THE ACTOR attended his first international film fest in Tokyo recently.
“I’m just so proud and excited because this will not be my first and last,” declared actor Rocco Nacino, when he attended his first international film festival in Tokyo last month.
His film “Balut Country” will head to India and Sri Lanka this month.
Nacino and the film’s director Paul Sta. Ana attended a series of screenings and press conferences at the recent 10-day 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). “Balut Country” is one of 10 Filipino films featured in the festival’s Crosscut Asia section.
“My manager made sure that I’d be here,” Nacino said in an interview minutes prior to a screening of his film at the Toho Cinemas in Roppongi Hills, one of two film fest venues in Tokyo. “This will help boost my career. I also want to put it out there how proud I am of this film. I’m thrilled to represent our country in this festival.”
“Balut Country” tells the story of Jun (Nacino) who inherited a duck farm from his late father. However, he has very little interest in improving the business and is considering either to sell the property to secure his future or to spare the land’s loyal caretakers from inevitable displacement.
“I’m saving up for both trips,” the actor said of the coming festivals—the 2015 International Film Festival of Colombo in Sri Lanka ongoing until Nov. 11; and the All Lights India International Film Festival in Kochi, India, from Nov. 15 to 19. “I’m happy that our film got invited.”
Filmmaker idol
One of the highlights of Nacino’s Tokyo trip was meeting his idol, celebrated filmmaker John Woo.
DIRECTOR and cowriter Paul Sta. Ana says there is dignity in making balut. Photos by Marinel R. Cruz
“I was thrilled to have had the chance to have my photo taken with him. A lot of people were guarding him, and yet he was kind enough to grant me that request. It was a surreal experience to see him onstage receiving an award one moment and then standing beside me the next.”
The actor added: “I remember watching ‘Face Off,’ ‘Mission Impossible’ and those Chow Yun-fat movies with my dad on DVD. My parents were really happy when I showed them our photo.”
Nacino said he was looking forward to doing more films with Direk Paul: “Since this was a very good start for us… I’m sure that when we collaborate again, the next project will be even better than this.”
Hard work
Sta. Ana, who cowrote the screenplay with Rona Lean Sales, explained the idea behind “Balut Country,” which debuted at the 2015 Sinag Maynila Film Festival in February.
“We usually dare foreigners to eat balut. So I said it would be interesting to show where it actually comes from; that there are actually groups of people who continuously work hard for the balut to be brought to the market; that there is dignity in making it.”
The director pointed out: “Sadly, balut-making is a job that Filipinos aren’t so proud of. The film aims to educate people, especially the middle class, of what is happening. This is also why I decided that the story be told from the point of view of Rocco’s character.”
(mcruz@inquirer.com.ph)