A scene from “Jino to Mari”
Joselito Altarejos’ “Jino to Mari,” a story of two sex workers coerced to perfom sex acts beyond their limits, will have its world premiere at the Black Movie: Festival de Films Indépendants-Genève in Switzerland.
The festival in Geneva is known for its selection of auteur cinema, Altarejos said on Friday. “Showing the film at an ‘auteur-centric’ festival will help me test how the artistic choices I have made in this film resonate with the audience and critics,” he added. “‘Jino to Mari’ is the most daring and boldest film I have ever done. It has made me question not just my art, but my person, and what kind of filmmaker I should be in the future.”
Altarejos will be flying to Geneva on Jan. 23. “This will be my first time in Geneva and I will swing by Amsterdam, too,” he told the Inquirer. “As with any film festival that I attend, I hope to connect with other filmmakers, watch other films in the festival, and engage with the audience. In doing so, it enriches me not only as an artist, but as a person. It broadens and deepens my world view.”
Aquino
“Jino to Mari” is about two sex workers, Gino (played by Oliver Aquino), a 17-year old pedicab driver, and Marie (Angela Cortez), a young mother—who are hired to do a pornographic film on All Soul’s Day.
During the shoot, they are coerced to perform sex acts that have not been agreed upon and that they consider as their limit.
It asks the question: When you strip someone of their sense of dignity, what is then left of them?
Oliver Aquino (left) and Angela Cortez
Altarejos said he was glad to be a part of the festival’s 20th year, “with their history of engaging in the defense of Asian, Oriental and South American productions in Geneva and Switzerland.”
He then thanked filmmaker Brillante Ma Mendoza “for believing in me and supporting my endeavors. If you recall, together with Wilson Tieng, he produced my film ‘Unfriend,’ which premiered at the Berlinale in 2014.” —MARINEL R. CRUZ