DIRECTOR Dandin Ranillo with boxing champ Nonito Donaire PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
Actor-director Dandin Ranillo can’t think of a better way to pay homage to his parents, actors Gloria Sevilla and Mat Ranillo Jr., than by reviving Visayan cinema.
After two decades in the United States, Dandin came home to remake a movie his parents produced in 1969 “Palad Ta ang Nagbuot,” with world-renowned boxer Nonito “the Filipino Flash” Donaire in the lead.
The original “Palad Ta ang Nagbuot” paired his mom with then-reigning boxing champ Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.
It was quite fitting that another Filipino “Flash” would take over Flash Elorde’s role.
Dandin’s parents were also considered champs in local cinema, regarded as the King and Queen of Visayan movies in the 1960s—a golden era when the regional film industry was so vibrant that it churned out five movies a year.
His parents were behind MG Productions, which produced landmark movies like “Badlis sa Kinabuhi (Destiny),” which was screened at the Berlin fest in 1970.
“Visayan movies did well even in Manila,” Gloria recalled. “When ‘Badlis’ opened in Times theater downtown, I was so nervous that I locked myself in my room.”
By the end of the day, the MG checker called her with good news. “Our movie was a hit. Times theater was filled with Visayans.”
GLORIA Sevilla plays Nonito’s grandmother in the remake of “Palad Ta ang Nagbuot.”
She recalled: “We must’ve produced four movies in 1969. When the Famas (awards) time came, my husband asked me to field ‘Badlis’ instead of ‘Palad’ in the awards derby. Our house director, the late Leroy Salvador, agreed.”
The request proved serendipitous because “Badlis” turned out to be the couple’s last collaboration together. The elder Mat died in a plane crash later that year.
Most of the films produced by his parents had been irretrievably lost, related Dandin, the fifth among seven children of the MG couple.
“My brother Juni found a video copy of ‘Badlis’ in the United States, but some scenes were missing,” he related.
Unfortunately, there is no existing copy of “Palad Ta ang Nagbuot.”
Dandin decided to remake “Palad”—to revive the Visayan film industry and pay tribute to his parents.
Apart from playing Nonito’s grandmother, Gloria also acted as an unofficial consultant in the film as her son often had to ask her about the original’s story.
“We updated the story to make it more current,” Dandin clarified. “But the basic concept is as timeless as the original. Nonito plays a gym janitor who is forced to fight in the boxing ring for his family.”
Gloria, who now top-bills the ABS-CBN series “Be Careful With My Heart,” explained that the film could help young Visayans reconnect with their elders’ traditions. “It shows the harana (serenade) and the dance curacha. We want the youth to get reacquainted with our culture.”
Dandin wishes to remake his mom’s other films like “Badlis,” “May Luhang Nahibilin sa Baybayin” and “Gimingaw Ako (I Long for You),” which was screened at the Moscow fest in 1971.
Sneak previews
“Palad” had sneak previews in Los Angeles, Vallejo and Redwood City, California, last year.
Independently produced by Dandin’s own MYR Productions, “Palad,” however, is still looking for a local distributor. “It’s not hard to find investors. What is more difficult is distributing your film in local theaters,” conceded Dandin who took a leave from his job as a nurse in the United States to do the film.
“I hope distributors and the public will give my son a chance. There is a market for Visayan films. In Metro Manila alone, over half of the population speaks Visayan,” Gloria said.
“It’s an untapped movie market,” Dandin concurred.
“Palad” is in Cebuano with English subtitles.
(E-mail bayanisandiegojr@gmail.com)