Five-year-old indie rock film closes Cinemalaya

“Rakenrol” stars Alwyn Uytingco, Ketchup Eusebio, Glaiza de Castro and Jason Abalos.

Quark Henares

Director Quark Henares says it took him five years to finish “Rakenrol,” a film reflective of the rock music scene in the country.

“This movie went through a lot of producers and recording studios,” Henares told reporters during a recent media gathering. “We had a lot of technical problems. Files got accidentally deleted.”

The film, starring Glaiza de Castro, Jason Abalos, Diether Ocampo, Ketchup Eusebio and Alwyn Uytingco, closes the ongoing 7th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

“Rakenrol” follows the lives of best friends Irene (De Castro) and Odie (Abalos), whose common passion is rock ’n’ roll. Odie falls for Irene, and helps fulfill her dream of forming a band. They recruit punk-turned-barista Mo (Eusebio) and school bully Junfour (Uytingco) to complete the members of their band Hapipaks.

Irene is wooed by her “super crush,” famous rock star Jacci Rocha (Ocampo). Conflict ensues when Odie starts to regard music—which brought him closer to Irene—as a destructive force.

Audition standout

Henares said he was convinced De Castro was the best person to play Irene when she stood out from among the girls who auditioned for the role.

He recounted that while most of the girls sang songs from Beyonce and Alicia Keys, Glaiza did something from The Velvet Underground, an obscure but highly influential New York band. “When she was done, I said to myself, ‘Be still my beating heart.’”

Hardest to cast was Abalos’ character Odie, whom Henares called as the film’s “emotional anchor.” “When I saw Jason in ‘Endo,’ (a 2007 Cinemalaya entry), I decided to get him. He is so full of emotion.”

Henares added that he’s always been a fan of Ketchup, and Alwyn “blew him up” with his audition.

“What’s good about the cast is that it understands the world of rock music,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve worked with a better ensemble cast than this.”

Henares countered comments that his film is a rip-off of the 2000 Cameron Crowe musical comedy-drama “Almost Famous.” “That movie was set in the 1960s and is very American. Ours is very current and is reflective of the local rock music scene,” he explained.

“Our goal is for viewers to appreciate the rock scene here in the Philippines. For example, when this was screened in the United States and in Italy, the audience kept asking, ‘Who are those rock bands you featured? Where can we hear more of their music?’”

Henares said Mikey Amistoso of the band Ciudad wrote a lot of songs for the film, as well as Diego Mapa of Pedicab, Mong Alcaraz and Diego Castillo of Sandwich.

“This is semiautobiographical,” explained cowriter Diego Castillo. “I’ve known Quark since he was 12. We’ve worked together in (the defunct rock station) NU 107. We were also in a band together. The stories here are based on our experiences and from friends’.”

Henares said that one doesn’t have to be a rock fan to like the film. “This will open a new world for you. Our rock heritage is very rich. This is why the word ‘rakenrol’ has become a slang term for a way of life.”

“Rakenrol” will be screened tomorrow (Saturday), 9 p.m. at the CCP Main Theater, Pasay City. A concert will follow at the Harbour Square across the CCP featuring Itchyworms, Ciudad, Taken by Cars, Pedicab, Techy Romantics, Halik ni Gringo and Arigato Hato.