PH film in Brazilian gay festival

“I LOVE You. Thank You.” stars Ae Pattawan (left) and Joross Gamboa

Charliebebs Gohetia’s “I Love You. Thank You.” is one of the 12 films competing in the Rio Festival of Gender and Sexuality in Cinema, currently ongoing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, until today (July 17).

Gohetia’s film was allotted three screenings in the fest—with the last one set today. Gohetia, who is in Brazil for the fest, told the Inquirer that the screenings in South America have been “enlightening,” in more ways than one.

“My film is the only Asian movie in the competition,” he related. “The organizers and viewers told me that I am the first Filipino they’ve ever met.”

The differences and similarities between Filipinos and Brazilians became more apparent during his interactions with the audience, he said. “It’s the Latin spirit. They’re emotional and dramatic, as well.” The audience members were enthusiastic and keenly interested not just in the film, but in the Philippine movie industry, too.

“The Q&A was insightful,” he remarked. “They asked many questions and I provided the cultural context of the situations and characters in the film. I discovered that Brazilian filmmakers face the same challenges—in terms of securing funding, for example.”

The encounter allowed him to view the film with “a different perspective.”

“The viewers raised points that I didn’t hear in our Philippine and Asian screenings,” he recounted. “The film is a window to a different world for them, but somehow its theme of pain and unrequited love is the bridge that connects continents and cultures.”

The gay romance drama—which features Filipino actors Joross Gamboa and Prince Stefan, with Thai artist Ae Pattawan—was shot in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.