Jericho starrer ‘Basurero’ competes in Busan | Inquirer Entertainment

Jericho starrer ‘Basurero’ competes in Busan

By: - Reporter
/ 12:30 AM October 10, 2019

Jericho starrer ‘Basurero’ competes in Busan

Jericho Rosales in “Basurero”

“His talent and screen presence were mesmerizing,” declared Eileen Cabiling, director of the short film “Basurero,” of her lead actor Jericho Rosales.

The film is premiering and competing (Wide Angle category) in the ongoing 24th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea.

Article continues after this advertisement

“It is a real honor to premiere in competition at Busan IFF and it is my hope that this prestigious launch can elevate the subject of the film to the world stage,” the US-based Fil-Am director, who also penned the screenplay, told the Inquirer.

FEATURED STORIES

Eileen said she first collaborated with Jericho for a full-length feature, titled “Manhid,” which is currently in development. She was scouting for the actor to play a Filipino musician who immigrates to the United States when Jericho first came on her radar, the director recalled.

“I proposed to Echo (Jericho’s nickname) that we first make ‘Basurero’ as a way to build the actor/director rapport,” Eileen added. “Working with Echo has been a great joy and his professionalism and nuanced performance have exceeded my expectations.”

Article continues after this advertisement

The 17-minute short is a fictional exposé inspired by actual events. It tells about the experiences of Bong (Jericho), a fisherman who struggles to survive and is unable to afford his sick daughter’s medication.

Article continues after this advertisement

Reluctantly, he finds himself embroiled in a dangerous undertaking, caught in the net of the country’s unrestrained and violent war on drugs. He becomes a basurero (garbage man), working in the anonymity of night to dump the bodies of drug dealers and users killed by authorities. Wracked with guilt and fear, Bong feverishly seeks a way out.

Article continues after this advertisement

Eileen said the story was born from “my desire to explore the postcolonist mentality of being Filipino.” She added: “The story was inspired by news of the day, but more importantly, I was drawn to the character’s struggle because I see this psychology in my own life and the historical forces shape so much of reality today.”

Coming up with a story that’s very Filipino in theme was easy for Eileen. After all, while she was born and raised in the United States, it was to parents who are Filipino immigrants. Growing up, she also spent a lot of time with her grandmother, “who shares stories of life in the Philippines.”

Article continues after this advertisement

“I chose to cast, shoot and complete postproduction of the film locally because I wanted the film and the process to be influenced by the Filipino experience today,” Eileen declared.

She then described the experience of shooting the film in the urban fishing port and village in Cavite and in Metro Manila as “transformative. It has also been important to me to better know and honor my ancestral home.”

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

“Basurero” is produced by Darlene Catly Malimas, Jose C. Mangual, Eva Husson and Sascha Brown Rice.—MARINEL R. CRUZ

TAGS: Basurero, Jericho Rosales

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.