“Birdshot” team on the red carpet (from left): Mary Joy Apostol, Arnold Reyes, Pamela L. Reyes and Mikhail Red. Photo from Facebook: Mikhail Red
Tokyo—It’s like “coming full circle,” young filmmaker Mikhail Red says of his return to the Tokyo International Film Festival this year.
He recalls that he first attended the A-list fest in 2009 to accompany his father, Cannes-winning director Raymond Red whose feature film, “Himpapawid,” was in competition in the main tilt.
He was only 18 years young then, but he made a vow to come back: “I remember telling myself that I’ll be back with my own feature film someday.”
The dream came true in 2013, when he screened his debut feature, “Rekorder,” in the Tokyo fest’s Asian Future section.
Three years later, he joins the Asian Future derby once again, with his latest work, “Birdshot.” (Also in the same section is compatriot Ivan Andrew Payawal’s “I America.”)
“It’s hard to imagine that I would be in Tokyo twice with two feature films,” he relates. “I’ve developed a strong relationship with the festival and hope to continue screening my future works there.”
Arnold Reyes (left) and John Arcilla in a scene from “Birdshot”
“Birdshot,” which recounts the complications that arise after a Philippine eagle is accidentally mowed down by impoverished rural residents, was inspired by a true-life incident.
Years ago, Red came across a news account of a similar case. “A father and his son shot and ate the endangered bird. The man was eventually jailed, but he insisted that he was unaware of the laws that protect the Philippine eagle.”
Red calls the story “a tragic parable for both conservationists and the simple folk who need education, surviving on the margins of the country’s wilderness.”
He asserts, however, that the film “isn’t just about an endangered animal. It’s also about the endangered truth. The parallelism fascinates me.”
His film likewise “tackles the hypocrisy of the rich and powerful—people who twist the nation’s priorities and use events to distract the public from truly important issues.”
He hopes foreign audiences will be able to connect with the story. “At its heart, it’s universal,” he points out. He made sure to add “mystery thriller elements to add excitement” to a socially relevant tale.
Also, “there’s something very ‘anime’ about a young girl wielding a huge gun,” he quips. “I hope Japanese audiences will be gripped by its twists and turns.”
He admits that the shoot for the film was a circuitous journey, as well—taking the cast and crew from southern to northern Philippines.
“Shooting in different remote locations was quite challenging,” he recalls. “We filmed in Davao, with the help of the Philippine Eagle Foundation. We also shot exterior sequences in Rizal and up north in Isabela, near the valley of the Sierra Madre.”
Plus, they were at the mercy of the elements. “The weather was uncooperative, and we had to face a violent storm on our way back to Manila.”
Fortunately, he had a solid cast, led by John Arcilla, Arnold Reyes, Ku Aquino and Mary Joy Apostol, behind him.
Coincidentally, Arcilla starred in “Anino,” the short film of Red’s dad, which won the Palme D’Or at Cannes in 2000, and his later Tokyo fest entry, “Himpapawid.”
“I’ve always wanted to work with John,” Red owns up. “I shot the behind-the-scenes footage of my father’s film (‘Himpapawid’) and got the chance to observe John at work.”
He confesses that he was initially “intimidated” by the actor who played “Heneral Luna.” “But after our first big scene, we found the right tempo and everything went smoothly. His talent brought his complex character to life.”
Post-Tokyo, he plans to release “Birdshot” in local theaters, “with the help of Tuko and Buchi Boy [the same company behind ‘Heneral Luna’].”
“We are excited to see Filipino viewers’ reaction,” he says.
“Birdshot” team on the red carpet (from left): Mary Joy Apostol, Arnold Reyes, Pamela L. Reyes and Mikhail Red. Photo by @iamlarbs