Scene from “Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?”
For actress Janine Gutierrez, recalling real-life experiences—either from the past or present—is the most effective way to bring a character to life.
“If you’re happy in real life, you can use that feeling if you have to be happy in a particular scene. For me, it really helps to use my own experiences to make the situation true in a movie or story,” Janine told Inquirer Entertainment during a recent virtual chat to promote her latest movie, “Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?”
We then asked if her heart is currently in a happy state, and Janine replied with: “Yes, happy.” Happy alone or with someone, we prodded. “Happy with someone,” she added.
Janine’s answer could very well mean that she would soon be ready go public with her rumored romantic relationship with actor Paulo Avelino, who played her leading man in the defunct romantic-comedy series “Marry Me, Marry You.”
For now, however, Janine would rather talk about her new film, Real Florido’s “Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?” and JC de Vera, her costar. It is about a deaf couple, Miguel and Nat, who are struggling to keep their marriage intact.
“It was enjoyable to learn FSL (Filipino sign language) because it’s something I’ve always been interested in. I learned Spanish in college, and FSL is another language so I approached it the same way. I really enjoyed the process. Our teachers, Disney [Aguila] and Jamil [Carvajal] helped a lot,” Janine began.
“The challenge was applying it in the shoot since we only received our FSL guide a week prior. I felt anxious because I wasn’t sure I’d be able to learn everything in time for the shoot. Luckily, we were well-guided. I eventually became so comfortable that I was able to ad-lib in sign. During breaks, I would talk to my coactors using FSL, that’s what I really enjoyed,” she recalled.
Janine Gutierrez (left) with JC de Vera
Different processes
Janine added that it was good she and JC have already worked together prior to this project. “I know that JC is fun on the set, but for this particular project, we didn’t get to bond much. Medyo nag-solo ako. I would practice sign language during my free time because I didn’t want to be the cause of delay. I guess you can say that I was very introverted during the shoot. JC and I have different processes. I would practice the whole day before the shoot, while JC only learns everything right before the scene. I guess that’s why he said he experienced headaches during filming,” she pointed out.
“Doing this film was difficult for us. It helped that JC is so approachable, that he’s the kind of person you will immediately feel comfortable with. I really felt that we were partners here,” Janine recalled.
Playing a deaf person resulted in Janine having moments of quiet introspection, she admitted. “As hearing individuals, we sometimes use words to mask our true feelings or hide behind all these pretty words. What I learned from Disney’s experience was that usually, for a deaf person, whatever he wants to say can already be seen in his facial expression and that he merely uses signs to make sure that his message is better understood,” she explained. “For members of the deaf community, the FSL is their only form of communication—aside from their body language, of course. To me, it’s a reminder that an individual’s action is an important form of communication and a way to read through the words that often get in the way of what he really wants to say.”
Power in deafness
Wanting to share what she has picked up from the acting workshop she attended prior to the shoot, Janine said: “Disney and Teacher Jam were there. I was made to say the words ‘I love you,’ even when it wasn’t what I really wanted to say. Disney pointed out that my true feelings should also be seen in my eyes. I learned that more than the hands, your face also helps you communicate.”
Another lesson that Janine picked up was that “being deaf is not a handicap, that there is power in deafness, that FSL is just another language. These are what I want people to take away from watching the film.”
She further explained: “At the same time, the film also wants to point out how the Philippines is really a bad place to be if you are deaf, blind, or are wheelchair-bound because it doesn’t offer enough opportunities for all kinds of people to thrive.”
“Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?” (Tell Her), by Firestarter Productions Inc., will be screened at the Cultural Center of the Philippines from Aug. 5 to Aug. 14; in selected cinemas from Aug. 10 to Aug. 17; and in several regional communities from Aug. 22 to Aug. 29.