Angeli Bayani and Archie Alemania in Cannes after the “Norte” premiere in 2013
A film starring actress Angeli Bayani returns to Cannes four years after she had two entries in the world’s most prestigious festival— Lav Diaz’s “Norte: Hangganan ng Kasaysayan” in Un Certain Regard and Anthony Chen’s “Iloilo” in the Directors’ Fortnight.
This year, Angeli topbills Carlo Francisco Manatad’s short film, “Jodilerks dela Cruz, Employee of the Month,” which is competing in the 56th Critics’ Week (Semaine de la Critique) of the 70th Cannes Film Festival in France, from May 18 to 26.
At press time, Angeli just got word that she would be joining the Philippine contingent, led by director Carlo and producer Joji Alonso, on the Croisette.
She told the Inquirer that the government, through the Film Development Council of the Philippines, had extended travel assistance.
More than for herself, she’s thrilled for her director. “Personally, I am much more excited for him. I’m very happy that his unique brand of comedy has been getting a lot of international attention lately. I hope that Cannes will give him the mileage that young filmmakers need.”
True enough, she proudly reported that her director had been asked “to participate in Next Step, a program that aims to support the 10 short filmmakers in Critics’ Week.”
“It seems that Carlo is well on his way,” she quipped.
In the short film, which the director hopes to develop into a full-length feature, Angeli portrays a gas station attendant.
“Jodilerks strikes me as someone who would rather be anywhere… than where she is,” pointed out Angeli, who is adept at playing pugnacious, proletarian women. “Circumstances may have prevented her from finding greener pastures, but she makes the most of her condition. As the title says, she is dedicated enough to consistently be ‘employee of the month.’”
Ross Pesigan (left) and Angeli Bayani in “Jodilerks dela Cruz, Employee of the Month”
She noted, however, that like most “unhappy people, Jodilerks is a ticking time bomb, and she knows that time is almost up.”
To prepare for the role, she took lessons on “how to operate a gas pump.”
“It’s not as easy as it looks,” she recounted.
In “Norte” and “Iloilo,” Angeli embodied the resilience, the grit and grace of Filipino women; “Jodilerks” is a rather unconventional addition to this list of valiant heroines.
“They are similar in the sense that they’re all women trying to get by despite dire situations,” the actress remarked. “The difference is, Jodilerks clearly has other plans. When she finally comes to terms with that, she does something decisive which, to me, almost comes out of left field, if it weren’t for the horror of her recent experience.”
Seen in that light, Jodilerks is Everywoman. “It took a while, and it took a lot for her trigger to be pulled, but she finally does what most people merely think of doing.”
She expressed the hope that foreign viewers and critics would appreciate “Carlo’s exceptional humor.” “While the film shows a micro situation… he proves that it’s possible to depict it in a humorous way, without losing relevance and impact.”
Fest organizers have hailed the film as “fanciful and touchingly inventive.”
“This film is important so that foreigners would learn that the Philippines has a young filmmaker like Carlo who can dish out social commentary and be funny about it, too,” she explained.
What makes this Cannes trip extra special, though, is that she gets to share it with boyfriend and costar Ross Pesigan.
“We had so much fun doing the film. I have dreamed of going back to Cannes with Ross, and I am happy that my dream is coming true,” she said.