Calzado (left) and Romana on the set of “Caretakers” —REIN ENTERTAINMENT
In the upcoming ecohorror movie, “Caretakers,” Iza Calzado and Dimples Romana play two mothers caught in a desperate tug-of-war over a valuable piece of ancestral property.
As the bitter struggle ensues, they find themselves trying to wrap their heads around the concept of ownership, and how nothing is ever under our full control. We live on borrowed time. We’re mere custodians, not only of the place we inhabit, but even of the children we bring into this world.
And as mothers, the realization hits close to home for the two actresses.
“You can treat your children as possessions. But really, we’re just here to guide them—not own them. It’s tough knowing that we have no control over how things will unfold in their lives… Control, I have come to realize, is just an illusion,” Iza told Inquirer Entertainment in a recent visit to the movie’s filming location in San Miguel, Bulacan.
Deia Amihan, Iza’s daughter with her husband, Ben Wintle, is only 20 months old. And yet, Iza already couldn’t bear to imagine that the day will come when she will have to let go.
“One time, I was holding her and thought, ‘The purity of a child, and everything else … you will have to surrender to God eventually. You can only do so much. You can only do your best. It’s the same with everything we have. All of these can be taken away from you,” she said.
‘Caretakers’
For Dimples, that time had already come. Two years ago, her eldest daughter, Callie, 20, pursued aviation in Australia, and is now a licensed commercial pilot there.
“We’re just caretakers, even of our own children. When Callie left, that’s when I realized how quickly time passes,” said Dimples, who has two other children with her husband, Romeo Ahmee: Alonzo, 9 and Elio, 2.
As such, there’s nothing of greater importance for Dimples than making the most of her time with her children.
“They’re good and for that I feel so blessed and lucky. That’s also the reason I don’t want to impose anything on them—ako na ang nahihiya. I give them the things they need. Callie likes quality time with me. So, when she tells me that she needs me, I really stop or excuse myself from what I’m doing.”
Once a self-confessed lagarista who merrily accepted whatever roles came her way, Dimples has become more discerning of her projects. “Maybe that’s part of getting old and being a parent. You have to look at a job and think: Is this worth giving up the time I could otherwise spend with my family?” she said. “My perspective has changed.”
Iza and Dimples have been in the industry for decades now. And it was surprising, they said, that they have never had the opportunity to actually work together. They once shared a fleeting scene in a teleserye some 10 years ago. But since then, their interactions were limited mostly to chance encounters at social events.
Matter of fate
Perhaps it was a matter of fate, Dimples surmised, that she and Iza were brought together now that they’re mothers.
“Maybe the world simply waited for this moment. I think it’s better that we got to work now, because we’re both mature as actresses and are suited and well-equipped to play our characters,” she said, adding that collaborating with new people never fails to excite her.
Now, there are more things to talk about. “I have more to learn from her. I think she would have been willing to share her motherhood journey with me then, but I probably wouldn’t have asked as many questions… I have so much respect for her and what she has accomplished in life.”
No strangers to horror films
Produced by Rein Entertainment, in partnership with Regal Entertainment, “Caretakers” is written and directed by Shugo Praico. It follows Lydia (Dimples), a caretaker of a rural ancestral house where she grew up, and eventually, raised her own family.
One day, coming all the way from the city, the wealthy Audrey (Iza) comes knocking on the door, a land title in hand and ready to lay claim to what she insists is rightfully hers.
Unknown to them, their persisting animosity awakens a malevolent force buried in the surrounding nature, which has fallen victim to neglect and human destruction. The emanating darkness consumes the two mothers, pushing them to their limits.
Iza and Dimples are no strangers to horror films. But that can be a double-edged sword. While they already know the mental, emotional and physical effort the genre requires, there is now more pressure to make their portrayals different from their previous outings.
“I always see it as a collaboration. I don’t force myself to put in my own mark. Otherwise, it’s just Dimples you see every time. So I try to deliver what the director and creatives want to see from me,” said Dimples, who was part of “Shake Rattle & Roll” 13 and 14, as well as “Third Eye” and “Block Z.”
‘My top genre’
“If you look at my filmography, a lot of horror films stand out, like ‘Sigaw,’ ‘Ouija’ and ‘Ilawod.’ I feel like it’s my top genre,” added Iza, who starred in “Shake Rattle & Roll Extreme” last year. “You just have to try to find nuances that will make the roles distinct from each other.”
The film wasn’t so much about new learnings as it was about reinforcing what they knew all along: Mothers will stop at nothing to protect their families.
“My character lives in a small barrio. Her needs are simple: food and shelter. I believe that when a mother has few but very clear goals, she becomes more courageous in trying to protect them,” Dimples said.
“I have experienced love that almost made me quit my job, but not love that’s worth sacrificing my life for—not until I gave birth to my child. I’m like, ‘So this is what it means to feel that kind of love. They always say that a mother will do everything for her children. Now I understand better,” she said.