Why Sylvia empathizes with a character who has ‘reached her limits’

Sylvia Sanchez

“People who have seen parts of the film said they really thought I was a drug addict,” said Sylvia Sanchez, lead actress of Ronaldo Carballo’s “Jesusa,” an entry in the full-length category of the 2019 Sinag Maynila Film Festival.

“It’s all in the research. I did immersions, too. It also helped that I worked with two actresses who are good performers (Mara Lopez and Empress Shuck),” said Sylvia on portraying the character of Jesusa, who succumbed to depression, then resorted to taking drugs.

“I know most women will fight for their family until their last breath, but I have yet to encounter someone like Jesusa. She gave up everything for her husband (Allen Dizon), but she has reached a point where she had nothing more to give,” the actress explained, adding that this was what made Jesusa’s personality different from hers.

“I will never do that. I fight hard for my siblings, what more for my children who came from my womb?” she pointed out. “But I refuse to judge Jesusa because she has reached her limits. Everyone she loved hurt her, then left her. That’s why she opted to take drugs.”

The finalists of the fifth edition of Sinag Maynila filmfest—which is going on until April 17—are screened in the following theaters: Black Maria Cinema, Gateway Cineplex, Cinema Centenario, Cinematheque Centre Manila, Cinema ’76 Anonas, Cinema ’76 San Juan, SM Cinema Manila, SM Cinema Megamall and SM Cinema North Edsa.