‘Septic’ team ready for Berlinale

PARDON director Marlon Rivera, but he confesses that he has his priorities somewhat mixed up.

“First thing I prepared were my clothes,” he admits when asked about his initial thoughts about competing in Berlin. “I’m already packed.”

A fashion designer, makeup artist, advertising exec and florist, Rivera cannot be faulted for being overly concerned with sartorial matters.

After all, his debut film “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” is vying for top honors in the Forum section of the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival, to be held in Germany from Feb. 9 to 19.

(The Forum section celebrates avant-garde, risk-taking, experimental works; it awarded the Caligari Prize to Filipino filmmaker Brillante Ma. Mendoza for “Tirador” in 2008.)

“It’ll be our European premiere,” Rivera quips. “I prepared something edgy and black to wear.”

Lead actress Eugene Domingo is threatening to don a slinky gown on the red carpet in the dead of winter, he exclaims.

Fear of the cold

“I’m not yet sure what I’ll be wearing and I’m daunted by the cold weather,” Domingo says. “But it’ll be my first time in Berlin and I’m truly excited and grateful. Berlin is one of the most awaited festivals in the world and I’m quite optimistic that Europeans will find our little film charming.”

Rivera says he’s just as thrilled to be included in this year’s Berlinale, “a prestigious festival renowned for its artistic streak.”

He’s all the more ecstatic and proud to be among three Filipinos in this year’s lineup, along with Mendoza’s “Captive” in the main section and Rommel Tolentino’s “Nono” in the Generation Kplus. Having one, let alone three entries, is quite a treat for the Philippines, he notes.

He says that he looks up to Mendoza as a pioneer in the local indie movement.

“I consider myself a juvenile at filmmaking. I look forward to catching up with Brillante and (fellow Cinemalaya winner) Rommel there. It really means that we had a good harvest of indie films in 2011,” he points out. “Ang saya-saya! (It’ll be a blast!)”

Rivera will be joined by Domingo and scriptwriter Chris Martinez in Berlin. Producer Joji Alonso has begged off because she can’t stand the freezing weather.

“But it’s exciting to be part of Berlinale,” Alonso remarks. “In the film, there were lines of dialogue about going to the Oscars and Berlin. It’s heartening that the film was able to fulfill the characters’ dreams in the script.”

Eye on Oscar

“Septic” is also the country’s entry in the best foreign language film category of the Academy Awards, to be held in Hollywood in February, too. (News of whether it’ll be in the Oscars’ Top Five will be revealed soon.)

Echoing beauty queen Venus Raj, Martinez says: “Berlin is a major, major festival. Hopefully, it will open more doors for our film.”

Rivera relates that several other European film fests are already in the works. “There’s one in Italy. The film is booked until July.”

Alonso says she has received invitations from festivals in Washington and New York, in the United States, as well.