside from Aiko, Gabby Eigenmann, Miggs Cuaderno, Rochelle Pangilinan, Jake Vargas, Benjie Felipe, Madz Nicholas, Maita Ejercito and Jak Roberto.(‘Between the Eyes’)

Set against the backdrop of the Taong Putik festival of the farming community of Bibiclat, Nueva Ecija.  Asintado is about a mother of two (Julia, played by Aiko). When her older son (Jake Vargas) gets involved with a drug ring and botches a job, he brings down on himself and their town the wrath of drug ring boss Carias (Gabby Eigenmann). To escape Carias’s wrath, Julia is forced to turn to her autistic younger son (Miggs Cuaderno) who has an unimaginable talent as a skilled marksman who can shoot right between the eyes, hence the title of the film. The question is, does Julia risk her younger son’s safety and life to save the other?

Asintado is Aiko’s first movie in five years. According to her, the script was the main reason why she accepted it, plus the fact that she was handpicked by Direk Louie for the role of Julia.

Both as a mother and as an actress, Aiko found the story extremely compelling so far as the moral dilemma it presents to viewers. “Yung moral issue here is bakit in-allow ni Julia na turuan ang isang anak niya ng isang crime, pero lalabas din dito yung love of a mother for her children. So the argument will start paglabas sa sinehan na you’re thinking, would you be on Julia's side or sa isang side, it will make you think.”

The message of the film is that “the love of a mother is unconditional. Ang ina, magagawa ang mga bagay na di pa nya nagagawa para sa mga anak nya. Kahit ang mga bagay na ayaw nyang gawin basta para sa mga anak nya gagawin nya lahat lahat.”

Aiko turns in a brilliant performance as Julia, and already, is being talked about as a contender for Cinemalaya Best Actress honors alongside Nora Aunor. But whether she wins or not is immaterial. The mere fact that her name is being spoken of in the same breath as Nora’s is honor enough for her, says Aiko, who gave her all to the role. “When I accepted Asintado, siyempre may pressure ng kaunti because I’m playing lead again and that comes with a big responsibility. I needed to really study my lines by heart and was open to almost all suggestions just to make a particular scene perfect. So whether I win or not, okay lang. An award is just a bonus and an affirmation of one’s hard work.”

Ai-Ai delas Alas plays the role of a policewoman in "Ronda" for Cinemalaya 2014

I am always looking forward for Cinemalaya every year, actually all of us filipinos do. We are all excited for the indie films' story plot, (what lessons to be learned at the end of the film) and who will made it to the best actor category.  I made a list on what to watch and I included Ronda,  I would love to see Ms. Ai-ai delas Alas tackle the role of a policewoman, how subdued her acting is in this indie film.

Cinemalaya 2014 entry Ronda held its presscon on July 25, 2014 at Tiago Restaurant. Ms. Ai-ai delas Alas was excited for an acting award for the said movie.  She co-produced the movie and finished the indie film for seven days. "Yung ma-nominate ako dito sa movie ay  matutuwa na ako, yung manalo ako ay bonus na yun. Sana nga ma-nominate ako sa Urian, wala pa kong Urian, merun na ako sa Famas at MMFF. Yung Urian kasi ay parang pang Oscars na yun". she told the media.

In the successful ‘Tanging Ina’ movies, Comedy Queen Ai-Ai delas Alas played a mother who survived life’s trials with a lot of humor. Now, she takes on a different and more challenging mother role in Ronda, a finalist in the New Breed category of the 2014 Cinemalaya Film Festival.
Directed by Nick Olanka - whose past works have included mainstream films like ‘Cinco’ and TV shows like ‘E-Boy’ and ‘Apoy sa Dagat’ - and written by Adolf Alix Jr. and Jerome Zamora,

Ronda is the story of a policewoman whose job is to patrol the dangerous and seedy streets of Manila (a familiar setting for most indie films), and who finds herself faced with a unique dilemma when she has to arrest her own son for killing his girlfriend.

Ai-Ai is also the film’s co-producer. She has produced and co-produced other films before (the latest was ‘Kung Fu Divas’, co-starring Marian Rivera), but this is her first venture into indie filmmaking, both as producer and actress.

In both areas, she learned a lot. “Hindi na bago sa akin ang pag-produce, pero itong indie film, mas okay ito kasi mas mura, unlike sa mainstream, P5 million ang pinakamababang percent,” says Ai-Ai, who is also appearing in a Cinemalaya entry for the first time.

