Slugging it out with Bossing and big franchises

ISABELLE Daza did most of her stunts. Dingdong Dantes came up with bright ideas.

First things first. Filmmaker Erik Matti figured in a show biz brouhaha when actress Lovi Poe declined a part in “Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles,” in spite of a contractual obligation.

A lot of ink was spilled over this. Suffice it to say that Matti finessed through the

fiasco and finished “Kubot,” an entry in the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

The Inquirer asked Matti to reflect on the lessons culled from the intrigue.

“There has been a shift in recent years on the way young stars work in this industry,” said Matti. “They have become spoiled by celebrity and forgotten what it means to be an actor in the real sense. Many of the young ones are often so focused on trying to look good that they forget about their real job, which is to create a character.”

Would he still work with Poe (who says she has moved on) in the future?

“I am a man of my word,” he asserted. “I stand by what I said.”

Outside of that, Matti said, working with the “Kubot” cast—led by Dingdong Dantes, Isabelle Daza, Lotlot de Leon and Joey Marquez—was a blast and more than compensated for the slight hiccup.

“It entailed a lot of hard work, but at the end of every day, we could still have a bottle of beer together,” he said.

“Dingdong was supportive of the film’s ambitious goals. He frequently came up with his own ideas. Isabelle was a trouper and did most of her stunts. Lotlot and Joey are veterans who can deliver anything a director asks of them.”

Winning formula

De Leon won best supporting actress and Marquez, best supporting actor; the film was declared third best picture at the festival awards.

“Kubot” is facing stiff competition at the tills, though, having to slug it out with Bossing, Praybeyt Benjamin, and other monster franchises, including “Shake, Rattle and Roll 15”!

To stand out, Matti combined good old-fashioned storytelling with state-of-the-art effects. “We take pride in a strong story packaged in an entertaining movie that features solid

ensemble acting,” he explained. “We want to give the audience their money’s worth.”

There are a million stories on aswang myths waiting to be explored, he added. “We just have to dig deeper into the human insights and issues … like racial prejudice and the possibility of coexistence.”

The shoot was a mighty challenge. “It took a long time to set up one single scene with so many elements involved—computer-generated effects, the actors’ prosthetics, the physical stunts, among other things,” he said.

He made no bones about it: “‘Kubot’ is a popcorn film. Its aim is to take viewers on a roller-coaster ride.” He points out that the holiday season, being a time when families troop to cineplexes together, is a perfect chance to uplift popular tastes.

How can we ensure the high quality of films during the MMFF, the same event that produced such classics as “Insiang,” “Burlesk Queen” and “Himala”?

Matti said: “It should come from a sincere [desire] to share a story, not just cash in. We cannot ensure quality unless both the [organizers] and producers favor strong, entertaining stories over sheer star power.”

The MMFF is the only two-week period in the entire year when Filipino films are exhibited without  competition from Hollywood.

Should be earned

But as Matti would say, we have to earn that privilege. A Korean-style quota system (South Korea imposed a limit on Hollywood films shown annually) would help Filipino filmmakers if implemented here, he said, but conceded: “If we don’t step up in terms of content and craftsmanship, I’d rather watch international films.”

He admitted: “We cannot compete [with Hollywood]. We can just try to make better-crafted, entertaining movies because we almost always fail on craft even if we have so much going for us on the entertainment side.”

In 2015, Matti is embarking on two projects that straddle his indie spirit and mainstream sensibilities.

“In the first quarter of the year, I’ll be shooting a small crime movie in Baguio. After that, I will start work on ‘Darna’ (with Angel Locsin),” he said.

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