Vic Sotto Is Proud Of His Metro FilmFest Entry, 'Meant To Beh', A Movie Of Many Firsts Meant To Entertain The Viewers From Start To Finish

VIC SOTTO had an entry in last year’s Metro-Manila Filmfest, “Enteng Kabisote and the Abangers”, but it didn’t qualify as the screening committee then chose mostly indie films that sadly didn’t do so well at the tills. This year, he’s luckier because his movie, “Meant to Beh”, made it as one of the official entries. Did he feel bad that he was eased out of the filmfest last year?
“Not really,” he says at the grand presscon of “Meant to Beh”. “What I missed then was joining the annual Parade of Stars kasi ilang taon din akong laging kasama roon. So this year, natutuwa ako kasi makakasakay ako ulit sa float at kasama na uli ako sa parada.”

There are 8 entries in the festival, how would he convince viewers to watch his film first before the others? “First of all, Rated G kami, kaya puedeng panoorin ng lahat, mula bata at millennials hangga’t lolo’t lola. The movie is about family and it’s really meant for the whole family. Masaya ang buong pelikula kaya bagay sa Kapaskuhan na dapat lang na lahat ay masaya. Tapos, maraming first time na nangyari rito. First time naming nagkasama sa pelikula ni Dawn Zulueta kasi before, nagkasama lang kami sa TV in ‘Okay Ka Fairy Ko’. Napakaganda na, napakagaling pa ni Dawn, sa comedy man o sa drama.”


The young stars in the cast were handpicked by him. “Mga Kapuso at Kapamilya stars ito na first time din lang nagkasama-sama at mga ngayon ko rin lang nakatrabaho sa pelikula, sina JC Santos, Gabbi Garcia at Baeby Baste bilang mga anak namin ni Dawn, sina Sue Ramirez at Ruru Madrid bilang kapareha nila, at sina Andrea Torres at Daniel Matsunaga bilang mga kasamahan namin ni Dawn sa trabaho na na-link sa amin nang magkaroon kami ng di pagkakaunawaan. Sa story kasi, napakasal lang kami ni Dawn dahil pinilit kami ng aming mga magulang, so dumating yung point na kinukuwestiyon namin kung totoo bang mahal namin ang isa’t isa, kaya nagkahiwalay kami. Ang mga anak namin ang gumawa ng paraan para magkabati kami at ma-realize naming we are really ‘Meant to Beh’.”

It’s also his first time to work with award-winning writer-director Chris Martinez. “For a change, sumubok naman ako ng batang director. He was highly recommended by a lot of people and I’m glad na sinubukan ko siya kasi, for the longest time, puro fantasy and special effects movies ang ginagawa ko. I moved out of my comfort zone to do something different at nag-level up naman kami into doing something relevant for the family. Itong ‘Meant to Beh’, mas realistic ang story at mga sitwasyon. Very heartwarming ang movie and it imparts a lot of good moral values for the family, but in a funny very entertaining way. And I want to give credit to out director kasi ang maganda kay Direk Chris, he’s open to suggestions kaya nagkatulong-tulong kami para mas mapaganda talaga ang pelikula. Ginagarantiyahan kong maaaliw kayo mula umpisa hanggang ending.”

Where will he, wife Pauleen Luna and their baby girl, Talitha, spend the holidays? “Hindi naman kami puedeng umalis kasi may trabaho ako. Ipo-promote ko itong movie. So dito lang kami sa Kapaskuhan. Also, ayaw naming ilabas ang baby hangga’t hindi nabibinyagan, gaya ng sinasabi sa mga pamahiin.”

Baby Talitha is scheduled to have her christening on December 10, a very intimate affair for only family members at St. James Church in Alabang where Vic and Pauleen also had their wedding.