In terms of acting, Ai-Ai also learned something new. Because she does mostly comedy films, she is used to sometimes overplaying to the camera, to large gestures and what is occasionally called ‘overacting.’ But in Ronda, with its serious subject matter, Direk Nick advised Ai-Ai to underplay it instead. “Ang laki ng difference ng indie sa mainstream (in terms of acting),” says Ai-Ai. “Ang instruction ni Direk Nick sa akin, ‘wag akong aanggulo at aarte na artista. Less is more. Dapat all-natural.”

Ronda also stars Perla Bautista, Bernardo Bernardo, Menggie Cobarrubias, Carlo Aquino, Carlos Morales, Cogie Domingo, Mon Confiado, Moi Bien, DM Sevilla, Kiko Matos and Julian Trono, with the special participation of Cesar Montano and Angeli Bayani.

And speaking of Cesar Montano, Ai-Ai’s character has a love scene with him which she considers one of her highlights and the most challenging parts of making Ronda. “Ang pinaka-challenging sa akin dito is of course the love scene with Cesar, na may konting boobs na nakita — pero konting-konti lang, may bra naman — and ‘yung malayo ang tinakbo ko, sobrang hirap, naka-Take 4 ako, pagkatapos n’on, ayoko na tumakbo. Sa acting, ang madaling mahirap din, wala ka masyadong dialogue but iaarte mo sa mata lang and silently, umaakting ka.”


Fortunately, her director guided her all the way. “He’s a very cool director,” she says of Nick Olanka, with whom she also got to work for the first time. “No pressure.”

Her mother character in Ronda is of course very different from the mother she played in the ‘Tanging Ina’ series. “Dito, as a mother, hindi ako martir ng kagaya sa Tanging Ina. Mas magaling akong pulis kesa magaling akong nanay,” she says.

Ai-Ai took her cue from the security detail she had following her most recent separation. “Kinopya ko lang ‘yung arte nung dating escort ko na PNP (Philippine National Police), hindi masyadong nagsasalita,” she laughs. “Astig lang.”

She believes that the film has an important message to send out to all mothers, which is that it is crucial “to know your children and have a good relationship and communication with them.”
Regardless of whether the film, or she personally, wins any awards in this year’s Cinemalaya race, Ai-Ai will consider it a memorable experience. In fact, she’s not even expecting to win anything.

“Ma-nominate lang ako, ok na and pag nanalo ng award, super-bonus na,” she says. “Pag gusto ni God na manalo ako, game na. At least kahit ano ang mangyari, na-experience ko makagawa ng indie film.”

Along with the other Cinemalaya 2014 films, Ronda will have different screenings at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Ayala Cinemas.

GB Sampedro’s ‘Separados’ to compete in Cinemalaya 2014

Separados, a story of six men struggling with the pain of separation, is director GB Sampedro’s entry to the New Breed category of the 2014 Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Starring Victor Neri, Ricky Davao, Anjo Yllana, Jason Abalos, Alfred Vargas and Erik Santos in his movie debut as a call center agent who ends up as a battered husband, Separados is inspired partly by GB’s own experiences and those of his friends who were either married or in relationships that, for one reason or another, ended. It is a concept that GB began forming in 2006, a year after his own relationship hit the rocks. Through the years, and subsequent relationships that also ended—including his relationship with beauty queen and actress Daiana Menezes—GB refined the concept, adding characters and scenes until the movie reached its present form.

GB Sampedro

Although the stories of the six characters in the movie are distinct and separate, they are woven together in a tightly-written story that discusses separation from a man’s point of view. GB and co-writer Eric Ramos spent weeks researching why couples separate because they wanted to come up with a realistic film that takes an honest look into an age-old problem. According to their research, the top reasons for separation include sexual incompatibility, religious differences, indulging in vices such as drinking and gambling and domestic violence. (Yes, sometimes men are the victims).“Ilang weeks of pagbabasa at pag-research ang inubos namin sa movie kasi gusto ko talaga na ma-reinforce siya ng tamang research para hindi ako masabihan ng ‘Hindi naman totoo ‘yan!” says GB.

Separados is GB’s follow-up to 2009’s Astig, another ensemble movie that won for him a Best Director award in that year’s Cinemalaya festival. Separados will be screened from August 1 to 10 at different venues of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Ayala Malls cinemas.

The movie shows that men can also be the victims in a separation. “Yon ang di naman masasabing selling point siguro, pero kumbaga ‘yon ang bago, may ibang perspective ka na makikita dito. ‘yung punto de bista ng kalalakihan. Usually kasi, hindi nila tinitingnan na capable pala ang lalaki na masaktan.”

