Biopic to focus on car racer’s life, not his death

Derek Ramsay has met with the departed racer’s family about the role.

The accomplishments of slain car racer Enzo Pastor will be celebrated in a biopic, said actor Derek Ramsay who agreed to take on the role.

“I’ve met with the family. His father said he wants only me to portray Enzo. He was an athlete. I’m an athlete.”

Ramsay is a member of the Ultimate Frisbee national team.

The film, with the working title “Enzo,” will be shot in France, Macau, the United States and the Philippines, where Pastor competed. Enzo Williams, director of the historical epic “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo,” will be at the helm.

“Most of us only got to know Enzo after he was killed, but everything about his life before that was amazing,” said Williams, who is coproducing the film with the Pastor family. “When I sat down with Enzo’s parents, I said I would only do the movie if it did not focus on his death.”

1st PH rep at Nascar

Ferdinand “Enzo” Pastor was the son of Philippine Formula Autosport Foundation Inc. founder and AV8C coorganizer Tom Pastor. He was the first Filipino to represent the country at the Nascar Whelen Euro Series in 2013. He placed sixth overall. His bio said this feat had earned for Pastor an invitation to participate at the K&N Pro Series East in the United States in August 2014, which was set a month after his death.

The late Enzo Pastor

Williams denied earlier reports that Jodi Sta. Maria will play a character based on Dalia Guerrero, Pastor’s wife. Neither will Zanjoe Marudo portray a character based on Domingo “Sandy” de Guzman, Guerrero’s alleged lover and mastermind of Pastor’s murder. Williams, however, revealed that he was negotiating for Dingdong Dantes to portray Pastor’s brother Don, who is also a car racer.

“Both Derek and Dingdong are into car racing,” Williams shared with the Inquirer. He added that he would instruct Ramsay, who has been sporting a shaved head for the longest time, to grow his hair longer, just like Pastor’s.

Williams recently shot a two-minute video clip featuring Ramsay behind the wheels of a Nascar speedster. Ramsay, as Pastor, could be heard on the teaser as saying: “When I was 9, I saw my father race for the first time. I was amazed and since that day, I knew I wanted to be like him…”

“The teaser explains my intention for making the movie and what the audience can expect from it,” said Williams, who first worked with Ramsay on the Regal-produced movie “The Escort.”

“When I first showed the teaser to Derek and his dad, and to Enzo’s father, they all said they had goosebumps while watching it,” Williams recalled. “This is a passion project. I think that like me, Derek is also working on this not for the money. This is something that’s from the heart. This will be my next ‘Bonifacio.’”

“I am now trying to learn as much as I can about Enzo,” said Ramsay. “I am able to relate to the character in the sense that, like his team, my [Frisbee group] would compete abroad even with very minimal funding. Enzo would simulate racing on his PlayStation to prevent the wear and tear of his car’s tires during warm-ups and practice laps. Despite this, he still won. I really admire his dedication.”

Death in 2014

The actor added: “Enzo represented the Philippines in several tournaments. He was on his way to making it to the highest level of the sport before his death. While his murder will be tackled briefly at the end of the film, I hope people will not concentrate on that but on what he has achieved. Hopefully, this will motivate young athletes.”

Pastor was shot dead in Quezon City on June 12, 2014. A month later, police arrested De Guzman based on the confession of gunman Edgar Angel, who said he was hired by the former to kill Pastor. A “love triangle” is being viewed as a possible motive for the killing. Pastor’s wife, Guerrero, who allegedly had an affair with De Guzman, is reportedly in Jakarta and has assumed a new identity after marrying  an Indonesian.

Williams is writing the screenplay with help from Pastor’s parents and siblings. He said he has recently started talking to other people who knew Pastor, and has consulted lawyers, as well. “I’ve been working on it every day. I want to protect certain people because of the sensitive theme. In fact, apart from Enzo’s, we will change the names of the other characters in the story.”

Ramsay added: “We really can’t go into details about Enzo’s murder because the case is still ongoing. But we will make sure that this film will serve as a reminder of what is happening in our country.”

Filming begins in March. Williams is aiming for it to be screened on June 12, 2017, Pastor’s third death anniversary.