(From left) Ervin Santiago of Inquirer Bandera, director Petersen Vargas and Izel Abanilla of Inquirer.net
There is no denying that now is the ultimate hugot era, as most people are clamoring for more and more of films that strike the most heartfelt emotions among the young. “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” has got to be one of these youthful films.
Film director Petersen Vargas discussed the movie which has gained widespread online buzz.
“The film is about friendship and it’s set in the 90s. How do we capture that? We [had] to look for a title that captures that essence. So, typing with numbers, tapos ayun ‘yung concept ng too cool to be forgotten, mga first friends kasi natin are always too cool to be forgotten (The concept of ‘2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten’ is basically that of our friends who are too cool to be forgotten.),” he said in his March 8 guesting on Inquirer ShowbizLive.
As everyone else experienced, the film “is all about firsts.”
Set and filmed in Pampanga, “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” stars three teenage boys who will eventually be acquainted with homosexuality, and thereafter experience the pains of “falling in love with a friend.”
Vargas says there’s one simple hugot the story tells its viewers, “Hindi mo nga kilala sarili mo eh, ‘pano mo malalaman kung ano ang love?”
(When you don’t even know yourself, how will you know what love is?)
True-to-life story
Surely, a hugot movie like this has got to dig up from something painful and real, and true enough, the movie’s inspiration came from the young director’s real life experience, as he himself fell in love with his best friend.
“‘Yung sinasabi ko na guy na na-in-love sa best friend niya, ako ‘yun,” he admitted.
(The guy I mentioned who was in love with his best friend was me.)
After a few years, he then channeled the pain into making a film, hoping that his estranged best friend would watch it so his message could at least be delivered through the film.
“Ginawa ko ‘yung pelikula para sana mapanood niya.” (I made the film hoping he will watch it.)
“2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” stars Khalil Ramos, Ethan Salvador and Jameson Blake. Written by Jason Paul Lacsamana, the film will be commercially released by Star Cinema on March 15. JB