Separados achieves this without making women look like they’re at fault. “Hindi naman bine-blame lahat sa babae,meron din dito likas na babaero na character, pero may dahilan din, may reason kung bakit siya naging babaero, yun nga lang, di mo masyadong ma-elaborate,” says GB.

The movie weaves together the six men’s stories in a unique way. GB explains: “The first character suffers from sexual incompatibility with his partner, at ‘yun ang nagiging ugat ng problema nila. Dahil doon, si lalake nagiging workaholic na lang which leads na nagkahiwalay sila, painful nu’ng una pero naging maganda sa dulo. Tapos he remarried, at nagkaroon siya ng second chance. ‘Yung mapapangasawa niya, anak ng second separado who is played by Ricky Davao, na ang istorya naman niya, closet queen siya. Alam niya na bading siya mula pagkabata niya, pero kinasal. Nagkaroon siya ng relationship sa babae, na sinubukan niya to convince himself na straight siya. Pero nagkaroon siya ng feelings for a man, na isa ding separado na car salesman naman, who is Jason Abalos, and so on and so forth. Tuhog-tuhog ang mga istorya nila.”

The cast turned in some very revealing performances. Acting in a story like Separados was a challenge for most of them, especially since the characters they play in the movie are very far from who they are in real life.

Alfred Vargas, who doesn’t just act in, but also co-produced the film, says the Separados journey was a unique experience for him.

“It involved me so much more in the whole filmmaking process,” says Alfred. “Filmmaking is one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling endeavors I’ve ever been into. I didn’t realize it until I became a producer myself. What’s also interesting is that I gained more understanding of what a professional actor should be when I started producing films. It opened my eyes and made me see the realities and the ups and downs of the industry.”

So far, he says, he is proud to say that he has produced quality films that may inspire Filipinos. He hopes those who come to see Separados will find pieces of themselves in the movie.

“People can expect to see themselves instantly in the shoes of one or more of the separados,” he says. “Separados is a narrative about love, life, relationships, failures and hope. It’s everybody’s story.”

Dennis Trillo met with real-life assasins in preparation for "The Janitor"

From gay role to action, the versatile award winning actor Dennis Trillo portrays  Cinemalaya's "The Janitor" he plays an ex-cop who hunts down the suspects involved in the most heinous bank robbery in the country’s history. He confessed that he and Direk Mike Tuviera actually met real-life vigilantes to justify his role, there was a character study, he picked some information along the interview so that he could give justice to "Crisanto" the vigilante he was playing. He added that "nung umpisa kinabahan po ako at natakot pero habang iniinterview namen sila, normal lang na tao sila na ganun ang hanapbuhay". Direk Mike Tuviera, told the bloggers that the film was also inspired by Leon: The Professional", so expect a lot of action and character study in this indie movie for Cinemalaya. THE JANITOR, a Cinemalaya 2014 entry under the Directors’ Showcase Category, is written by Aloy Adlawan and directed by Michael Tuviera.

On May 16, 2008, the whole country was shocked upon learning the news about the massacre of the bank employees of the RCBC Cabuyao branch, what was eventually called “the Philippine's bloodiest bank robbery.” The perpetrators behind the incident were able to escape with an estimated P9 to P15 million in cash, and killed ten bank employees in the process. All were methodically shot in the head. The film 'The Janitor' is inspired by this very story. It follows Crisanto Espina, an ex-cop, as he carries out his orders to pursue the criminals involved in the robbery/massacre. But as he obediently hunts down each suspect while dealing with his own personal demons, he begins to realize that he is being consumed by the whole circus of the investigation and begins to question the brand of justice he once revered.

 On July 21 2011, the bloodiest bank heist in the country's history occurred at Mabuhay Savings Bank in San Pedro, Laguna, leaving ten employees dead, all ruthlessly executed. The perpetrators escape with an estimated P10 million in cash. The robbery is suspected to have been conducted by professionals, as they executed their plan with military precision. Wearing Moriones masks to conceal their identities, the thieves disabled the bank's security system and held-up the bank personnel inside while waiting for the vault's time lock to deactivate just before the usual opening time. Once they got the cash, a fatal mistake leads to an all-out bloodbath. Pressured by the people and media to resolve the crime, the authorities secretly order Crisanto Espina, an ex-cop, to handle the case. Eager to redeem his name and earn back the respect of his family, Crisanto diligently hunts down each suspect involved in the massacre. But as he finds each name on his list, he unravels the dirty truth behind his extrajudicial duties.