Benjamin Alves and Janine Gutierrez talk about their Cinemalaya 2016 entry ‘Dagsin’ on ShowbizLIVE PHOTO by Clarizel Abanilla / INQUIRER.NET
Movie buffs are thrilled once again as another batch of movies compete in this year’s Cinemalaya film festival. Janine Gutierrez and Benjamin Alves, two of the actors of “Dagsin,” one of the official Cinemalaya entries, chatted with the hosts of ShowbizLIVE and freely talked about their experience doing the movie.
“Dagsin” (international title: “Gravity”) is a period film about two people who fight for their love. It powerfully showcases the real meaning of sacrifice that transcends human tragedies.
Janine Gutierrez said it was her first time to do a period film and that she was quite excited to portray the character of the younger Corazon (the old Corazon was portrayed by lead character Marita Zobel).
“First time ko po gumawa ng period film. Yung part namin ni Ben ay flashback, nung 1940s naganap, nung panahon ng giyera. Nakakatuwa, kasi naka-costume kami, yung location namin yung mga lugar na talagang nandun na nung mga panahon na yun,” she said.
Since both actors had to portray people who lived in a different era, they both had to be aware of what life was like back in the war time and act like them.
“Kailangan conscious ka sa kilos ng mga tao nung panahon na yun, kung paano sila magsalita,” the younger Corazon said.
Alves said portraying a young 1940s boy also had to mirror his present self.
“Siguro ang pinaka challenge po talaga is ginagampanan po natin ang role ni Tito Tommy Abuel, kailangan po talaga magtugma yung ugali namin. Kailangan po kasi maniwala yung viewer na ako po yung younger Tommy Abuel—1940s was a long time ago,” he said.
The two Kapuso (GMA Network) actors had love scenes in the movie but quickly defended that they were artisitically done and carefully choreographed to exude genuine sensuality and pure love.
“Hindi siya yung katakot-takot,” Gutierrez said.
However, Gutierrez sid she was really scared to do the love scene since it was her first time in her show-biz career. “Feeling ko mahihimatay talaga ‘ko! Pero ang exciting dun, pati sila Tito Tommy at Ms. Marita may love scene din! Yun ang kaabang-abang talaga,” she said laughing.
Alves said he felt that “when we started, kinakabahan talaga si Janine.”
And because he had done love scenes in the past, he had to make Gutierrez feel comfortable and at ease.
Alves also admitted that the “torture” scenes, wherein he was one of the POWs, were a bit challenging.
“They asked me kung gusto ko gawin, sabi ko yes, sige gawin natin, bihira ka lang naman makakuha ng ganung eksena eh. Nakatakip po yung mukha ko tapos yung tubig (that was being poured by the Japanese Imperial soldiers over his face) nasinghot ko po talaga kasi ilang takes yun eh, tapos tinali talaga ‘ko, tapos nakasuspend ka, tapos hinahampas talaga ‘ko ng stick,” he recounted.
But despite the real pains he underwent doing the torture scenes, he never opted for a double.
Since Gutierrez comes from a clan of actors, sometimes members compete against each other in the same festivals like Cinemalaya. Thus, her award-winning grandmother, Nora Aunor, also has an entry in the festival—“Tuos.” But she only has a positive outlook to it and even announced this to Cinemalaya viewers.
“I think karangalan para sa lahat ng kasali sa Cinemalaya na talagang maganda ang labanan ngayon. I think very exciting talaga ang Cinemalaya this year at sana kung kaya, makapanood talaga sila [viewers] ng kung ilang movies and kaya nila panoorin, at for the first time may Cinemalaya sa Cebu, sa Nuvali,” she said.
Slambook Segment
The two guests gamely answered perky questions from ShowbizLIVE hosts.
Gutierrez’s answers:
Chocolates or Flowers = Chocolates
Darna or Wonderwoman = Darna
Beach or bar = Beach
Gwapo pero slow o intelligent pero di kagwapuhan = choosy? (Jokingly resorting to a no choice)
Find true love or win 500 million on Lotto = “Ay naku, baka yung true love ko may 500 million naman”, she said laughingly
Ikasal sa lalaking pinili ng parents o magpakatandang dalaga na lang (Marry a guy of your parent’s choice or grow old as a spinster) = “Hala ang hirap pala nito sinimulan mo ko ng madali! Sige magpapakasal na lang ako, may tiwala naman ako na yung pipiliin ng parents ko para sakin ay kanais-nais.”
Get dressed in designer clothes for a year or kiss the hottest guy in the world = Dressed in designer clothes for a year.
Sirena o Enkantada = Sirena
Yummy hunk or comedian = “Pwede bang both?”
Kung end of the world na, ano ang huling bagay na gagawin ko sa mundo = “Nasan ako? Pupuntahan ko yung mga taong pinakamahal ko”
Ginagawa mo bago matulog = “Magcheck ng phone”
Unang ginagawa mo paggising = “Tignan yung phone, magcheck ng Instagram”
Hindi ako mabubuhay ng walang = Pagkain
Alves’ answers:
Boxers or briefs = Boxers
Lights on or lights off = Off
Matrona o bakla = matrona
Bare or bushy = No preference
Maitim na kili-kili o pangit na mukha = maitim na kili-kili
Maputing pangit o magandang maitim = “Doesn’t matter”
Hipon o lollipop = lollipop
Beauty or brains = brains
Can you live without internet? = “I do”
In love ka ba ngayon at may girlfriend ka ba? = “Basta happy ako”
“Dagsin” writer and director Atom Magadia and producer Anne Prado-Magadia also graced the show and initially gave the details of what the movie is about. Japanese cast member Yoshihiko Hara visited the set, too, and briefly gave his insights on the movie.
ShowbizLIVE is hosted by Inquirer Bandera entertainment editor Ervin Santiago and Inquirer Entertainment reporters Izel Abanilla and Mark Suntay. ShowbizLIVE can be viewed every Wednesday at 8-9 p.m. on Radyo Inquirer, Inquirer 990 Television, Inquirer.net website, Facebook, YouTube and Periscope. Follow the ShowbizLIVE hosts on Instagram: Ervin Santiago – @ervinsantiago7, Izel Abanilla – @zelabanilla and Mark Suntay – @themarksuntay.