Director Sigrid Bernardo tells a different kind of love story in ‘Untrue’

Xian Lim (left) and Cristine Reyes in “Untrue”

For film buffs, an initial look at the theatrical poster for Viva Films’ “Untrue” will immediately call to mind the Tom Tykwer hit “Run Lola Run,” particularly because of the strikingly radical red bob that both Christine Reyes and Franka Potente sport for their films. But other than that, these two films sit on opposite sides of the fence.

“Untrue” was the opening film of the recently concluded QCinema fest and premiered internationally as part of this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival’s Crosscut Asia segment, which features a diverse selection of fine films from Southeast Asia.

Director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, who’s known for writing and directing rom-coms, specifically the sleeper hit “Kita Kita,” says, “This is very different from all the movies I’ve done, and perhaps my most difficult film to date.”

It tells the story of Mara Villanueva, played by Cristine Reyes, who goes to Tbilisi, Georgia, to work as a waitress at a local pub.

There, she meets Joachim Castro, played by Xian Lim, who moved to Georgia five years ago and has established himself as a reputable vintner.
Immediate connection

The two establish an immediate connection, being Filipinos in a foreign land. Joachim wines and dines Mara and aggressively pursues her.
By the end of the evening, the two engage in a passionate hook-up—one that involves BDSM.

After a three-month whirlwind romance, they take a road trip to Sighnaghi (Georgia’s picturesque City of Love) and exchange vows. But after a few days, they discover that married life is more a nightmare than a dreamy fairy tale.
Both Xian and Cristine acquit themselves well in career-defining performances. Xian physically transformed himself by growing a beard and gaining 20 pounds to convincingly play a menacing and brooding character like Joachim.
Acting workshop

Direk Sig said that the two actors underwent an intensive 10-day acting workshop before they shot the film.

“I appreciate their dedication. It was a challenge for both Xian and Cristine, especially with the weather in Georgia where we shot the film for 15 days last February. It was so cold there that I even got hospitalized because I blacked out due to the cold.”

She added, “Both were very professional. They really studied their characters, their lines and they were able to pull it off.”

As to what inspired her to make “Untrue,” she said: “It is a different kind of love story. I wanted to experiment and show another perspective, like who would you believe in a ‘he said, she said’ situation? The film is also about truth and revenge.

Rumors have it that Direk Sig was the target of Xian’s cryptic Instagram post about his professionalism that read: “You can insult me, mock me all you want, take everything away from me and strip me down to nothing. But don’t you dare question my professionalism, passion and the amount of work I am willing to put into my craft in all the projects I make. I may not be the best, but I will work my ass off to give you results.”

To this, Direk Sig said, “I am a very frank director and I will tell you what’s good and what’s bad. I am just doing my job as a director and ayoko mapahiya ka bilang artista. And that goes for everyone.”

Xian was a no-show at the QCinema premiere, while actress Cristine graced the event accompanied by her sister Ara Mina.