No small roles for local talents in Amigo

The Bohol-made movie has turned out to be a popular film abroad.

Hail Bohol!

It caught me by surprise because I didn’t expect that Amigo would be a smashing success abroad. I wasn’t able to attend the Bohol Premier of Amigo (upon the invitation of blogger and media colleague Liza Macalandag) last Feb. 9, 2011 at the Island City Mall.

Now, Amigo, which is directed by John Sayles (who is acknowledged as one of the godfathers of independent cinema) has been getting rave reviews in film festivals abroad, such as in Toronto, San Sebastian (Spain), London, Los Angeles and Argentina. Amigo will also kick off the 34th Asian American International Film Festival in New York City on Aug. 10. AAIFF is America’s longest-running festival of its kind and a leading showcase for the best in independent Asian and Asian American film and video.

Why rave about the film?

Well, the film which is a fictional, dramatic account of events on the island of Luzon during the Philippine-American War, was shot entirely in Bohol particularly the rice fields, forests and river views of interior villages of Toril, Maribojoc, the Clarin heritage house in Loay, the Basdacu Cave in Loon, a rice field in Corella, the San Agustin Church in Panglao and one of the iconic hanging bridges along Abatan River in Antequera.

Amigo boasts a cast of Hollywood hotshots led by Academy-Award winner Chris Cooper (Adaptation, American Beauty), DJ Qualls (Hustle & Flow, Road Trip), Garret Dillahunt (No Country For Old Men, Winter’s Bone) and Tony Award nominee Yul Vazquez (War of the Worlds, The A-Team), and a high-powered ensemble of Filipino thespians led by Joel Torre, Ronnie Lazaro, Rio Locsin, Arthur Acuna, Pen Medina, John Arcilla, Irma Adlawan, Miguel Faustmann, Kuya Bodjie Pascua, Spanky Manikan, Joe Gruta and Bembol Roco.

( l-r) John Philip Jagunos of Antequera ;James Obenza of Punta Cruz, Maribojoc; and Lady Jane Rellita of Toril are local talents who have supporting roles in "Amigo." Photo Courtesy: Liza Macalandag

It also introduced some 80 Boholano talents who play supporting roles as villagers or guerrillas, and provide able support to an international cast that includes some award-winning Hollywood actors and veteran Filipino thespians.

 “There are at least six (6) named supporting roles played by local Bol-anon talents but sadly not included in the movie’s supposedly “full” cast listing in IMDB,” commented Liza on her blog www.boholrepublic.com.

James Obenza of Punta Cruz, Maribojoc, is Joaquinito, son of village headman Rafael played by Joel Torre; Lady Jane Rellita of Toril, Maribojoc, playing Azalea, the love interest of a young American soldier (Dane de Haan); John Philip Jagunos of Antequera, playing Eloy, a young insurrecto; Raymart Colestines of Guiwanon, Maribojoc playing Mapulgas, the friar’s young assistant/sacristan; Lourdes Pampilo of Agahay, Maribojoc playing La Caida, the lover of the Spanish Captain Narvaez (Miguel Faustmann); and Felipa Moncano playing Mrs. Pandoc, sickly mother of La Caida who gets carried in a hammock in the movie.

The local talents played their roles, no matter how “small” with such honesty, so natural that they understand well the concept of ensemble acting.  They also received higher talent fee. Sad to say that one talent didn’t spend the money wisely. After she received her pay check, she bought cellphones and other gadgets until there’s no money left to repair their house in Maribojoc. We don’t know when she can have a blossoming career. In an opportunity like Amigo, make hay while the sun shines.

Popular director John Sayles (center) with blogger and film critic Liza Macalandag (left) and HR consultant Angeli Salgados.

       

Amigo has bagged 10 Urian Awards (Philippine Film Critics Association) nominations for 2011 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Production Design), is also highly recommended by educators.

In Amigo, Torre plays Rafael Dacanay, a remote village mayor caught in the murderous crossfire of the Phil-Am War. When US troops occupy San Isidro, Rafael comes under pressure from a tough-as-nails officer (Cooper) to help the Americans in their hunt for Filipino guerilla fighters. But Rafael’s brother (Lazaro) is the head of the local guerillas, and considers anyone who cooperates with the Americans to be a traitor. Rafael quickly finds himself forced to make the impossible, potentially deadly decisions faced by ordinary civilians in an occupied country.

The Hollywood Reporter describes the film “Good looking, atmospheric and steeped in the culture of the rural Philippines of the time,” and Time Out London calls it “intelligent, thought-provoking film about the Philippine-American War.” Although there are film critics who say “Amigo has a bland story destroys any inkling of greatness.” And Spot.ph reviews “And yet, despite everything it has going for it, Amigo isn’t quite a war masterpiece like Platoon, Apocalypse Now, or Saving Private Ryan. Compromised (perhaps) by its below-average production budget—$1.2 million, according to the Internet Movie Database—the film’s confining barriotic setting and the absence of spectacular  battle scenes give Amigo the lower-tier veneer of a superb made-for-television movie.”

They say, “it’s all in Bohol,” which is now a choice for location shootings.  Other movies done in Bohol were Lagablab sa Maribojoc (1964), Esteban (1973), Aguila (1979), Puri (1984), Loveboat (1980s), Tigershark (1987), Muro-ami (1999), Panaghoy sa Suba (The Call of the River) (2004), Close to You (2006) and Nandito Ako May Nagmamahal Sa ‘Yo (2009).  The Panday TV series of ABS-CBN in 2005 had some location shootings in Bohol.