(From left) Jodi Sta Maria, Kaori Oinuma, and Lianne Valentin. Images: Instagram/@jodistamaria, @starmagicphils, @lianne.valentin
Kaori Oinuma and Lianne Valentin, who will join Jodi Sta. Maria in the upcoming film “Untold,” said being part of a psychological horror film is a challenge as it puts their critical thinking to the test as well.
Oinuma and Valentin will be joining Sta Maria in “Untold,” which was announced during the Regal Legacy launch in Quezon City. While details on its storyline are yet to be revealed, it’s one of the final films that the late Regal matriarch Mother Lily Monteverde approved before her death.
“As a person, hindi naman ako duwag. Pero noong nand’un ako sa set and nakakakita ako ng [horror-like elements sa teaser], medyo natatakot na ako kasi baka may [sumusunod sa akin] pag-uwi ko,” Oinuma said, while sharing that the film’s story conference helped her in understanding the film’s genre.
(I don’t see myself as someone who gets scared easily. But when I arrived on set and saw its horror-like elements, I got scared because something might be following me while going home.)
“Pero thank God, ginagabayan naman Niya ako (But thank God, He’s there to guide me through the process),” she added.
Valentin, on the other hand, admitted that being part of a psychological horror film is a challenge since it doesn’t contain the elements of a typical horror movie.
“With my role and this movie, it’s hard kasi hindi ito ‘yung common na nakikita in a [typical horror movie] like in a haunted house or [other elements],” she said. “It’s something on a deeper sense, a psychological level. Mahirap preparing the role. Kailangang i-prepare ang sarili namin psychologically kasi nilalaro rin ang utak namin dito.”
(With my role and this movie, it’s hard because it’s not something that could be seen in a typical horror movie, like a haunted house or other elements. It’s something of a deeper sense, on a psychological level. It’s hard to prepare for the role. We have to prepare ourselves psychologically because our minds are being played throughout the process.)
As the lead of the film, Sta Maria acknowledged that everyone has “their own demons” which can eventually lead to people getting scared of themselves in the process.
“We all have demons. Meron tayong mga bagay sa sarili natin na ayaw lumabas. Merong mga bagay sa sarili natin na gusto nating ibenign at hindi i-acknowledge. And once that quote-unquote ‘demon’ is [out in the open], matakot ka sa sarili mo,” she said.
(We all have demons. We have a lot of things within ourselves that we don’t want to be released. We also have a lot of things that we want to leave benign and not acknowledge. And once that quote-unquote “demon” is out in the open, it can lead you to be scared of yourself.)
But is there something that scares Sta. Maria as a human being? For her, it’s the possibility of getting angry. “Magalit. Hindi kasi ako marunong magalit and iba ang way ko kung paano ako magalit. Hindi ko alam anong gagawin ko sa sarili ko if na-reach ko ang rurok na ‘yun.”
(Anger. I don’t know how to get angry. I deal with anger differently. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself if I reach that point.)
The Derick Cabrido-helmed film also stars TJ Valderrama. Details on the film’s plot and premiere date are yet to be announced.