Sean Ellis finds his way to ‘Metro Manila’

ELLIS. Saw three Filipino film classics before shooting his award-winning drama. Photo by Daniel Tan

Recently, we listened to UK-born director Sean Ellis and his actors, Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla and Althea Vega, as they discussed their acclaimed thriller, “Metro Manila,” at its British Embassy-sponsored screening.

The project was initiated in 2007. Ellis spent three weeks in preproduction and shot the film in 35 days. He describes the experience of making the film: “It was like one of those days when you’re driving along, and every traffic light is green, so you just keep moving!”

Initially, Macapagal wasn’t keen on acting in the project because of his busy schedule. He explains, “If you’re an independent actor in the Philippines, you juggle a lot of things—commercial work, teaching workshops, acting in soaps, etc.” Luckily, things fell into place and Jake landed the lead role of desperate Oscar Ramirez, who decides to migrate to the city.

Instinct

Vega, who plays Macapagal’s wife-turned-GRO, shares: “My character’s life is very different from mine, so I relied on instinct to portray her.”

Ellis saw three Filipino movies—“Bona,” “Oro, Plata, Mata” and “Banaue”—before he began shooting the film: “Many times, when I was filming the scenes of John and Jake, their performances amazed me!”

Ellis shares the good news about the film’s remake. He beams: “Yes, it’s a story that’s culturally specific to the Philippines—but, you can transpose it anywhere! The remake rights have been bought by 20th Century Fox.”