Indie Actress Angeli Bayani Star In 'Bwaya', The First Film Shot In Agusan Marshlands

ANGELI BAYANI is the indie actress who defeated Vilma Santos and Nora Aunor in the last Urian derby. How did she feel about it? “I never expected to win kasi mga sampu kaming nominees at puro batikan ang kasama ko,” she says. “After the awards night, sinamahan ko yung 6-year old son ko sa tindahan sa lugar namin, and she said, Ate, congrats, nanalo kang best actress. Nahiya tuloy ako, ayoko nang bumalik dun sa tindahan.”

Born on November 13, 1977, she was majoring in music in UP when the theatre bug bit her and she did plays with Dulaang UP. Now, 36-years old and a single mom, she plays a 35-year old Manobo mom in her new movie, “Bwaya”, based on the true story of the only crocodile attack in the Agusan Marshlands that happened in 2008, written and directed by Francis Passion whose first Cinemalaya entry, “Jay”, won awards for Baron Geisler and Coco Martin.

Last year was a good one for Angeli. She did “Iloilo” in Singapore that brought her to the Cannes Filmfest and “Norte” for Lav Diaz that gave her the Urian. Francis says he’s sure Angeli will win best actress anew for “Bwaya”.

“Ang galing ng range niya as an actress. Nagpa-audition kami rito at ang ibang nag-audition, mas mga kilala sa kanya. Pero ang mismong Manobo mom, siya ang pinili.”

“I don’t do films expecting to win awards,” says Angeli. “Kasi madi-distract ka lang sa trabaho mo. I just try to give my best performance.”

They shot “Bwaya” on location at the Panlabuhan Floating Village in Agusan for a total of 15 days. Francis says the project started after a fortuneteller told him his next movie will be about water in Agusan. He did some research and read the story of the girl eaten by a croc. He went to Agusan, met the girl’s family and decided to film it.

“This is the first film shot in the Agusan Marshlands, a protected sanctuary bigger than Metro-Manila. We helped the family renovate their home. Sampu ang anak nila. Rowena, the slain girl, is 5th and she’s about to graduate from grade school when the crocodile attacked her banca on the way to school. Her mom requested that she be given a proper burial kasi after her body was found, basta inilibing na lang agad. So we did that for them. Aside from Angeli, the two other actors from Manila are Karl Medina as the father and RS Francisco as Rowena’s teacher. All the other actors, we recruited dun sa village, including the girl who plays Rowena, Jolina Espana, na nakita ko lang na nagda-dive sa Lake Mihaba where the crocodiles are. We’re allowed to shoot only until 4 PM kasi walang kuryente and when it’s dark na, the crocodiles come out.”

“Bwaya” will has its Cinemalaya gala night on August 5, Tuesday, 6 PM, at the CCP. As for Angeli, she just finished another international movie, “Foreigners”, made by an Aussie company. She’s also in the cast of the hit GMA-7 soap, “Nino”.