Alfred at cast ng Kaputol pinarangalan ng FDCP

“Completing a film born out of passion is a reward in itself. Being honored for it is an inspiration and a validation that we are on the right track.” Ito ang tinuran ni Cong. Alfred Vargas, bida at producer sa indie film na Kaputol matapos parangalan ng Film Academy of the Philippines sa katatapos na 5th Film Ambassadors’ Night (FAN).

Binibigyang halaga ng FAN ang mga Filipino film industry creatives, artists, filmmakers, at iba pang films ng various formats na binigyang parangal sa iba’t ibang international film festivals at award giving bodies sa mga nagdaang taon.

“Kaputol is a passion project. Our production outfit, AV Cinema, produced it knowing that the chances of an ROI are almost nil. But the screenplay of Ricky Lee, based on the short film he and our director, McArthur Alejandre, collaborated on in the 80’s, was too good to remain on paper. It just had to be done” sambit ni Alfred. 

Binigyan ang Kaputol ng Best Performance para sa buong cast sa Innuendo International Film Festival sa Milan, Italy. In competition din ito sa Bengaluru International Film Festival sa India at sa Asian Film Festival sa Rome.

Ani Alfred, ”It was a pleasure working with Cherie Gil. Both of us played very challenging dual roles and in our scenes, the creative energy was palpable.

“It is a film within a film and Cherie, who portrays Kiki, a film director, and I, Robert,  her close friend and a film actor, make a film where we both play the lead roles of Caloy (a “mangangalakal” or a junk scavenger) and Rina (a rebel in hiding) who are siblings.

“This is based on an unfinished script of Robert’s son (Ronwaldo Martin) who had been missing for four years. The physical demands of the roles were made more challenging by their emotional journey. And the entire acting ensemble gave superb performances. Angel Aquino as Maybelle, the lesbian lover of Kiki and Ronwaldo Martin as Conrad, the son, were brilliant.”

Kasama sa pelikulang ito bukod kina Alfreda at Cherie Gil sina Soliman Cruz, Adrienne Vergara, Elora Espano Lee O’Brian, Hector Calma at iba pa.

Bago ang FAN, itinanghal na Best Feature Film ang pelikula rin niyang Tagpuan sa Chauri Chaura International Film Festival sa India.

“All these international recognitions have made me happy and proud. The people who work in film are cultural workers. We just don’t make films to earn. We make it to feed our soul and and contribute to the soul of the nation. Arts and culture help shape our identity and our nationhood; it helps synthesize our past and present to formulate a clearer perspective of our future. I’d like to thank the FDCP for honoring the film workers because in honoring them, they also honor the film community,” sambit pa ng kongresista.

Idinagdag pa ng actor/politiko, ” I also wish to honor everyone in our film community, and also the people in theatre, dance, music and other forms of art. We have all persevered in this very challenging time. Inspite of the challenges, we have found ways to survive and grow. Many years ago, as a student involved in theater, I have learned art is a collective and art is forever. With art, there is always hope.”

SHOWBIZ KONEK
ni Maricris Valdez Nicasio